Jugendstil. Made in Munich

Munich was one of the earliest and most important centres of Art Nouveau in Germany. After the founding of the first Secession here (1892), the magazines Simplicissimus and Jugend were also published in Munich as from 1896. The latter also gave the new art its German name. Many artists were searching for contemporary forms of expression and followed holistic approaches. In addition to the classic genres of high art, the spectrum of work also extended into other fields; objects were designed for different social classes and as many spheres of life as possible. In contrast to French Art Nouveau with its lavish floral ornamentation, Munich Art Nouveau is more two-dimensional and has greater clarity. Leading to abstraction and objectivity, the roots of modernist art and design are found here.

With examples from painting, graphic art, sculpture, photography, decorative arts, and fashion, the exhibition sheds light on Munich’s role as the cradle of Jugendstil (Art Nouveau) in Germany and demonstrates how topical the issues of life discussed back then still are today.

The exhibition is a joint project of the Kunsthalle München and the Münchner Stadtmuseum.

Kunsthalle München
Theatinerstraße 8
80333 München

More information about the exhibition.

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More on the book Jugendstil. Made in Munich can be found here.