I needed to decorate the glass door of the dining room, which featured heavy, classic furniture and a tapestry on the wall. I chose to design a plant with its flowers, emphasizing its beautiful curved lines. Once installed, the engraved glass brought a sense of lightness to the environment.
The choice of this design was also inspired by the 1982 edition of my research book, which featured Art Nouveau decorative motifs from the Solo Type Archive. It displays examples and historical references of typographic design. This type of compilation serves as a source of inspiration.

Technique: Design engraved by sandblasting on one side of the glass, while the glass remains transparent.

Another challenge. The glass needed to block as much visibility as possible between the dining room and the TV room. I presented a design by Max Benirschke (1880) and to soften the forms, I introduced curved lines to bring movement to the entire partition. I chose to engrave designs on both sides of the glass, creating an overlay of shapes for a more dynamic effect. I researched and selected this elegant desing from the first publication in 1984 contains all 30 plates from Buchschmuck und Flachenmuster von Max Benirschkr,a porfolio originally published in the series Die Quelle, No II by Veriag Martin Gerlash,Vienna and Leipzig,(1902) Max Benirschke is best known for his graphic design accomplishments in Jugendstil, the Austrian and German counterpart to the Art Nouveau movement.
Distinctive for their geometric quality, symmetry, and stylization, Benirschke’s graphics have been an endless source of inspiration for artists and designers since their creation in the early 1900s. I find his work deeply inspiring, and incorporated elements of his style into my own technique (sandblasting) creating a contemporary interpretation of his distinctive aesthetic. Let’s learn more about Jugendstil: Jugendstil was the name given to the German and Austrian version of the Art Nouveau movement, which flourished between the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with especially vigorous development in Germany, centered in Munich, historically the Central European mecca for artists.

Technique: Design engraved by sandblasting on one side of the glass, while the glass remains transparent.

The magazine Jugend (“Youth”), subtitled “The Munich Illustrated Weekly for Art and Life,” was, from its premier issue in 1896, so strongly associated with the movement in Germany that it gave its name to the style (“Jugendstil”). While Jugend was not exclusively an art journal, it was an important showcase for the graphic talents of a whole generation of artists. Most of the art is reproduced exactly as it appeared in Jugend. – Organic and stylized lines – Inspired by nature, but often more geometric than the French Art Nouveau. – Fluid and symbolic ornamentation – Floral motifs, elegant female figures, and dynamic forms were common.

– Influence of Symbolism and Japonism – Like Art Nouveau in general, it absorbed the aesthetics of Japanese prints.
– Innovative typography and graphic design – Typography was an essential part of the style, featuring decorative lettering integrated into the overall design.
– Applied arts and architecture – Jugendstil was not limited to graphic arts; it influenced architecture, interior design, furniture, jewelry, and even urban planning.

Other Key Jugendstil Artists and Designers:
Otto Eckmann – Graphic designer and typographer, creator of influential fonts within the movement.
Peter Behrens – Designer and architect, one of the pioneers of modern industrial design.
Gustav Klimt Austrian painter, whose decorative and symbolic style became an icon of Viennese Jugendstil.
Koloman Moser – Graphic designer, illustrator, and co-founder of the Wiener Werkstätte, one of the movements derived from Jugend

The edition of my research book is from 1982 and features more than 100 full-color Art Nouveau stained glass designs from the rare and important early 20th-century portfolio Bunte Verglasungen.
The original portfolio identified the nine contributing artists solely by their surnames and the initials of their given names, compiled by several talented artists, including, A. Waldraff. A. Waldraff’s seagull design was a perfect fit for the window and door of my client’s penthouse apartment. This illustration of seagulls over the sea embodies the hallmarks of Jugendstil: fluid forms, elegant lines, nature-inspired motifs, and ornamental stylization. This type of design was widely used in early 21th-century interiors, merging art with functionality, and remains perfectly suitable for contemporary applications. About the artist: A. Waldraff was a German artist associated with decorative arts and church restoration. As a Jugendstil/Art Nouveau stained-glass artist, he collaborated with notable design workshops and glass manufacturers of the time, such as Franz Mayer of Munich and Zettler, both of which were responsible for major stained-glass projects during that period.
The design of this double door leading to the balcony is not prominently featured in the photo, but I reproduced the shapes of the colored stained glass window by artist Josef Goller, which depicts an exotic bird. The artist J. Goller also has other stained glass works in the same book that A.Waldraff. (seagull stained glass) Whether used as a source of inspiration or directly applied, this elegant collection of authentic, copyright-free designs is a valuable addition to my design studio and to other craftsmen’s workshops.

About the artist
Josef Goller (1868–1947) was a German designer and artist associated with the
Jugendstil movement, the German version of
Art Nouveau. He designed ceramics and other decorative elements, contributing to the development of applied design in Germany.He played a significant role in the transition between handcrafted aesthetics and industrial
production, maintaining a high level of refinement in his designs