An artistic sojourn in Austria

Craft culture

Detailing the cultural wealth of Austria would take volumes. The country has a widely admired rich legacy of art and craft, and its capital Vienna is especially famed for its historic buildings, musical atmosphere, outstanding museums and art galleries.

From the legendary composer Wolfgang Mozart to famed art nouveau painter Gustav Klimt and countless other brilliant artists in-between, before and after, there is a great artistic heritage.
Even for the layman or the average visitor to the country, there is a lot of art and craft in the country which he can see, touch, feel and take home too.

Woodcraft, crystal ware, brass and bronze artefacts, traditional costumes, woollen products, bells, hand-painted ceramic figurines, amber in various forms, sissy stars, artistically designed chocolates... the list is endless.

If you are a music lover, you can take home a piece of Mozart, literally. The mozartkugeln is a round, sweet delicacy which commemorates this famous composer. With a coating of dark chocolate it uses a light nougat with marzipan inside.

Actually, Mozart is everywhere! At every souvenir store and craft centre, I saw a variety of key chains, door-magnets and desktop decor items which contained his photo, and he was on shirts and T-shirts too.

Well-known, though expensive, Hummel figures are small figurines in ceramic, beautifully hand-painted. There is also the wiener bronzen, which, as the name suggests, are bronze figurines generally featuring animals with human features.

A more pricey option is the famed sisi star. The exquisite diamond stars braided into 19th century Empress Elisabeth’s long hair became known as the sisi stars worldwide. These can be used as pendants, hairpins or brooches.

Two other Austria-exclusives are the Swarovski crystals and Grassmayr bells. The glass crystals are now available in several forms of jewellery, and in a wide range of designs.

Even if you are not inclined to buy, a must-visit would be the Swarovski Kristallwelten or Crystal World in Tyrol, where you can see some interesting creations using crystals, including our own Indian Maharaja’s horse Chetak.

The renowned, centuries-old Grassmayr Bell Foundry in Innsbruck, which has made some of Europe’s most famous bells including humongous ones weighing hundreds of kilograms for churches, has a museum too. Their bells toll in nearly 100 countries.

The Grassmayr Foundry has a shopping area where you get a variety of bells for cows, horses and other animals which can and are indeed often used as showpieces. Besides, there are countless other souvenirs — tiny, tabletop musical bells which produce different tunes when wound-up and released, miniature animals, hanging bells, etc.

The wine glasses of Austria are also known to be of high quality. Actually, Vienna boasts of being the only metropolis in the world to cultivate an appreciable wine-growing industry within its city limits. Amber, which is also considered a harbinger of good luck here, is another product you can take home, but we were cautioned to buy it only from well-known stores.

If you want traditional clothes, go for the lederhosen, or the famous Dirndl dresses which are always worn with an apron. We saw pretty versions worn by the female artistes at the Tyrolean folk music and dance performances we witnessed.

Like our sari, this is one traditional clothing that has endured and which is considered fit for both daily wear in the rural areas as well as fashionable urban wear. The typical hats worn by men are widely sold in markets and are adorned with feathers, corded hatband, or artificial flowers. Tyrol is the best place to get the famed Tyrolean or Alpine Hats.

We saw a large variety of woodcraft. From traditional ones to contemporary-style objects there was a great deal on offer as well as on display in homes, restaurants, museums and hotels. Krippen or Austrian nativity scenes carved in wood are a well-known product.

If you are in Vienna during Christmas, pick up the Christmas tree ornaments. Even if you are not celebrating this festival or have ever been near a Christmas tree, these charming items make for great showpieces or gifts for friends. Easter products like painted eggs are another good buy.

Everywhere there was beautiful porcelain on display. In homes, restaurants, museums and in the hotel rooms we stayed in. In all kinds of shapes, sizes and designs, they were all delicate and beautifully decorated pieces. Not easy to carry home, unless carefully packed, we contented ourselves with gazing at them.