Jugendstil Iridescent Glass Vase Attributed to the Loetz / Kralik Area

📜 Description
Iridescent art glass vase attributable to the Bohemian Jugendstil production of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, created within the Central European decorative glass tradition influenced by the aesthetic research of Loetz and Kralik. The piece features an elegant elongated structure with a narrow neck, organic central expansion and flared base, developed through the fluid lines characteristic of the Art Nouveau style. The glass surface displays a pronounced amber iridescence with changing reflections and a hot-applied wavy decoration in violet and bluish tones running vertically along the body of the vase and merging into the glass mass itself. Particularly noteworthy is the internal texture of the glass, visible when backlit, characterized by fibrous and cellular veining that enhances the material depth of the object and amplifies its luminous effect. The composition reveals a well-executed blown glass technique consistent with early twentieth-century Bohemian decorative production, conceived both for interior decoration and for the aesthetic enhancement of the glass material. The vase retains a strong visual presence and represents a significant period artefact connected to the artistic season of the Central European Secession and Art Nouveau glassmaking.

📚 Historical-Artistic Note
Between the late nineteenth century and the early decades of the twentieth century, Bohemia became one of the leading European centres for artistic glass production, thanks to manufactories specializing in iridescent surfaces and organic decorative experimentation influenced by the Jugendstil movement. Productions associated with the Loetz and Kralik area developed decorative techniques based on chromatic overlays, metallic effects and hot-applied plastic ornamentation, contributing to the international diffusion of Art Nouveau glass. This example fits coherently within that production context through the quality of its material, formal structure and decorative surface treatment.

🧾 Technical Details
Type: art glass vase
Author / Manufactory: Bohemian manufactory in the style of Loetz / Kralik
Place: Bohemia
Period: circa 1900–1915
Material: blown glass
Technique: hot-worked iridescent glass with applied decoration fused into the glass mass
Subject / Title: iridescent Jugendstil vase
Dimensions: height 24 cm; maximum diameter 12 cm

🔍 Condition Report
Good overall condition. Surface with minor traces of use and light wear consistent with age and the nature of the material. Presence of slight micro-abrasions and minute manufacturing irregularities compatible with the artisanal production of the period.