Art Nouveau's Austrian Alias: The Secession Style

what was art nouveau called in austria

Art Nouveau, an ornamental style of art that flourished between about 1890 and 1910 throughout Europe and the United States, is known by different names in different languages. In Austria, it was called Wiener Jugendstil, or Secessionsstil, inspired by the art movement of the Vienna Secession. The Vienna Secession was an art movement closely related to Art Nouveau that was formed in 1897 by a group of Austrian painters, graphic artists, sculptors, and architects, including Josef Hoffman, Koloman Moser, Otto Wagner, and Gustav Klimt.

Characteristics Values
Name Wiener Jugendstil, Secessionsstil
Origin Inspired by the Vienna Secession art movement
Dates 1890-1910
Style Undulating, asymmetrical lines, often taking the form of flower stalks, vine tendrils, insect wings, and other delicate and sinuous natural objects
Materials Ironwork, glass, ceramic, brickwork
Examples Karlsplatz Stadtbahn Station, Austrian Postal Savings Bank, Vienna Secession building, Linke Wienzeile No. 40, Church of Saint Leopold at Steinhof
Notable Artists Gustav Klimt, Otto Wagner, Koloman Moser, Josef Hoffmann, Joseph Maria Olbrich, Alphonse Mucha, Antonio Gaudí

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Wiener Jugendstil

In Austria, Art Nouveau was known as Wiener Jugendstil, or 'Viennese youth style' in English. It was also called Sezessionsstil, or 'Secession style', after the artists of the Vienna Secession.

Jugendstil is a German word that translates to 'youth style'. It was influenced by the popular German art magazine Jugend, which was also published in Finland, Sweden, and Norway under the name Jugend. The style was also known as Wellenstil, or 'wave style', and Lilienstil, or 'lily style', in Germany and Scandinavia.

The Vienna Secession, also known as the Union of Austrian Artists, was an art movement closely related to Art Nouveau that was formed in 1897 by a group of Austrian painters, graphic artists, sculptors, and architects. They included Josef Hoffman, Koloman Moser, Otto Wagner, and Gustav Klimt. They resigned from the Association of Austrian Artists in protest against its support for more traditional artistic styles. Their most influential architectural work was the Secession exhibitions hall, designed by Joseph Maria Olbrich as a venue for expositions of the group.

The Secession style is marked by a transition towards more geometric forms and the beginnings of modernism. Otto Wagner's later buildings, including the Austrian Postal Savings Bank, feature straight lines and geometric forms. The Vienna Secession also influenced the development of Art Nouveau in other parts of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, including present-day Serbia and Ukraine.

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Secessionsstil

Art Nouveau, a decorative style of art, flourished between 1890 and 1910 throughout Europe and the United States. It is known by different names in different languages and countries. In Austria, it was called Wiener Jugendstil or Secessionsstil, after the artists of the Vienna Secession.

The Vienna Secession, also known as the Union of Austrian Artists, was an art movement closely related to Art Nouveau. It was formed in 1897 by a group of Austrian painters, graphic artists, sculptors, and architects who resigned from the Association of Austrian Artists in protest against its support for traditional artistic styles. The founding members included Gustav Klimt, Koloman Moser, Josef Hoffmann, Joseph Maria Olbrich, Max Kurzweil, Wilhelm Bernatzik, and Otto Wagner.

The goals of the Vienna Secession movement included establishing contact and exchanging ideas with artists outside Austria, opposing artistic nationalism, creating a "total art" that unified painting, architecture, and the decorative arts, and promoting innovation in contemporary art. They also intended to renew the applied and decorative arts and create a new artistic expression specifically opposed to the inferior art of the official Vienna salons. The movement took its name from the Munich Secession movement founded in 1892.

The first architectural project of the Vienna Secession was the creation of an exhibit space to introduce international artists and art movements to Vienna. The architect was Joseph Maria Olbrich, a student of Otto Wagner. The building, with its domed gallery and sculptural frieze over the entrance, became the symbol of the movement. It was the first dedicated gallery of contemporary art in Vienna and helped introduce French Impressionists and other international artists to the Viennese public.

The Vienna Secession's most influential architectural work was the Secession exhibitions hall designed by Joseph Maria Olbrich as a venue for the group's expositions. The style of these buildings marked a transition towards more geometric forms and the beginnings of modernism. The Secessionists incorporated elements of Jugendstil, such as curvilinear lines, into their work, but also developed their own unique "Secession-stil" centred around symmetry and repetition rather than natural forms. The dominant form was the square, and the recurring motifs were the grid and checkerboard.

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Vienna Secession

The Vienna Secession, also known as the Union of Austrian Artists or the Vereinigung Bildender Künstler Österreichs, is an art movement closely related to Art Nouveau. It was formed in 1897 by a group of Austrian painters, graphic artists, sculptors, and architects, including Josef Hoffman, Koloman Moser, Otto Wagner, and Gustav Klimt. They resigned from the Association of Austrian Artists in protest against its support for more traditional artistic styles. The movement took its name from the Munich Secession movement founded in 1892.

