Table lamp with spiral ornamentation Gustav Gurschner ca. 1905

Among the numerous objects Gustav Gurschner designed for the study were several table lamps. Resting on a bronze base supported by four brackets is a copper shade pierced with an intricately cut spiral pattern. The motif of the spiral, one of the oldest forms of ornament, also decorates the base. Both bronze and copper are patinated and display a subtle greenish tone.
Like many of his designs, this lamp reflects Gurschner’s search for new and unexhausted ornamental forms. Inspired by Etruscan and Celtic models, he created objects of marked stylistic independence and geometric rigor, clearly distinguished from the floral and organic forms of Art Nouveau at the turn of the century.
The lamp possesses an archaic yet timeless presence and represents, in a particularly striking way, the eclecticism of Viennese design around 1900, making it a synthesis of craftsmanship, decorative refinement, and stylistic individuality.