Germany - German Werkbund

View of a sitting room during the German Werkbund exhibition in Paris in 1930.
© Christies London, The Chair, 29th October 97'

Handcrafted furniture was the declared ideal of the artists' workshops, but socio-economic considerations were soon to lead to an about-turn.

Mass-produced furniture was to come into its own and the designers had to come to terms with industrial production methods.

With this in mind, the German Werkbund was founded in 1907 in Dresden. With the exception of a compulsory interval during the Second World War the Werkbund continued to exist until 1970.

One of the founder members was Hermann Muthesius, who was one of the most vocal proponents of the new alliance between art and industry