Secession House

Brief information

The Secession Building looks like a manifesto assembled from simple geometric masses: almost blank cubic volumes, a sharp cornice, and a glittering openwork dome above them. The pavilion was built in 1897-1898 for the artists of the Vienna Secession, and its form directly shows their break with the customary museum solemnity: instead of historical facade quotations, planes, inscriptions, symbols, and gold are at work here.

An important turn is hidden in the building's present appearance. In 1945, the Secession Building was badly damaged, and in 1985 its exterior was recreated, while the interior was reorganized and an underground hall was added. Therefore the facade reads as a restored image of Viennese Art Nouveau, not as a completely untouched shell from the late 19th century.

What to notice right away

You can compare the heavy cubic volumes with the light golden dome. The dome is made of gilded laurel leaves and berries; in the original concept, they symbolized the youth of art. This contrast explains why the building was perceived as unusual: the almost windowless mass below and the shining vegetal sign above work together, but speak different languages.

It is worth noticing the inscriptions by the entrance. The main motto, "To every age its art, to every art its freedom," turns the facade into a statement, while "Ver Sacrum" links the building to the movement's almanac of the same name. Above the main entrance, heads of gorgons and the words "Painting. Architecture. Sculpture" are added to this: the entrance immediately shows that the pavilion was conceived as a shared home for different arts. The bronze chariot with Mark Antony standing nearby strengthens the same effect: the strict white geometry is placed next to a theatrical sculptural scene.