(Piestany 1866-1920 Vienna)
A view of St. Stephen’s seen from Graben with rich figural staffag, cabs and tramway, signed Kozeluh S. Wien, watercolour on paper, 63 x 44,5 cm, framed, browned, (BH)

Provenance:
Auction sale, im Kinsky, Vienna, 15th April 2008, lot 246.

In the foreground on the left one can see the first so-called “Haashaus” named after its owner Philipp Haas, who was a carpet manufacturer and had the first department store in Vienna built there. It was constructed in the years 1865 to 1867 according to designs by August Sicard von Sicardsburg and Eduard van der Nüll in the style of the French Baroque. It burned down completely on April 11, 1945. The company Philipp Haas & Söhne was founded in 1810 for the production of carpets and upholstery fabrics. The carpet weaving company gained worldwide fame with weaving patterns based on oriental style. Gradually, the fabrics were also produced according to the designs of important artists, including the architects Theophil Hansen and Heinrich von Ferstel. In 1873 Philipp Haas & Söhne presented its goods at the Vienna World Exhibition. Eventually the company became the k. u. k. Court carpet and upholstery fabric supplier.