Josef Hoffmann (1870-1956, Moravia, present-day Czech Republic) was an Austrian architect and designer. Educated at the Higher State Crafts School (Austria) and the Academy of Fine Arts (Vienna), he co-founded the Vienna Secession artists' alliance in 1897 and later the Wiener Werkstätte in 1903. Both organizations sought to bring together a community of designers across fine arts, ceramics, architecture, furniture, glass, and jewelry design. Hoffmann began teaching at the University of Applied Arts (Vienna) while continuing to develop furniture, glass, and metal work that would later be acquired by the Museum of Modern Art (New York).
