The Secession, Vienna: Art Nouveau Icon & Contemporary Exhibitions

The Vienna Secession was established on April 3, 1897, by artists including Gustav Klimt, Koloman Moser, Josef Hoffmann, and Joseph Maria Olbrich, as a group to foster exchange with international artists and promote decorative arts.

Joseph Maria Olbrich designed and constructed the Secession Building in Vienna between 1897 and 1898 as the group's exhibition venue, which became a symbol of the movement.

In 1898–1899, Otto Wagner designed the Linke Wienzeile Buildings, with elements decorated by artists including Koloman Moser and Othmar Schimkowitz, showcasing Secession style.

The 14th Secession exhibition in 1902 was dedicated to Ludwig van Beethoven, featuring a statue by Max Klinger and Gustav Klimt's Beethoven Frieze.

In 1905, Gustav Klimt, Josef Hoffmann, Koloman Moser, and others resigned from the Secession after a dispute over the potential purchase of Galerie Miethke, losing a vote by a single vote.

Otto Wagner designed the Church of St. Leopold, also known as Kirche am Steinhof, between 1902 and 1907, a significant work in the Secession style.

Otto Wagner designed the Austrian Postal Savings Bank between 1903 and 1906, with extensions later, showcasing a transition towards geometric forms and modern materials.

Josef Hoffmann designed the Stoclet Palace in Brussels between 1905 and 1911, a building exemplifying his transition from Art Nouveau toward modernism with its geometric forms.

The Ankeruhr clock, a notable work in the Vienna Secession style, was designed by Franz Matsch between 1911 and 1914.

During the Nazi Party regime, the Secession building was destroyed as a symbol of degenerate art but was faithfully reconstructed after World War II.

Following World War II, Josef Hoffmann rejoined the Vienna Secession in 1945 and served as its President from 1948 to 1950.

The term 'Art Nouveau' in languages of former Austro-Hungary, such as Slovene ('secesija'), Hungarian ('szecesszió'), and Czech ('secese'), was directly influenced by the Vienna Secession.

The Secession Building in Vienna is featured on the obverse side of an Austrian commemorative 100 euro coin minted in 2004, symbolizing the movement's significance.

The Vienna Secession Building is depicted on the obverse side of the Austrian 50 euro-cent coin, representing the birth of the movement and a new era in Austria.