The Japanese Salon, Villa Hügel, Hietzing, Vienna Rudolf von Alt 1855

From the collection of
Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
This salon exhibits a riot of Chinese/Japanese motifs. The walls are hung with wallpaper panels decorated with leaves, birds and large ceramic figures. A lantern, suspended from a palmette canopy centered in the ceiling, is designed in a large circular fish scale pattern. The black japannned and cane furniture is typical of the Victorian period. The floor covering appears to simulate tatami matting. Two large seated statues in costume flank French doors on the right. A mysterious seated figure in the left foreground holds a mask to his face with one hand; an unidentified object, perhaps also a mask, is in the other hand.
Details
Title: The Japanese Salon, Villa Hügel, Hietzing, Vienna
Creator: Rudolf von Alt
Date Created: 1855
Signed: Lower left in pen and black watercolor: Rudolf Alt (1)855
Provenance: Eugene V. Thaw Collection; Thomas Le Caire, Hamburg; Ernst August Herzog von Cumberland and Braunschweig-Luneberg - thence by descent; August Ludwig Wilhelm Herzog von Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel
Paper Support: White paper
Inscribed: Illegible inscription, partially obscured, at lower right in brush and brown watercolor on the pedestal of the crouching ceramic figure at left. Another inscription appears at far right on the floor in front of the french door, in pen and black ink : Tunga sebo' [?]
Exhibitions: New York, NY - Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, Smithsonian Institution, House Proud: Nineteenth-Century Watercolor Interiors from the Thaw Collection, August 12, 2008-January 25, 2009.
Dimensions: Frame H x W x D: 60 x 75.6 x 2.5 cm (23 5/8 x 29 3/4 x 1 in.)Sheet: 38.4 x 53.2 cm (15 1/8 x 20 15/16 in.)
Bibliography: Gail S. Davidson et al., House Proud, Nineteenth-Century Watercolor Interiors from the Thaw Collection (New York: Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, Smithsonian Institution, 2008), 36, fig. 10; 121, pl. 56.
Type: Drawing
Rights: Thaw Collection
Medium: Brush and watercolor and gouache, graphite on white paper

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
New York, United States

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum is the only museum in the nation devoted exclusively to historic and contemporary design. The museum has re-opened after three years with 10 opening exhibitions featuring a rich mix of historic and contemporary design objects from our permanent collection, unique temporary installations, and dynamic interactive experiences. We also have an exciting calendar of events, including hands-on workshops, talks, and family programs.

The Museum was founded in 1897 by Sarah and Eleanor Hewitt—granddaughters of industrialist Peter Cooper—as part of The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art. A branch of the Smithsonian since 1967, Cooper-Hewitt is housed in the landmark Andrew Carnegie Mansion on Fifth Avenue in New York City.

The campus also includes two historic townhouses renovated with state-of-the-art conservation technology and a unique terrace and garden. Cooper Hewitt’s collections include more than 217,000 design objects and a world-class design library. Its exhibitions, in-depth educational programs, and on-site, degree-granting master’s program explore the process of design, both historic and contemporary. As part of its mission, Cooper Hewitt annually sponsors the National Design Awards, a prestigious program which honors innovation and excellence in American design. Together, these resources and programs reinforce Cooper Hewitt’s position as the preeminent museum and educational authority for the study of design in the United States.

Rudolf von Alt
Aug 28, 1812 - Mar 12, 1905

Rudolf Ritter von Alt was an Austrian landscape and architectural painter. Born as Rudolf Alt, he could call himself von Alt and bear the title of a Ritter after he gained nobility in 1889.
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