As early as the 1910s, Josef Hoffmann designed a small chest of this kind, which was later fitted with four small legs. In total, three such chests are known today: One was painted by Gertrude Balabene, another by Renate Tschurtschentaler. However, this piece is probably the most important of its kind, as it was painted by Franz von Zülow – a master painter decorated his first furniture for the Wiener Werkstätte as early as 1908.
Shown at: Musée des Beaux Arts, Brussels, 1989; L'art deco en Europe, illus. cat. no. A 12, p. 37; MAK Vienna, Josef Hoffmann 1870-1956. Progress Through Beauty, December 2021 until June 2022
Cat. Nr. M22/10