Last visit : December 2021
My rating : 7/10
Visit duration : 2 hours
Why : Only for lovers of Klimt and the Wiener Werkstatte
Vienna, the Central European capital of culture and art, is a city that enchants with its visual and intellectual legacy. Among its museums, the MAK (Museum für angewandte Kunst) stands out for its collection of applied arts, design and architecture. However, it is a destination that needs to be chosen with discretion: the casual visitor may find it less engaging than the more famous Viennese institutions such as the Kunsthistorisches Museum or the Belvedere . The MAK, however, is a museum of certain interest for those familiar with Viennese art, particularly the developments of Modernism and the Wiener Werkstätte, and for fans of industrial design.
Gustav Klimt's Cartoons: The Essence of Decorative Genius
One of the most significant elements of the MAK collection is Gustav Klimt's series of preparatory cartoons for the Stoclet Frieze. Commissioned by the architect Josef Hoffmann for the Palais Stoclet in Brussels, this frieze represents one of the most extraordinary examples of the Vienna Secession's fusion of painting, decoration and architecture. The MAK preserves and exhibits these cartoons, which allow us to grasp the elaboration of Klimt's symbolic language, the use of sinuous and golden lines, and the influence of Japanese and Byzantine art.
A close-up view of these drawings is a unique opportunity to study the master's creative process, his attention to detail and his ability to translate the two-dimensionality of the drawing into a total work of art. Those who appreciate Klimt for his decorative painting and his famous gilding will find in these cartoons a more intimate and analytical perspective of his production, which allows us to understand the role of drawing in decorative design.
The Wiener Werkstätte: Design as Total Art
Another core of the MAK is the collection dedicated to the Wiener Werkstätte, the applied arts workshop founded in 1903 by Josef Hoffmann and Koloman Moser. This movement represents the apogee of Viennese modernism, combining craftsmanship and innovation to create everyday objects that were both functional and aesthetically refined.
The MAK houses a wide selection of furniture, ceramics, textiles, jewelry, and design objects that demonstrate the attention to quality of execution and the search for an aesthetic consistent with the new spirit of the times. The influence of Art Nouveau is evident, but the Wiener Werkstätte stands out for its geometric rigor and minimalism that anticipate modernist rationalism.
Particularly noteworthy are the furniture designed by Hoffmann, characterized by clean lines and ornamental reduction, and the textiles by Dagobert Peche, which instead reveal a predilection for more playful and decorative motifs. For those interested in design history, this section of the MAK is an extraordinary archive that bears witness to the transition from symbolist ornamentation to a more essential language, which would profoundly influence 20th-century design.
The Mak in Vienna: A Museum for Connoisseurs, Not Occasional Tourists
Despite the richness of its collections, the MAK is not a museum that is suitable for all visitors. Those expecting a classic exhibition with immediately recognizable works may be disappointed, as the museum is structured in such a way as to favor a more specialized and analytical approach. The exhibition narrative is not designed for a general audience, but for those who already have a basic knowledge of Viennese Modernism and applied arts.
If the Belvedere offers the most famous and spectacular Klimt, the MAK offers a more intellectual and project-oriented one; if the Leopold Museum immerses the visitor in Viennese Expressionist painting, the MAK guides him to the discovery of the intersections between art and design that characterized the Secession and the Wiener Werkstätte.
Ultimately, the MAK is a must-see for Klimt lovers, for those who know and want to delve deeper into the design and decorative dimension of Viennese art, for design scholars, and for those who love to explore the relationships between art, architecture, and craftsmanship. For the general tourist, however, it could be a less engaging experience, lacking the immediate emotional impact found in the city's most iconic museums.
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