Set of Four Mahogany Chairs, from the Princely Palais Liechtenstein in Vienna
From the Princely Palais Liechtenstein in Vienna.
A stunning set of Viennese salon chairs with significant provenance, crafted from mahogany and mahogany veneer. The elegantly curved frames feature floral and ornamental carvings, while the backrests are intricately pierced along their edges and crowned with floral motifs on the upper corners and a rocaille design at the center. Both the seats and backrests are upholstered.
The inner sides of the chair frames bear paper labels with “EIGENTUM des Fürsten LIECHTENSTEIN Wien 1. Bankgasse Nr 9” (“Property of Prince Liechtenstein, Vienna 1st district, Bankgasse No. 9”), along with inventory numbers and the Princely fire stamp.
History and Design:
Construction of the Palais began in 1691 at the behest of Count Dominik Kaunitz under the direction of Domenico Martinelli, incorporating plans by Enrico Zuccalli. Stonework commissions were awarded to Viennese master Michael Khöll, as well as imperial quarry master Ambrosius Ferrethi and his sons-in-law Giovanni Battista Passerini and Martin Trumler.
In 1694, Prince Johann Adam I of Liechtenstein acquired the unfinished palace, designating it as a majorat house and completing the construction under Gabriel de Gabrieli and Martinelli by 1705. Martinelli designed Vienna’s first monumental Baroque portal on the Bankgasse side. The side entrance on Minoritenplatz and the grand staircase are associated with Johann Lucas von Hildebrandt. The sculptural decorations adorning the portals, attic, and interiors were created by Giovanni Giuliani, while the stucco work was executed by Santino Bussi. The main staircase, made of Kaiserstein, was constructed in 1699 by Viennese masters Michael Khöll and Wolfgang Steinböck, with the stair treads sourced from Kaisersteinbruch.
Until 1806, the Liechtenstein Gallery was housed on the second floor. The Palais was later rented to Archdukes Johann and Ludwig, and the art collection was relocated to the Garden Palace in Rossau. At a later stage, the city palace served as the Russian embassy.
Count Alois II sought to reclaim the Palais for private use and commissioned extensive interior renovations between 1836 and 1847, led by Peter Hubert Desvignes. The execution of the project was entrusted to Carl Leistler, who subcontracted parts of the work to Michael Thonet, among others. The renovation reportedly cost around eleven million gulden.
The Palais was outfitted with groundbreaking technical innovations, sparking widespread interest. These included mirrored doors that could be lifted and rotated, an elevator, and an intercom system. The ballroom, the most elaborate space, featured movable mirrored doors that expanded the space into surrounding corridors. Due to the decade-long renovations under Desvignes, the Palais was colloquially referred to as the “Artists’ Welfare Home.”
The Palais’ interior décor, designed by Desvignes, surpassed all expectations of Viennese Biedermeier style, aligning more closely with the Second Rococo period. Elegant bentwood flooring by Michael Thonet, floral silk wall coverings and draperies from Viennese manufacturers, and massive chandeliers from Paris now define the restored interiors.
Countess Nora Fugger (1864 – 1945) described the Palais in her memoirs:
“In terms of beauty and grandeur, the Palais is unparalleled in Europe. The ballroom is of immense height. When the lights in the wall sconces, the great girandoles, and the enormous glass chandelier in the center of the ceiling were lit, the magnificent space must have appeared bathed in light.
Two adjoining rooms are separated from the ballroom by tall glass partitions. High mirrors line the other walls, creating a truly magical impression. In one of the salons, a fountain basin stands in the center of the room. Just before the outbreak of the revolution, Count Liechtenstein hosted the first ball in his magnificent palace. In 1851 — after the revolutionary years — he hosted another, as previously described.”
Further Links:
Palais Liechtenstein Collection
More Literature:
• Das Stadtpalais der Liechtenstein — Johann Kräftner — 2015
• Dehio Wien I. Bezirk — 2003
• Feststiege Palais Liechtenstein — W. G. Rizzi — 1976
• Lexikon der Wiener Kunst und Kultur — N. Nemetschke/G.Kugler — 1990
• Schlösser in Österreich I — Laurin Luchner — 1978
• Tour de Palais — Iris Meder — 2014
• Wien wie es war — Richard Groner — 1965
• Wiener Barockpaläste — Bruno Grimschitz — 1944
• Wiener Bezirkskulturführer Innere Stadt — Felix Czeike — 1983
• Wiener Palais — W. Kraus/P. Müller — 1991
