Koloman (Kolo) Moser

1868 - 1918

Koloman (Kolo) Moser

Koloman (Kolo) Moser

Koloman (Kolo) Moser was born in Vienna march 30th in the year 1868.

He studied at the Academy of Fine Arts and at the Viennese School of Applied Arts (Kunstgewerbeschule), where he later, after 1899, worked as a teacher.

Kolo Moser occupied an important position in the Austrian art scene of the turning of the century, as he was one of the founders of the Secession, the organisation of graphic artists in the year 1897 which he left together with the so called Klimt-Group in 1905.

Together with Josef Hoffmann and Fritz Wärndorfer he founded the Wiener Werkstaette in 1903 and controlled together with Josef Hoffmann over the means of production and sale of their artistic work.

Moser worked as a graphic designer for severals magazines for exemple "Ver Sacrum", "Hohe Warte" and "Der liebe Augustin".

As a craftsman Moser designed a mosaic as well as the stained glass windows for the "Kirche am Steinhof" by Otto Wagner, the most famous consecrated building of the period before 1914.

Koloman Moser is one of the founders of the "Österreichischer Werkbund".

Besides graphics and craft Moser worked as a painter.

His first pictures show the influence of impressionistic tendencies, in his later years it was the painter Ferdinand Hodler, who had strong influence on the style of Kolo Moser.

Kolo Moser died october 18th 1918 in Vienna.

Foto: Karolinsky-Archive