19th Century
19th century
Wagner’s Vienna
13.Juli.1841: Otto Wagner was born in Penzing, near
1860s: After losses against
Current plans for the redevelopment of
1860: Wagner enrolled at the Akademie der bildende Künste (Academy of Fine Arts) in
1868: After harsh criticism of the finished opera house, van der Nüll committed suicide.
1870s: The redevelopment of the Ringstrasse (a belt around the old city where the walls once stood) continued under the liberals. Having no history of its own, the new government of the multi-lingual, multi-national Austro-Hungarian Empire relied on historicism to create a feeling of continuity in the city. The monumental government buildings which would line the street were to be represented by their architectural style. That is, the historical association with the given style was used to communicate the function of the building, for example:
-the Rathaus (City Hall) was built in Gothic style, reflecting
-the Burgtheater (Palace Theater) reflected the unifying power of art in the baroque: the joining of cleric, courtier and commoner at the theater
-the University hoped to rival the much-praised architecture of Italian renaissance universities
-the Parliament building was built in the classical greek style to represent the dominance and importance of the new government. Furthermore, it was hoped that the noble, classical forms would have an idealizing effect on the representatives who worked in the building.
1880s: Critics of the new Ringstrasse more or less took one of two views, both of which were not without merit. Historicists saw the modification of historical styles to fit new needs as betrayal of tradition. Modernists saw attempts to mask modern life behind traditional facades as a betrayal of modern culture. However, traditional forms and principles continue to be used as the departure point for new building types. Wagner himself wrote, in the preface of his first publication “Einige Scizzen, Projecte u. ausgeführte Bauwerke” in 1889:
“A certain free Renaissance” – that is, a free and inventive use of Renaissance forms and motif – “that has assimilated our genius loci and taken the greatest possible account of all our circumstances and accomplishments in the use of materials and construction, is the only correct course for present and future architecture.”
1890s: The search for an appropriate artistic expression of modern life continues. Historicism loses precedence as Art Nouveau emerges. Wagner is appointed the position of professor at the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts for his forward-thinking. In his manifesto titled “Moderne Architektur” (1st ed. 1896), he states:
“One idea inspires this book, namely THAT THE BASIS OF TODAY’S PREDOMINANT VIEWS ON ARCHITECTURE MUST BE SHIFTED, AND WE MUST BECOME FULLY AWARE THAT THE SOLE DEPARTURE POINT FOR OUR ARTISTIC WORK CAN ONLY BE MODERN LIFE.”
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