Vase Hans Bolek Loetz Opal außen Rosa ca. 1915

Hans Bolek (1890 – 1978), a student of Josef Hoffmann at the Vienna School of Arts and Crafts, can be described as an absolutely exceptional talent. Although he made a name for himself primarily as an architect and worked with Otto Prutscher in his architectural office, he was also active in furniture, jewelry and glass design. Bolek was one of the founding members of the Austrian Werkbund. Josef Hoffman’s influence on Hans Bolek can be seen especially in his vase designs with etched decoration for the Johann Loetz Witwe company.

Both the shape and the etched decoration so characteristic of Josef Hoffmann confirm the close collaboration between teacher and pupil. Hans Bolek’s vases are just as recognizable as those of his mentor and are particularly popular collector’s items. Above all, the ornamental decoration of the vases, in combination with their geometrically reduced forms, distinguishes them from the otherwise rather organic-looking objects of the Johann Loetz Witwe glassworks.

This decoration was etched out with hydrofluoric acid in several elaborate steps and testifies to the high level of craftsmanship of the Bohemian glassworks Johann Loetz Witwe.

First, the workpiece is covered in several layers. A glass artist paints the areas with gum arabic that remain raised at the end and a craftsman then sinks the workpiece completely into the acid. This technique requires a great deal of experience and is therefore particularly dangerous and expensive in production.