Niedecken was born August 16, 1878, in Milwaukee. At twelve years old he attended the Wisconsin Art Institute,[1] and he studied under artistRichard Lorenz.[2] When he was 19 he moved to Chicago and entered theArt Institute of Chicago. There he was instructed byLouis Millet. From 1899 to 1902 he studied art in Europe. In 1902 he returned to Milwaukee, Wisconsin where he took a position teachingdecorative arts at the Wisconsin School of Arts.[3] Niedecken married Mary (née) Thayer on October 2, 1905, and their only child died shortly after birth.[4]
Niedecken started an interior-architecture firm in 1907, called Niedecken-Waldbridge, with his brother-in-law in Milwaukee.[4] He became known for his work inPrairie style buildings.[3] He worked closely with the architect Frank Lloyd Wright (1902 and 1918).[5] Niedecken worked on eleven Wright commissions providing interior design with textiles, lighting, furniture and arts.[6] The relationship began in 1902 when he was commissioned by Wright to make a mural for theDana–Thomas House.[5] He worked on the design for several Chicago area Wright commissions, including theAvery Coonley House, and theFrederick Robie House.[7][8] The collaboration ended in 1918 when Wright opened an office in Los Angeles, and Niedecken stayed in Milwaukee.[6] In 1999 Cheryl Robertson wrote a book about Niedecken's work with Wright,Frank Lloyd Wright and George Mann Niedecken : Prairie School collaborators.[9]
He also made interior design forMarion Mahony Griffin's commissions.[4] Mahony was a close associate of Frank Lloyd Wright along with Niedecken.[10] He designed furniture and murals for the Amberg and Irving houses which were Mahony commissions.[4] Mahony was one of the first licensed female architects in the world, and she is considered an original member of thePrairie School.[11]
In 1999 Wendy Moonan ofThe New York Times said, "Flea market aficionados take note: pieces by Niedecken are a new collecting category."[6] In 2007 he received a Wisconsin Visual Arts Lifetime Achievement Award.[12]
^Jarman, Baird (2009). "A Revolutionary in Milwaukee: The Designs of George Mann Niedecken - Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, April 17-July 20, 2008".Design and Culture.1 (3):367–369.doi:10.1080/17547075.2009.11643296.ISSN1754-7075.S2CID152083143.
^Robertson, Cheryl (1999).Frank Lloyd Wright and George Mann Niedecken : Prairie School collaborators. Milwaukee: Milwaukee Art Museum. pp. 8, 64.ISBN978-1889541013.
^Allaback, Sarah (2008).The First American Women Architects. Illinois, USA: Urbana: University of Illinois Press. p. 87.ISBN978-0252033216.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: publisher location (link)
^"George Niedecken".Wisconsin Visual Art Achievement Awards. RetrievedJune 15, 2022.
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