Loetz vase PG 2/450 ca. 1902

Around 1900, at the height of Viennese Art Nouveau, the Bohemian glassworks of Loetz in Klostermühle developed two distinctive features that would become hallmarks of its artistic production: finely drawn and combed thread decoration, and iridescent surfaces with a pronounced metallic luster. Introduced in 1898, this innovative technique was collectively known as Phenomen Glass. Vessels from this series rank among the manufactory’s most technically sophisticated, artistically innovative, and commercially successful creations.
Among the most refined examples is the Phänomen Genre 2/450 decor adorning the present vase. Trailing colorless horizontal threads are overlaid with bands of silver-yellow that are drawn downward, creating an organic pattern reminiscent of foliage. The silver-yellow threads are particularly striking against the dark blue underlayer, referred to by Loetz as Cobalt, where their luminous metallic quality is brought into especially vivid relief.
The otherwise restrained form of the vase is articulated by four indentations in its upper section, creating an organic, subtly sculptural silhouette in which the light is captured and reflected to striking effect.