Dagobert Peche was born 1887 in St.Michael, Salzburg. After studying Architecture in Vienna at Ohmann Peche turned to interior design, or one can call it in a better way to "mise en scéne" of entire rooms. The heritage of secessionist surface decoration and the example of artists from the Viennese School of Applied Arts (Kunstgewerbeschule) are clearly visible.
1911 Peche got acquainted with Josef Hoffmann, he worked for the firms of Johann Backhausen, Philipp Haas, Wiener Keramik, Viennese porcellain manufacture, Josef Böck.
He participated in exhibitions in Rome, at the Kölner Werkbund, he published articles in Alexander Kochs "Deutsche Kunst und Dekoration". Peches concepts present the glaring opposite to the reduced forms of Hoffmann.
With his "female decoration of rooms" Peche creates his specific way of interior design that can be described as "public intimacy".
After 1915 Peche worked for the Wiener Werkstatte, where he worked as director of the branch office in Zurich. His love for the fragmentary lets him to the create beings without body, heads covered around by leaves or concealed by veils, broaderies and sketches form entire patterns.
His bizarre phantasy renders soul to all the objects a woman of his time would need for the daily use of just for luxury.
Dagobert Peche died after a long illness 1923 in Mödling.
In the depressing time of the First World War Peche influnenced with his extravagant and cheerful creations the emphasis on the surface of the Wiener Werkstaette and can in that way be regarded as precursor of the today not exactly defined style of "Art Deco".
Foto: Karolinsky-Archive
