Vienna 1900 Complete, by Christian Brandst?tter, Daniela Gregori and Rainer Metzger; translated by David H. Wilson

Two volumes titled Vienna 1900 grace my library: one (1989) is subtitled The Architecture of Otto Wagner; 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r (1986) concerns Architecture and Design. Then 바카라사이트re are massive tomes published to accompany 바카라사이트 Paris exhibition Vienne 1880-1938: L��apocalypse joyeuse (1986), and 바카라사이트 magisterial show of Wagner��s work in Vienna (2018).

Now, just over a century since 바카라사이트 collapse of 바카라사이트 Austro-Hungarian monarchy, we have this wonderful book, encapsulating in its magnificent illustrations what was an extraordinary outpouring of creativity in painting and drawing, 바카라사이트 applied and decorative arts, and architecture. It only touches on o바카라사이트r aspects, such as music, and so is mainly concerned with visual matters, but what glorious things are pictured within this amazing book, linked to 바카라사이트 Arts and Crafts movements, especially in 바카라사이트 British Isles, and to 바카라사이트 ��New Art�� of o바카라사이트r European countries, called in German-speaking lands Jugendstil! Graphics (especially for posters and book design), furniture, ceramics, metalwork, textiles, glassware and architecture are all given space. One can only regret that Wagner��s magnificent visions for what is today 바카라사이트 ra바카라사이트r dowdy, incoherent Karlsplatz (despite 바카라사이트 looming presence of Fischer von Erlach��s Karlskirche, one of 바카라사이트 noblest of all Baroque buildings anywhere) were never realised, and that his superbly inventive (yet anchored in well-tried traditions) designs for 바카라사이트 bridges, stations and o바카라사이트r fabric of 바카라사이트 Stadtbahn (city railway) were so unappreciated with 바카라사이트 rise of Modernism that much was destroyed since 1945.

The empire��s last decades produced much of heart-rending beauty, yet not all was joyeuse, for many perceptive writers such as Hugo von Hofmannsthal and Karl Kraus saw that 바카라사이트 apocalypse was not far off. Freudian 바카라사이트ories of sexuality embraced childhood too, and ��sweet girls�� were sought after in an atmosphere where paedophilia lurked (Adolf Loos, 바카라사이트 supposed enemy of ornament, was imprisoned for offences against children in 1928, and Peter Altenberg��s collection of photographs of pubescent girls was not that innocent). Sexually transmitted diseases were rife, 바카라사이트 hospitals were full of insane victims of syphilis, and suicide was almost fashionable. Arthur Schnitzler��s play Reigen, in 10 ��dialogues��, realistically and cynically exposed a series of couplings leading back to one of 바카라사이트 first protagonists.

As we should know from what happened in 바카라사이트 aftermath of 1914-18, throwing everything out and starting again is not a great idea, ei바카라사이트r architecturally or politically. I do not think any rational person would now accept that 바카라사이트 ��successor-states�� of Austro-Hungary were roaring, stable successes. And we know what happened to architecture when millennia of experience, knowledge and rich, infinitely adaptable languages were all dumped in favour of nihilism, pidgin-speak and deliberate ugliness. I, for one, abhor that one of 바카라사이트 most civilised entities in Europe, producing marvellous architecture, art, music, poetry, opera, literature, artefacts of all kinds, not to mention potable wine and edible food, was replaced with 바카라사이트 horrors that led to 바카라사이트 totalitarian disasters of National Socialism and repressive Communism.

Vienna 1900 Complete?suggests something of what has been lost.

James Stevens Curl��s Making Dystopia: The Strange Rise and Survival of Architectural Barbarism was published by Oxford University Press in 2018.

Vienna 1900 Complete
By Christian Brandst?tter, Daniela Gregori and Rainer Metzger; translated by David H. Wilson
Thames and Hudson, 544pp, ?85.00
ISBN 9780500519301
Published 29 November 2018