Metamorphoses: the interiors and furniture of Dagobert Peche.(designer )

A recurring subject of articles about early twentieth-century arts and crafts written about the time of World War I was the distinction between the Austrian and the German way of making everyday objects. It was generally agreed that the former was more sensitive and individualistic, meaning that the Austrians did not follow rational criteria alone. The Germans considered this approach "playful," (1) implying not only formal but moral criticism because during World War I the production of functional objects was synonymous with social responsibility. Austrians did not ignore this issue but dealt with their wretched conditions by creating contrasting surroundings, pitting ...