September 2025

This big sideboard at the NGV dates from 1903, a far cry from the elaborately carved Edwardian furniture filling the homes of Melb at the time. That’s because it comes from Vienna, and it’s by one of the most avant guard designers of the Sezession period, Adolf Loos, most famous for his quote ‘ornament is crime’ in 1908.

This piece is part of suite he designed for the apartment of newlyweds Melanie and Jakob Langer, which features plain mahogany elaborated only by grids, and looks more like it’s from 1940. (I found pics of the other pieces in the catalogue). Loos had more opinions about interiors, such as variety through adding historic pieces, so there’s also some chippendale style dining chairs (and then there’s the tapestry boudoir chair).

The sideboard is displayed next to the 1913 Hoffman furniture of the Gallia apartment (last 2 pics), also restrained but filled with character by comparison. The most extraordinary thing however is that Melanie was a niece of the Gallias, and that the children of both families managed to get out of Austria after the Nazi takeover, with most of their furniture.

The Gallia stuff went into an apartment in Sydney, and the Langer into a house behind a milk bar (not sure where). Long term NGV decorative arts curator Terrance Lane organised the purchase of both sets, the Gallias in 1978, the Langers in 1994.

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