Art in Vienna 1898-1918

The rebel artists of Vienna overwhelmed the artistic establishment of Europe at the end of the 19th century, having seceded from the traditional Viennese institutions of fine art and named themselves the Vienna Secession. Their works shocked a conservative public, but their daring sensibilities and dedication to the applied arts and architecture soon brought them an enthusiastic following and wealthy patronage. The boldly modernist paintings of Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele, Oskar Kokoschka and others were matched by the buildings and applied designs of architects such as Joseph Maria Olbrich, who created the Secession Building as an architectural manifesto for the group. This classic book, now updated and with additional colour illustrations and a completely new introductory chapter, brilliantly traces the course of this influential artistic movement.