Art in Vienna

by Peter Vergo, Pater Vargo

The artistic stagnation of Vienna at the end of the nineteenth century was rudely shaken by the artists of the Secession. Their works at first shocked a conservative public, but their successive exhibitions, their magazine Ver Sacrum and their dedication to the applied arts and architecture soon brought them an enthusiastic following and wealthy patronage. With 60 new colour illustrations, this classic book, now in its third edition, brilliantly traces the course of this development, of the Wiener Werkstätte that followed, and the individual works of the artists concerned. The result is a fascinating documentary study of the successes and failures, hopes and fears of the members of an artistic movement that is so much admired today.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, History, Travel, Architecture, Art History, Reference

256 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 1994

Reviews

[E. G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

--Art in Vienna 1898-1918: Klimt, Kokoschka, Schiele and their Contemporaries

Notes
Select Bibliography
Index
Picture Credits

[Arjen Taselaar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully produced book on the arts in Vienna during the years 1898-1918, well written, with many citations from art criticism of the period itself. Primarily on painting (Klimt, Kokoschka, Schiele), architecture (Wagner, Loos) and the applied arts of the Wiener Werkstätte. Descriptive rather than analytical and thus rather unlike Schorske’s Vienna 1900 which is intellectually far superior. But an indispensable introduction.

[Drew Plummer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully illustrated, with a surprising yet informative section on Secession architecture and decorative art as well as a thorough exploration of the genesis, rise, and tragic end of the secession painters.
Heartily recommend, this book was a pleasure to look at and a wonderful read.

[Agustín · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent overview of as the title suggests the arts in Vienna. The writing is a good mix of biography, description of the artistic development of the artists, and history. The images of the works mentioned are outstanding.

[Absmenthe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Found this book in the library of CEU while I was in exchange in Budapest