Two-handled bowl

Although the Wiener Werkstätte had been established in 1903 by Josef Hoffmann and Koloman Moser, it was not until 1917 that a separate building devoted to design studios and the production of ceramics was opened. The vast majority of the designers working for the Wiener Werkstätte Ceramic Workshop came from students attending the Kunstgewerbeschule (School of Applied Arts) in Vienna. Vally Wieselthier was one of several young women who had been students at the school and subsequently worked as designers for the ceramic workshop. In addition to her ceramic work, which is characterized by the use of subtle glazes and simple molded forms, she also designed glass, wallpaper and other graphic works for the Wiener Werkstätte. She also produced designs for other manufacturers of ceramics and glass, including the firm of Lobmeyr, which also worked with Josef Hoffmann.