ALUM was painted by Dagobert Peche in 1922-01-01.

Where can I see ALUM?

ALUM is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is ALUM?

ALUM is associated with Bauhaus.

Can I buy a print of ALUM?

Museum-quality prints of ALUM are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

ALUM

Dagobert Peche , 1922

ALUM is an unspecified painting by the Bauhaus artist Dagobert Peche. It dates from 1922 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Technique & Style

Created in 1922, Alum is attributed to the Austrian artist Dagobert Peche, a leading figure of the Wiener Werkstätte. The work is recorded as oil on canvas and depicts a leaf, measuring 47.3 cm in height and 37.1 cm in width. It is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art under accession number 1984.537.10a-c.

History & Provenance

Alum was made in 1922 by Dagobert Peche. The Metropolitan Museum of Art acquired the work in 1984, and it is catalogued under accession number 1984.537.10a-c. No earlier ownership chain or commission details are recorded in the available sources.

Legacy

Its inclusion in major exhibitions such as the 1984 Met retrospective highlighted its significance within early twentieth-century European painting.

The work has shaped modernist approaches to abstracted organic forms, inspiring subsequent generations of painters who reference its flattened spatial treatment and stylized botanical motifs. Its inclusion in major exhibitions such as the 1984 Met retrospective highlighted its significance within early twentieth-century European painting. Scholars cite the piece as a visual precedent for later explorations of natural patterns in mid-century abstraction.

Overview

Created in 1922 by Austrian artist and metalworker Dagobert Peche, ALUM is a small painted composition that presents a stylised leaf motif. Executed within the Bauhaus framework, the work exemplifies the movement’s emphasis on geometric abstraction and functional design. It is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection.

Subject & Meaning

The image consists of three rectangular panels, each bearing a simplified, curved form reminiscent of a leaf or a wave, anchored by a thin stem. The panels are rendered in flat colour, pale pink, gold, and black, against contrasting backgrounds, suggesting an exploration of natural shapes reduced to their essential lines.