Illustration: Carl Otto Czeschka. Illustration from Die Nibelungen, 1909.
Carl Otto Czeschka the Austrian born artist and designer produced a whole range of work in a number of disciplines including metalwork, woodwork, jewellery, textiles, furniture, stained glass, stage, interiors, both domestic and commercial, as well as in graphics and illustration. In all, or most of these subjects, Czeschka produced a highly defined style that in some respects helped to inevitably define the decorative arts in Austria during the early twentieth century.
Czeschka was a member of the Wiener Werkstatte from 1905. His work appeals very much to those interested in decoration and pattern, particularly that of a very definite and graphic quality. Many liken his style to that of Gustav Klimt and the joint emphasis on the decorative quality of the compositions of both men are obvious although both went in different directions with Czeschka concentrating very much on the graphic quality of decoration, Klimt much more on the fine art approach.
Illustration: Carl Otto Czeschka. Poster for the Fledermaus Cabaret, 1907.
The three illustrations of Czeschka's work shown in this article are perhaps some of the most memorable and popular. Two are from his famous illustrative work he produced for the 1909 Die Nibelungen, while the middle illustration is a poster he produced in 1907 for the Fledermaus Cabaret. The Nibelungen illustrations in particular are very defined, even isolated in some respects, so that single or even group compositions tend to be surrounded by single colour space, often white. In many respects, this gives them a dynamism and a sense of concentration so that the viewer is pinned to the narrative of the story as perceived by Czeschka.
It is perhaps no coincidence that Czeschka was also involved in stage production and these illustrations can easily be seen as perhaps influential in both directions, towards a stage interpretation and from a stage interpretation. Interestingly, the illustrations Czeschka produced for Die Nibelungen were considered inspirational for Fritz Lang when he produced a film version of Die Nibelungen in 1924. Anyone who has seen the Lang film will be fully aware that at least elements of Czeschka's decorative interpretation of the Nibelungen, are fully incorporated in both sets and costume. Despite the fact that the film is in black and white, something of the solidity and graphic dimension of Czeschka's style and indeed that of the Wiener Werkstatte, is readily incorporated and readily noticeable.
Illustration: Carl Otto Czeschka. Illustration from Die Nibelungen, 1909.
After just over a century, Czeschka's work still seems able to appear arresting and beautifully and effortlessly poised. There is little in these pieces of illustrative work that could be seen as unnecessary or extraneous. The illustrator has made every line and every field of colour count, although economy in no way denotes a lack of imagination or creative input. In fact, limiting line, style and particularly colour range, there being at most one or two colour variations in many cases, has added to the unique creativity of the Niebelungen series, so much so that they are still very much sought after and seen as a fundamental decorative inspiration too many, even a century after they were initially published.
To see more of the breathtaking illustrative work that Czeschka produced for Die Nibelungen, follow the link to Spirit of the Ages which gives a good representation of the illustrations that were provided in 1909.
To see more of the breathtaking illustrative work that Czeschka produced for Die Nibelungen, follow the link to Spirit of the Ages which gives a good representation of the illustrations that were provided in 1909.
I have included two segments of the Fritz Lang 1924 film Die Nibelungen at the end of this article; they will also be available to view through The Textile Blog Video Library Channel under costume, as well as being posted on The Textile Blog twitter, facebook and google+ sites.
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