The goals of the Vienna Secession included establishing contact and exchanging ideas with artists outside Austria, disputing artistic nationalism, renewing the decorative arts, and creating a "total art" that unified painting, architecture, and the decorative arts. They also sought to oppose the domination of the official Vienna Academy of the Arts, the Vienna Künstlerhaus, and official art salons, which favoured traditional and historic styles. The Vienna Secession's official magazine, called Ver Sacrum (Latin for "Sacred Spring"), published highly stylised and influential works of graphic art.

The first architectural project of the Vienna Secession was the creation of an exhibit space to introduce international artists and art movements to Vienna. The architect was Joseph Maria Olbrich, a student of Otto Wagner. Olbrich designed a domed gallery building with a sculptural frieze over the entrance, which became the symbol of the movement. It was the first dedicated gallery of contemporary art in the city and helped introduce French Impressionists and other international artists to Viennese audiences.

The Vienna Secession's most influential architectural work was the Secession exhibitions hall, also designed by Olbrich, as a venue for the group's expositions. The style of these buildings marked a transition towards more geometric forms and the beginnings of modernism. Wagner's later buildings, including the Austrian Postal Savings Bank, featured straight lines and geometric forms. The Vienna Secession also designed furniture, carpets, lamps, wallpaper, and even bathroom fixtures to accompany their architectural projects.

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Art Nouveau architecture in Vienna

Art Nouveau, an ornamental style of art that flourished between about 1890 and 1910 throughout Europe and the United States, is known by different names in different languages. In German, it is called Jugendstil, which translates to "Youth style". In Austria, Art Nouveau was called Wiener Jugendstil, meaning "Viennese youth style", or Secessionsstil, meaning "Secession style". The latter term refers to the Vienna Secession, an art movement closely related to Art Nouveau that was formed in 1897 by Austrian painters, graphic artists, sculptors, and architects.

The Vienna Secessionists, including Josef Hoffman, Koloman Moser, Otto Wagner, and Gustav Klimt, sought to break free from traditional forms, historicism, and academic art. They aimed to create a "total art" that unified painting, architecture, and the decorative arts. This is reflected in the architecture of the time, which often featured undulating asymmetrical lines and organic motifs.

One of the most famous examples of Art Nouveau architecture in Vienna is the Majolica House, built by Otto Wagner in 1898. The building's polychrome facade, designed by his student Alois Ludwig, features playful and floral motifs that stand out against the more subdued general architecture of the building. Another notable work by Wagner is the Karlsplatz Stadtbahn Station, one of several extraordinarily stylised stations he designed for the Vienna urban transport system.

Other notable examples of Art Nouveau architecture in Vienna include the Hundertwasserhaus apartment block and the KunstHaus (Museum Hundertwasser), both designed by Friedensreich Hundertwasser and known for their irregular shapes, undulating floors, and use of tiles and vegetation. The Postal Savings Bank (Postsparkasse) by Otto Wagner is also noteworthy for its geometric forms and elegant detailing, while the Loos Haus by Adolf Loos embodies his famous principle, "ornament is a crime".

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Art Nouveau jewellery in Vienna

Art Nouveau, an ornamental style of art that flourished between about 1890 and 1910 throughout Europe and the United States, was known as Wiener Jugendstil ('Viennese Youth Style') or Secessionsstil ('Secession Style') in Vienna, Austria. The style is characterised by its use of long, sinuous, organic lines and was often employed in architecture, interior design, jewellery, glass design, posters, and illustration.

The Vienna Secession, founded on 3 April 1897, was a group of Austrian painters, graphic artists, sculptors, and architects, including Josef Hoffman, Koloman Moser, Otto Wagner, and Gustav Klimt, who resigned from the Association of Austrian Artists in protest against its support for more traditional artistic styles. The movement took its name from the Munich Secession movement founded in 1892. The goals of the Vienna Secession included establishing contact and exchanging ideas with artists outside Austria, disputing artistic nationalism, renewing the decorative arts, and creating a "total art" that unified painting, architecture, and the decorative arts.

The Secession Building, started as a museum for the Jugendstil artists of Vienna, is the best place to start Jugendstil sightseeing in the city. The building's facade features Art Nouveau ornaments by Alois Ludwig, a student of Joseph Maria Olbrich, who designed the building. The Linke Wienzeile 38, known as the House with Medallions, features gilded stucco medallions by Wagner's student and frequent collaborator, Koloman Moser.

Frequently asked questions

Art Nouveau was known as "Wiener Jugendstil" or "Secessionsstil" in Austria.

"Wiener Jugendstil" translates to "Viennese youth style" in German.

The Vienna Secession was an art movement closely related to Art Nouveau that was formed in 1897 by a group of Austrian painters, graphic artists, sculptors, and architects.

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