The Vienna Secession (German: Wiener Secession), alternatively known as the Union of Austrian Artists or Vereinigung Bildender Künstler Österreichs, represents an art movement closely associated with Art Nouveau. It was established in 1897 by a collective of highly accomplished Austrian artists, including painters, graphic artists, sculptors, and architects such as Josef Hoffman, Koloman Moser, Otto Wagner, and Gustav Klimt.
The Vienna Secession (German: Wiener Secession; also known as the Union of Austrian Artists or Vereinigung Bildender Künstler Österreichs) is an art movement, adjacent to Art Nouveau, and that was formed in 1897 by a group of formidably talented Austrian painters, graphic artists, sculptors and architects, including Josef Hoffman, Koloman Moser, Otto Wagner and Gustav Klimt.
The founders departed from the Association of Austrian Artists (Vienna Künstlerhaus) due to their opposition to its endorsement of conventional artistic approaches. A significant architectural contribution was the Secession exhibition hall, conceived by Joseph Maria Olbrich to host the group's expositions. Their official publication, Ver Sacrum (Sacred Spring in Latin), featured highly stylized and impactful graphic art. Although the group experienced a schism in 1905, with leading figures like Klimt, Wagner, and Hoffmann resigning over disagreements regarding artistic direction, the movement maintained its operations and continues to function from its base in the Secession Building. Presently, the Secession exhibition gallery operates under independent artist leadership and management.
History
Founding
The Vienna Secession was formally established on April 3, 1897, by a collective including artist Gustav Klimt, designer Koloman Moser, architects Josef Hoffmann and Joseph Maria Olbrich, along with Max Kurzweil, Wilhelm Bernatzik, and other figures. Architect Otto Wagner subsequently joined the group. The foundational objectives encompassed fostering international artistic dialogue, challenging artistic nationalism, revitalizing the decorative arts, and pursuing a "total art" that integrated painting, architecture, and decorative arts. Crucially, the movement aimed to counteract the prevailing influence of the official Vienna Academy of the Arts, the Vienna Künstlerhaus, and established art salons, which were characterized by their adherence to Historicism.
The movement derived its designation from the Munich Secession, established in 1892. The core principles of the nascent Viennese movement were articulated by literary critic Hermann Bahr in the inaugural issue of the group's journal, Ver Sacrum ("Sacred Spring"). Bahr posited, "Our art does not represent a conflict between contemporary artists and their predecessors, but rather the advancement of art against those who masquerade as artists and possess a commercial incentive to impede artistic flourishing. The fundamental choice confronting our Secession lies between commerce and art. This is not an aesthetic discourse, but a confrontation between divergent spiritual orientations."
Initially, the Secession comprised fifty members, with painter Gustav Klimt elected as its president during the inaugural assembly. Other foundational or early members included architect Josef Hoffmann, designer Koloman Moser, the dual-role designer and architect Joseph Maria Olbrich, and painters Max Kurzweil and Alphonse Mucha. Mucha, based in Paris, was already renowned for his Art Nouveau posters and depictions of actress Sarah Bernhardt. The distinguished eighty-five-year-old painter Rudolf von Alt was appointed Honorary President and subsequently led a delegation to invite Emperor Franz-Joseph to the first Exposition.
The Secession's initial architectural endeavor involved establishing an exhibition venue designed to introduce international artists and art movements to Vienna. Joseph Maria Olbrich, a protégé of Otto Wagner, served as the architect. His domed gallery building, featuring a sculptural frieze above its entrance in central Vienna, subsequently became the emblematic structure of the movement. This facility marked the city's first dedicated gallery for contemporary art, significantly contributing to the public's familiarity with French Impressionists and other modern artists. Between 1899 and 1903, works by artists such as Bonnard, Degas, Denis, Manet, Monet, Morisot, Pissarro, Renoir, Sisley, Toulouse-Lautrec, Valloton, and Vuillard were exhibited at the Vienna Secession, facilitated by a network of art dealers including Paul Cassirer, Durand-Ruel, and Bernheim-Jeune, and supported by François-Rupert Carabin, the Vienna Secession's delegate in Paris.
