The Secession Movements in Central Europe 1890 - 1914 (U03906)

? Credit Points : 20 ? SCQF Level : 10 ? Acronym : ACE-3-U03906

This course offers a critical exploration of the so-called 'Secession Movements' (the Central European variants of Art Nouveau) that appeared between 1890 and 1914. Focusing on architecture, art and design and encompassing both urban and rural centres, it explores how the particular political and cultural conditions of Central Europe influenced and shaped artistic activity.
Beginning with Vienna, it examines how state-sponsored historicism and craft-revival, Wagner's architectural modernism, the Vienna Secession and the Wierner Werkstatte influenced the emergence of Secession style/national revival variants across the multi-national Habsburg Empire. Particular attention will be paid to three former regions of the Empire: Hungary, Polish Galicia and Bohemia. These will be compared with neighbouring, but very different, developments in fully independent Romania.
Focused case-study will be combined with discussion of the wider issues that gave the movements their unique vitality and complexity. These include: the relationship between the rise of nationalism, supranationalism and the search for cultural identity; attempts to express the modern 'spirit of the age'; and the desire to break down traditional boundaries between the fine and applied arts. Major figures examined include Lechner, Kos, the Godollo colony, Witkiewicz, Wyspianski, Lewinski, Kotera and Mincu.

Entry Requirements

? Pre-requisites : AH2A & 2B; or Honours entry to History of Art or its combined degrees; or Honours entry to BMus (Music) or by agreement of the Head of Subject Area.

Subject Areas

Home subject area

Architecture - History, (School of Arts, Culture and Environment, Schedule A)

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : 3rd year

? Delivery Period : Semester 1 (Blocks 1-2)

? Contact Teaching Time : 2 hour(s) 40 minutes per week for 11 weeks

First Class Information

Date	Start	End	Room	Area	Additional Information
19/09/2007	10:00	13:00

All of the following classes

Type	Day	Start	End	Area
Lecture	Wednesday	10:00	13:00	Central

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

A thorough knowledge of key works of architecture, art and design of regions of the former Habsburg Empire and Romania in the period and of the literature relating to them.
An understanding of the political, social and artistic context of works and movements of the period.
An understanding of the main thematic issues central to the formation of cultural and artistic identity in the regions studied.
An ability to compare and contrast the artistic production of the different regions in a meaningful way.
An ability to show initiative and originality in the investigation of new or little-studied material.
An awareness of changing theoretical approaches to the art discussed, particularly in view of political changes since 1989.