Loetz vase PG 7801 ca. 1899

Around 1900, at the height of the Jugendstil movement, two defining stylistic features characterized glass production at the Bohemian glassworks Loetz in Klostermühle: intricately drawn and combed thread decoration, and a richly iridescent surface with metallic sheen. This distinctive technique was introduced in 1898 and became known under the collective term Phänomen-Glas (Phenomenon Glass). Vessels from this series rank among the most technically sophisticated, artistically innovative, and commercially successful creations of the manufactory.
The décor PG 7801 presented here is one of the earlier examples of the Phänomen Genre. Against a bronze-colored ground run three horizontal rows of delicate silver threads, drawn in a precise zigzag pattern. The resulting ornament evokes stylized leaf forms or abstracted natural motifs, reflecting the Jugendstil’s close affinity with botanical and organic design language.

The shimmering iridescence, which shifts in subtle tones of blue, green, and violet depending on the light, lends the surface extraordinary visual depth and enhances the sense of movement and vitality.
This vase is a compelling example of the exceptional craftsmanship and aesthetic refinement with which Loetz helped shape the direction of international art glass around 1900.