The 14th Secession exhibition, held in 1902, achieved particular renown. Designed by Josef Hoffmann and dedicated to Ludwig van Beethoven, its central feature was a statue of Beethoven by Max Klinger, encircled by Klimt's celebrated Beethoven Frieze. This frieze has since undergone restoration and is currently on display within the gallery.
Internal Divisions within the Secession
In 1899, Olbrich departed Vienna to join the Darmstadt Artists' Colony. He subsequently acquired Hessian citizenship in 1900 and did not resume professional activities in Austria.
In 1903, Hoffmann and Moser established the Wiener Werkstätte, a fine-arts society dedicated to the reformation of the applied arts. Both the Wiener Werkstätte as an organization and Hoffmann individually became founding members of the Deutscher Werkbund in 1907.
Following the establishment of the Wiener Werkstätte, significant disagreements within the Secession were primarily ignited by the organization of the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis. This unsuccessful exhibition precipitated intense internal opposition. A crucial schism soon developed within the Secession, separating members who prioritized painters and traditional fine arts from those, including Klimt, Hoffmann, Wagner, and Moser, who advocated for equitable recognition of the decorative arts. This conflict culminated in 1905 when Carl Moll, an artistic consultant for Galerie Miethke and a painter himself, proposed that the Secession acquire the gallery to serve as an exhibition venue for its members' work. This proposition garnered support from Klimt, Wagner, Hoffmann, Moser, and their allies. However, when the matter was put to a membership vote, Klimt and his proponents were defeated by a single vote. Consequently, on June 14, 1905, Klimt, Hoffmann, Moser, and several other artists formally resigned from the Secession. The subsequent year, Klimt established a new collective known as Kunstschau (Art Show) or Klimtgruppe (Klimt group), which included Moll, Otto Wagner, and other prominent Austrian artists.
Subsequent Developments
Despite the departure of Klimt, Hoffmann, Wagner, and their adherents, the Secession maintained its operations, hosting regular exhibitions within the Secession building. Nevertheless, these later presentations were perceived to lack the innovative spirit and dynamism characteristic of its initial phase. In 1938, the designer Peter Behrens joined the Secession. During the Nazi regime, the Secession building was demolished, condemned as a symbol of 'degenerate art,' but it was meticulously rebuilt after World War II.
In 1945, subsequent to World War II, Hoffmann rejoined the Vienna Secession, the artistic movement from which he, Klimt, and Wagner had notably resigned in 1905. He served as President of the Secession from 1948 to 1950. The Secession remains active in the present day, regularly staging exhibitions in the Secession Hall.
Artistic Disciplines
Painting and Graphic Arts
Architecture
In addition to painters and sculptors, several distinguished architects were affiliated with the Vienna Secession, prominently including Joseph Maria Olbrich, Otto Wagner, and Josef Hoffmann. Between 1897 and 1898, Olbrich conceived the design for the Secession Building, intended to showcase works by Klimt and other group members, as well as international artists such as Max Klinger, Eugène Grasset, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, and Arnold Böcklin. Josef Hoffmann subsequently assumed the role of principal exhibition designer at the Secession House. The building's distinctive dome and stylized facade emerged as emblematic features of the movement.
Under the guidance of architect Otto Wagner, a collective of artists, including Koloman Moser, Othmar Schimkowitz, and Jože Plečnik, adorned two apartment buildings designed by Wagner: the Linke Wienzeile Buildings, constructed between 1898 and 1899. The structure located at Linke Wienzeile 40 is recognized as the Majolikahaus or Majolica House. Its exterior is entirely clad in majolica, which are vibrant fired clay tiles featuring floral motifs. The Art Nouveau ornamentation on its facade was executed by Wagner's student, Alois Ludwig. The adjacent building, Linke Wienzeile 38, is referred to as the House with medallions due to its embellishment with gilded stucco medallions created by Koloman Moser, another of Wagner's students and a frequent collaborator. Although the most elaborate original decoration was removed at one point, it has since been restored.
