The flat planes and distinct edges of this cabinet reflect Joseph Maria Olbrich’s deepening commitment to geometric designs over time. Olbrich was a founding member of the Vienna Succession (1897–1914) and the Darmstadt Artist Colony (founded 1899), revolutionary groups of designers, sculptors, and painters defining early 20th-century European art. Olbrich’s artistry was admired by his colleague Gustav Klimt (1862–1918), who decorated his studio with furniture designed by Olbrich.