Designer Biography

Joseph Maria Olbrich

Born: 1867

Died: 1908

See items in our stock by Joseph Maria Olbrich

Olbrich was a contemporary of Hoffmann, studying architecture in Vienna before entering the office of Otto Wagner. Founder member of the Vienna Secession, he was the architect of the strikingly original Secession building in Vienna, He went to Darmstadt in 1899 to live and work on the development of the Grand Duke of Hesse's artists' colony at Matildenhohe and, as the only architect, built most of the public buildings. His furniture featured at the Turin Exhibition of 1902 and at the 1904 St Louis Exhibition, He also designed posters, wallpapers, embroideries, cutlery, lighting and ceramics.