Otto Wagner constructed exceptionally stylized stations for Vienna's new urban transport system, the Stadtbahn, during this era. These structures became emblematic of the Secession style. The Karlsplatz Stadtbahn Station, located in central Vienna, stands as the most renowned example, with Joseph Maria Olbrich collaborating on its design. The architectural approach of these buildings signified a shift towards geometric forms and heralded the advent of modernism.
Post-1899, Wagner's subsequent architectural endeavors, such as the Church of St. Leopold (1902–1907) and notably the Austrian Postal Savings Bank (1903–1906, with an extension in 1910–12), featured rectilinear and geometric designs. These projects showcased a prominent application of novel materials like reinforced concrete and aluminum, alongside a minimalist approach to facade and interior ornamentation.
Josef Hoffmann's oeuvre similarly demonstrated a progressive departure from curvilinear and floral motifs. His most celebrated edifice, the Stoclet Palace in Brussels, featured a tower composed of stacked cubic volumes, minimal exterior embellishment, and an interior characterized by right angles and geometric patterns. The sole Art Nouveau components within the palace were Gustav Klimt's murals. The Stoclet Palace serves as a prime illustration of Hoffmann's evolution from Art Nouveau into modernism.
Furniture
Secession architects frequently conceived furniture, alongside carpets, lighting, wallpaper, and even bathroom fittings and towels, to complement their architectural undertakings. The furniture exhibited by the Secession at the 1900 Paris Universal Exposition garnered significant acclaim, bringing international recognition to its designers, such as Else Unger and Emilio Zago.
Subsequently, in 1902, Otto Wagner engineered chairs incorporating contemporary materials, specifically aluminum integrated with wood, to harmonize with the architectural style of his Austrian Postal Savings Bank building. By 1905, Josef Hoffmann had created an adjustable-backed chair, which epitomized the increasingly geometric aesthetics characteristic of the late Secession period.
Glass
Glass, especially stained glass windows, constituted a crucial element within the Vienna Secession movement. Leopold Forstner emerged as a prominent artist in this field, collaborating extensively with Otto Wagner and other architects. He was responsible for designing the windows of the Austrian Postal Savings Bank, a seminal work of the Vienna Secession style, as well as those for the St. Charles Borromeo Cemetery Church, which stands as the most distinguished among Vienna Secession ecclesiastical structures.
Johann Loetz Witwe represented another significant contributor to Secession glass artistry, producing a remarkable collection of iridescent vases that secured a gold medal at the 1900 Paris Exposition.
Ceramics
Ceramic tile mosaics formed another vital component of the Vienna Secession aesthetic. These were employed for both exterior facade and interior embellishment. Otto Wagner notably utilized them to adorn the Majolika House, where they fulfilled both decorative and functional roles, enabling the facade to be efficiently cleaned with fire hoses.
Other Genres
Influence
In languages spoken across the former Austro-Hungarian territories, Art Nouveau is designated by terms derived from the Vienna Secession: Slovene: secesija, Hungarian: szecesszió, Czech: secese, Slovak: secesia, Polish: secesja, Serbian сецесија, and Croatian secesija. The Vienna Secession also exerted an impact on the Polish movement Młoda Polska (Young Poland), which incorporated artistic styles beyond Art Nouveau and adopted a more expansive perspective on art, literature, and lifestyle.
The Vienna Secession's influence extended beyond artistic movements to individual architects, such as the Russian Illarion Ivanov-Schitz, who developed a distinctive style rooted in its principles.
