Gisela Falke von Lilienstein Austrian, 1871 - death date unknown Argentor, manufacturer (Vienna) Covered tureen, c. 1902 H. 12 x W. 17 3/4 (to handles) x D. 10 7/8 in.

Baroness von Lilienstein took an active part in the activities and development of the Wiener Werkstätte at the turn of the century. She studied with Josef Hoffmann among others, and her work was exhibited in several Secessionist exhibitions as well as important international expositions in Europe and America. She designed works in several disciplines including ceramics, glassware, lighting and some furniture, though few pieces have survived.

The commanding presence of this tureen is difficult to ignore and must have been quite at odds with fin-de-siècle furnishings. Its highly assertive form, especially the angular handles with their bold circular cutouts, and the paneled glass bowl contrasts greatly with the scale and delicacy of many domestic designs of this era. Its only concession to period style is the cut glass star pattern on the bottom. The four cut-out squares in the brass mount anticipate the grid-like gitterwerk baskets of Josef Hoffmann and Koloman Moser to follow in the next several years.