Reproductions in Henry van de Velde’s Haus Hohe Pappeln

The Belgian designer and arts reformer Henry van de Velde (1863–1957) moved to Weimar in 1902 as artistic counsellor to Grand Duke Wilhelm Ernst with the intention of inspiring modern design in craftsmanship and industry in Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach. In order to introduce the “new style” to the younger generation too, he founded the Kunstgewerbeschule (school of arts and crafts) from which the Bauhaus was to develop in 1919. In 1907 on the outskirts of Weimar van de Velde designed a house for his family of seven, known as Haus Hohe Pappeln. Here, he was able to build an architectonic Gesamtkunstwerk without having to submit to the demands of other clients. As with many of his buildings he designed not only the architecture, but also numerous details of the décor itself, from picture rails and curtains to lights. But he – unlike the clients for his other buildings – lacked the means to design the whole interior. He therefore also integrated older furniture characterised by dynamic lines in the new, decidedly simple and elegant style of the house. After the family relocated to Switzerland, the house was sold in 1919. It is now owned by the Klassik Stiftung Weimar and the representative ground floor and the garden, designed by Henry and Maria van de Velde, are open to the public. The furniture of the Münchhausen family, which was designed by van de Velde in Weimar in 1904, has replaced the now missing or scattered original furniture belonging to van de Velde.

The overall impression of the ground floor, formerly characterised by diverse colours and materials, is to be restored in line with conservation guidelines so that it may be brought to life once again. The project will embrace all fittings and furnishings in the workroom and in the salon. Information pertaining to the authenticity and reconstruction of features will be provided by means of texts, an audio guide and plans. The fitted cabinets along the workroom walls, the two writing desks integrated in these, the radiator casings and a sofa installed against the wall will be reconstructed. The missing wall covering made from Henry van de Velde’s “Tula” cloth can be rewoven in detail. Metal fittings such as handles, picture hooks and decorative elements on the radiator casings will also be reconstructed. In the salon, curtains and lights will be rewoven or redressed. The reconstructions will be based on historic photographs, the statements of historic witnesses, the findings of building archaeology and analogous examples. In the workroom, the study of the preserved window reveals and doors showed evidence of once faintly lustrous surfaces. The removal of more recent layers of render also brought to light the original battens of the wall covering, complete with remnants of coloured thread. Identifying the colours of the room’s original textiles presented the project’s greatest challenge thus far. Although the pattern repeat, material and technique of both wall covering and salon curtain are known from originals from various collections and listed in the second volume of the catalogue of works, Henry van de Velde had the cloth woven in a number of colour variations, which could only be partially identified. A greyscale comparison of historic photographs and the known sample materials however meant it was possible to identify red and pink as the colours of the salon curtain. A study of photos of the nuanced colour changes in the wall covering however was inconclusive. An analysis of the dye in the millimetre-sized remnant of cloth will hopefully give some indication of the original colours of the wall covering. Overall, the room will be defined by the soft matt colours pink (wall), yellow-olive/mud coloured (wall covering), anthracite (radiator niches) and reddish brown (fitted furniture).