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Prague 1900: Poetry and Ecstasy

Edited by Edwin Becker, Edited by Prahl Roman, Edited by Petr Wittlich

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This illustrated work introduces the world of ""fin-de-siecle"" Prague. Around 1900, that city's artists and artisans began to develop an ornamental language inspired by the contemporary revival of Czech culture and influenced by Art Nouveau, Jugendstil, and the Vienna Secession. To begin with, lyricism and poetic symbolism dominated the visual arts. Jan Preisler, one of the most important figures of the time, created sensual paintings and sculptures based on themes connected to the writings of such Czech authors as Zeyer and Brezina. Other artists such as Kobliha and Hlavacek focused on turbulent forms, dramatic expressions of torment, and the macabre. In the applied arts, exuberant floral and vegetal motifs were gradually transformed into geometric patterns. This book charts the effects of the emergence of modernism and the search for Czech national identity on both the fine and the applied arts, as well as on architecture, music and literature. The text also includes a wealth of illustrations of interiors, architectural and sculptural details and documentary photographs. Biographies of the most important artists are provided, as well as a full chronology of artists and events.