Margarete Fröhlich. Axonometric Explorations of Rooms

Margarete Fröhlich (1901-2001) was an Austrian artist and interior designer who specialised in the modelling of housing units. Initially, she studied at the Munich Kunstgewerbeschule (School of Applied Arts) and later moved to Frankfurt in 1929 where she spent three years at the local Kunstgewerbeschule. In 1933, Fröhlich and her family left Germany and moved to Prague.

Drawing, Design for Modern Living Room/Bedroom, 1933–39; Designed by Margarethe Fröhlich (Austrian, 1901–2001); Austria; brush and gouache, watercolor; collaged black and green paper, silver foil, grass-cloth and wood veneer; graphite on heavy cream wove paper; 49.4 x 34.5 cm (19 7/16 x 13 5/8 in. ), sheet irregular; Gift of Margarethe Fröhlich; 1997-109-9

While in Prague, she worked both as an illustrator and model-maker for other architects and as an interior designer for her own clients. She would often employ simple yet expressive axonometric drawings of single rooms of housing interiors, axonometric being a means of design and communication with her clients.

The images are collages where the pencil or black ink outlines are then filled with paper-scraps of different colours, brushes, gouache and even newspaper inserts. Handmade patterns express the different textures and some details reveal a careful choice of specific furniture.

Drawing, Design for a Modern Bedroom/Living Room, 1933–39; Designed by Margarethe Fröhlich (Austrian, 1901–2001); Austria; pen, brush and gouache, collaged, painted and printed paper, metal foil, brown color pencil, graphite on heavy cream wove paper; 44 x 34.3 cm (17 5/16 x 13 1/2 in.); Gift of Margarethe Fröhlich; 1997-109-5

Drawing, Design for a Modern Living Room/Bedroom with Black Furnace, 1933–39; Designed by Margarethe Fröhlich (Austrian, 1901–2001); Austria; brush and pen, sponge and gouache, tan watercolor, pen and brush and black ink, collaged wood veneer and metal foil, graphite, drawing silhouetted and laid down on cream cardboard; 58.7 x 39.4 cm (23 1/8 x 15 1/2 in. ); Gift of Margarethe Fröhlich; 1997-109-2

Drawing, Design for a Modern Living Room/Bedroom with Black Furnace, 1933–39; Designed by Margarethe Fröhlich (Austrian, 1901–2001); brush and gouache, watercolor, brush and pen and black ink, collaged wood veneer, black coated paper and metal foil, graphite on thick cream cardboard; 58.6 x 39.4 cm (23 1/16 x 15 1/2 in. )

Drawing, Design for a Modern Living Room with Piano, 1933–39; Designed by Margarethe Fröhlich (Austrian, 1901–2001); Austria; brush and gouache, watercolor, collaged paper and metal foil, graphite on cream cardboard; 51.1 x 38.6 cm (20 1/8 x 15 3/16 in. )

Drawing, Design for Living Room/Bed Room and Kitchen, 1933–39; Designed by Margarethe Fröhlich (Austrian, 1901–2001); Austria; brush and gouache, black ink; collaged wood veneer, silver foil, news print, printed paper, tracing paper, graphite on paper cut and silhouetted on cream cardboard; 32.4 x 30.5 cm (12 3/4 in. x 12 in.) 49.5 x 36.8 cm (19 1/2 x 14 1/2 in.)

All drawings are part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design department of the Cooper Hewitt.

Via Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum.

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