Can it be possible to prove the genius of an architect with just two adjacent apartment buildings? I think so. But that’s certainly not to say that Otto Wagner (1841-1918) did not create plenty of other examples of his genius, especially since – after an early period defined by historicism – his work moved him …
“The Most Beautiful Art Nouveau Church in the World”
Having earlier touched briefly on the Vienna Secession movement (What is the Vienna Secession? October 29, 2019) and on its connection with Art Nouveau in Vienna (toward the end of More Art Nouveau Notes: Time and Place, May 31, 2019), I continue to be intrigued by the links between the two. Timewise, the two movements overlapped, with …
What is the Vienna Secession?
Americans are at a disadvantage when answering our title question because the word “secession” is so identified with our Civil War. When eleven southern states each announced that they were seceding from the United States in 1860 and 1861, they initiated this bloody conflict. In Austria, on the other hand, “secession” had nothing to do with …
More Art Nouveau Notes: Time and Place
Art Nouveau provides much pleasure to those who (like myself) have been captured by the allure of the style, and I think I might have come up with a reason why Art Nouveau is so appealing. It’s not only that the style provides the opportunity to experience exceptional beauty, however that elusive quality is defined …