Description
Art Nouveau
The turn of the twentieth century was an exciting time for all Russian art, which has become known as the Silver Age. Although this "age" lasted for only a couple of decades, it was marked by an unprecedented flowering of Russian culture. The theater gathered together the main trends; plays showed the symbols of that era in condensed form, which found expression in the architecture offstage. This is how the major Art Nouveau style was born, through which the theatrical atmosphere became a part of everyday life for millions. The style was widespread from the last decade of the nineteenth century through to the early twentieth century until the beginning of World War I. Known under different names (in various countries it was known as Moderne, Jugendstil, Tiffany, Secession Style, Liberty Style, etc.), Art Nouveau replaced the eclecticism prevalent in the 1860s-1870s, introducing new features that changed the appearance of entire cities. This style was particularly pronounced in architecture. Art Nouveau architects were interested in new technologies; they paid special attention to the decorative function of architecture and created entire theatrical mise en scenes on the facades of buildings.Under the all-encompassing Art Nouveau style, architects sought to create a unified architectural composition so that a single stylistic mood can be read not only on the facade of the building, but also in its interior decoration. Therefore, such famous architects as Victor Horta, Hector Guimard, Antonio Gaudi, and Otto Wagner paid special attention to every detail in the buildings they created, and independently created their own designs for the interior decoration. All of the design elements, including the staircases, balconies, windows, and doors, were subjected to artistic treatment. Thus, high art came into contact with real life. It served not only artistic but also practical functions, engaging the beautiful in all areas of day-to-day existence. The main feature of Moscow Art Nouveau was smooth, curved lines, as well as the widespread use of plant decorations. Artists of the Art Nouveau style were inspired by motifs from Japanese art. They also actively used artistic elements from ancient civilizations, especially Egypt, Greece and Rome. Stories filled with symbolism, which were so loved by Art Nouveau artists and architects, now live not only on the theatrical stage or the painter's canvas, but also in the city itself, where they can be found on the walls of apartment buildings, hotels, and mansions. Beginning with Vrubel's "The Faraway Princess" and Golovin's "Cleopatra" on the facade of the Hotel Metropol, Art Nouveau captures entire streets with its curved lines and vine-like floral ornaments. Exquisite mansions with luxurious interiors and apartment buildings with large windows, majolica decorations, mosaics, cast iron railings, stained glass windows and a variety of other sculptural decorations spring up one after the other. Art Nouveau quickly spread throughout Russia due to the World's Fairs, which demonstrated the achievements of modern technology and the applied arts. Art Nouveau gained particular fame after the 1900 World's Fair in Paris, the same one at which Golovin's sketches for the Metropolis majolica panels won a silver medal. The leading architects of Russian Art Nouveau are rightly considered to be Fyodor Schechtel, Lev Kekushev, William Walcott, Valentin Dubovskoy, and Kapitoly Dulin, among others. The neighborhood located between ulitsa Ostozhenka and ulitsa Prechistenka is one of the few places in Moscow where you can see many Art Nouveau buildings together as an organic whole. Although they are occasionally interrupted by elite new high-rises, Art Nouveau buildings on Ostozhenka still fascinate passersby with their rich decorations: mosaics, sculptural elements, large arched windows, and a variety of ornaments. These buildings preserve the appearance of the streets of Moscow from the time when Alexander Golovin was at the peak of his artistic creativity. You cannot help but notice a certain harmony, which is the chief feature of the entire Silver Age, between the decorations of Art Nouveau mansions and the pictorial style of this artist Let's continue our walk down ulitsa Ostozhenka, where we see a number of interesting examples of Art Nouveau architecture. The brilliant architect, Lev Kekushev, who initially won the contest to design the Hotel Metropol, had a hand in the construction of many of these buildings.
Reviews
Leave a review- Position
- Comfort
- Price
- Quality
