Wall plate Karl Klaus Ernst Wahliss Wien ca. 1911

Austrian architect and designer Karl Klaus studied under Josef Hoffmann at the Vienna School of Arts and Crafts (Kunstgewerbeschule) from 1908 to 1911. In 1911, he joined the Wiener Werkstätte.

Klaus is best known for his designs for the so-called Serapis Faience, created around 1910–1911 for the Wiener Werkstätte in collaboration with the Ernst Wahliss Porcelain and Faience Manufactory. These pioneering works were already published in the journal Deutsche Kunst und Dekoration in 1911 and are regarded among the most significant examples of Viennese decorative arts of the period.
The present decorative plate with tree and bird motifs belongs to this important body of work. The design is distinguished by its rigorously geometric yet harmoniously balanced composition. The tree and parrots are rendered in a highly stylized ornamental manner and enlivened by a vibrant colour palette. Delicate gilt accents enhance the decorative effect and lend the piece the refined elegance characteristic of Viennese Jugendstil and the early Serapis Faience designs.