From the mid-1890s, Mintons in England significantly contributed to Art Nouveau ceramics, with many designs attributed to Leon Solon, son of Marc-Louis Solon, and his associate John Wadsworth. Leon Solon joined Mintons after his work gained prominence through publication in the highly influential design magazine The Studio, serving the company from 1895 to 1905, including a period as Art Director. Solon introduced designs inspired by the Vienna Secession, leading to the creation of an earthenware line, produced approximately from 1901 to 1916, marketed as "Secessionist Ware." This collection was primarily manufactured using industrial methods, ensuring its relative affordability and targeting a wide consumer base. The range focused on individual or paired items, such as jugs or vases, rather than comprehensive table sets.
Commemoration
The Secession movement was commemorated on an Austrian coin, specifically the 100 euro Secession commemorative coin, which was minted on November 10, 2004.
The obverse of the coin depicts the Secession exhibition hall in Vienna. Its reverse side showcases a segment of Gustav Klimt's Beethoven Frieze, illustrating three distinct figures: an armored knight embodying Armed Strength, a woman in the background symbolizing Ambition and holding a victory wreath, and another woman representing Sympathy with a bowed head and clasped hands.
The obverse of the Austrian 50 euro-cent coin also features the Vienna Secession Building, encircled to symbolize the movement's inception and the dawn of a new era in Austria.
Other Secession Artists
Additional artists associated with the Vienna Secession include:
Corresponding members also included artists from other cities and countries, such as Max Liebermann from Berlin, and Auguste Rodin and Eugène Grasset from Paris.
Secession (Art Movement)
- Secession (art)
- "Facing the Modern: The Portrait in Vienna 1900" – an exhibition held at the National Gallery, London, in 2013.
- Art Nouveau
- Art Nouveau in Poland
- Art Nouveau Glass Art
References
Bibliography
- Arnanson, Harvard H. "History of Modern Art." Edited by Daniel Wheeler. 3rd ed. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, Inc., 1986. ISBN 978-0-13-390360-7.
- Borsi, Franco, and Ezio Godoli. "Vienna 1900: Architecture and Design." New York: Rizzoli International Publications, Inc., 1986. ISBN 978-0-8478-0616-4.
- "Architecture in Austria in the 20th and 21st Centuries." Edited by Gudrun Hausegger. Basel, SW: Birkhauser, 2006. ISBN 978-3-7643-7694-9.
- Fahr-Becker, Gabriele (2015). L'Art Nouveau (in French). H.F. Ullmann. ISBN 978-3-8480-0857-5.Metzger, Rainer (2018). Vienne – des Années 1900 (in French). Cologne: Taschen. ISBN 978-3-8365-6704-6.0-307-26564-1.
- Romberg, Kathrin (ed.). Maurizio Cattelan. Text by Francesco Bonami. Wiener Secession, Wien. ISBN 3-900803-87-0.
- Schorske, Carl E. "Gustav Klimt: Painting and the Crisis of the Liberal Ego" in Fin-de-Siècle Vienna: Politics and Culture. Vintage Books, 1981. ISBN 978-0-394-74478-0.
- Sarnitz, August (2016). Josef Hoffmann, L'univers de la beauté (in French). Cologne: Taschen. ISBN 978-3-8365-5038-3.Sarnitz, August (2018). Otto Wagner (in French). Cologne: Taschen. ISBN 978-3-8365-6432-8.978-0-691-06572-4.
- Topp, Leslie. "Architecture and Truth in Fin-de-Siècle Vienna." Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2004. ISBN 978-0-521-82275-6.
- Association of Visual Artists Vienna Secession
- iKlimt.com, Life and Work of Gustav Klimt
- Josef Hoffmann Biografie at WOKA (de/en)
- Arts and Crafts in Vienna 1900
- The Vienna Secession in a video-portrait by CastYourArt Archived 8 June 2013 at the Wayback Machine, Vienna 2011
- "This Kiss to the Whole World" Klimt and the Vienna Secession (NYARC) Archived 12 May 2019 at the Wayback Machine