Vienna Secession: How Gustav Klimt and 40 Artists Broke from the Künstlerhaus in 1897
In 1896, the re-election of conservative Eugen Felix as president of the Künstlerhaus Genossenschaft was met with resistance from modern artists who had been barred from exhibitions. A faction led by Gustav Klimt initiated a new society, submitting a letter on April 3, 1897, that identified Klimt as president and included 23 Künstlerhaus members among the 40 signatories. On May 22, the board reprimanded this group, which resulted in resignations that led to the formation of the Vienna Secession. Their inaugural exhibition took place in a Josef Maria Olbrich-designed venue in 1898, marking Vienna's first contemporary art gallery. The original structure was destroyed by the Nazis during WWII. The Secession published Ver Sacrum from 1898 to 1903 and founded the Wiener Werkstätte in 1903, but internal conflicts led to Klimt's departure in 1905.
Key facts
- The Vienna Secession was founded on April 3, 1897, by Gustav Klimt and 40 signatories, 23 of whom were Künstlerhaus members.
- The group formed in reaction to the conservative Künstlerhaus Genossenschaft, which favored realist and academic art and often rejected modernist works.
- Eugen Felix was re-elected president of the Künstlerhaus in 1896, prompting modern artists to organize.
- Josef Maria Olbrich designed the Vienna Secession Building, completed in 1898, featuring movable partitions and the motto 'To every age its art, to every art its freedom'.
- The original Secession Building was destroyed by the Nazis as 'degenerate art' during World War II and later reconstructed.
- The Secession published Ver Sacrum magazine from 1898 to 1903, with Koloman Moser as principal designer; it was known for its square format.
- The Wiener Werkstätte was established in 1903 by Secession designers to produce furniture and designs, emphasizing craftsmanship and materials like bentwood.
- In spring 1905, a dispute over Galerie Miethke and Carl Moll led to Klimt and his followers resigning en masse after losing a vote by one; the remaining members continued for 13 years.
Entities
Artists
- Gustav Klimt
- Eugen Felix
- Josef Maria Olbrich
- Wilhelm Bernatzik
- Koloman Moser
- Josef Hoffman
- Max Kurzweil
- Charles Rennie Mackintosh
- Josef Engelhart
- Carl Moll
- Moritz Nähr
- Thomas Ledl
- Greymouser
- Alberto Fernandez Fernandez
Institutions
- Vienna Secession
- Academy of Fine Arts
- Künstlerhaus Genossenschaft
- Neue Galerie New York
- Leopold Museum
- Horticultural Society
- Kunstbibliothek Berlin
- Victoria and Albert Museum
- National Gallery of Art
- Wiener Werkstätte
- Galerie Miethke
- DailyArt Magazine
Locations
- Vienna
- Austria
- New York City
- United States
- Berlin
- Germany
- London
- United Kingdom
- Washington, DC