“Old Viennese” business signs

Historical business signs tell not only of Vienna’s former streetscape, but also previous forms of advertising for goods and services. Like house emblems, these signs had the function of providing orientation in the city: they mediated a shop’s name and range of products and at best, stood for its identity. The oldest shop signs in the Wien Museum collection are from the eighteenth century, the most artistically elaborate signs are from the Biedermeier era. Back then, renowned painters created large-format picture panels, making the city a quasi–open-air gallery.