04.11.2026 – 14.03.2027
The art of ceramics in Gmunden has been shaped by women over generations. The Schleiss family is a prime example of female entrepreneurship, artistic innovation and regional tradition. As a trained potter, Franziska Wiesinger (married name Schleiss) ran the ceramics workshop in Theatergasse from 1843 onwards. She supplied the markets with ceramics and organised the day-to-day running of the workshop, whilst her husband, Franz de Paula Schleiss, held political office. The workshop gained an international artistic reputation thanks to Emilie Simandl, née Schleiss. The designs of this sculptor, ceramist and graduate of the Vienna School of Applied Arts are characterised by Art Nouveau, Art Deco and folklore-inspired figures, tableware and tiled stoves. These bestsellers contributed to the enduring success of Gmunden ceramics, which continues to this day. Marianne, married name Eidner, brought many of her mother’s designs to life with her characteristic painting style. Trude ran Schleiss Keramik from 1961 until its closure in 1983. Her works combined Art Deco, Bauhaus and New Objectivity with motifs from the folk art of the Salzkammergut. The Schleiss family thus embodies an extraordinary, female-led continuity that played a decisive role in shaping Gmunden’s ceramic art between 1843 and 1983. Some of the exhibits presented in the exhibition curated by Veronika Schreck were made available for the collection thanks to the generous support of the Society for the Promotion of the Upper Austrian State Museum.
Emilie Schleiss-Simandl – Pioneers of Gmunden Ceramics
04.11.2026 – 14.03.2027
Schlossmuseum
Schlossberg 1, 4020 Linz
www.ooekultur.at
