Exhibitions in honour of Viennese Modernism

The newly curated special exhibition of the world's largest Schiele collection in the Leopold Museum, in honour of Austria's most outstanding expressionist, is particularly impressive for all Schiele fans. At the centre of the exhibition of this "enfant terrible" is his ambivalent relationship with the mother, his obsessive connection with boys and girls, as well as sexuality, eroticism and sensuality in his nude studies. Especially tragic and touching for me: Schiele's poster for the 49th exhibition of the Vienna Secession. Now known as the "Last Supper", Egon Schiele can be seen with friends over dinner, including Otto Wagner. The chair planned for Klimt remains empty as Gustav Klimt had died the previous winter. Shortly thereafter, Egon Schiele also died unexpectedly from the consequences of the Spanish flu.

Although Otto Wagner's original design for the so-called Vienna City Museum remained unrealised, today's Vienna Museum presents a major retrospective in honour of this exceptional architect. With his new style of architecture, based on function, construction and the materials of modern life, he set a milestone on the path from historicism to modernity. Highlights are not only the famous Post Office Savings building, the Otto Wagner Church on Steinhof and the pavilions of the city's light railway, but also the unrealised designs for the Imperial Court of Vienna, which have personally impressed me the most. Even today, Wagner's magnificent buildings and subway pavilions characterise Vienna's cityscape.
 

Perfect for all fans of the Wiener Werkstätte! In the Viennese Furniture Collection an insight is given into the different positions for living and furnishing of that time - by unique interior architects and furniture designers. On display are pieces of furniture from private villas and apartments (including Otto Wagner's own apartment), as well as well-known business premises (such as the K & K Imperial and State Printing Office). A special highlight is the dining room of the renowned Viennese journalist Bertha Zuckerkandl. Here you can see not only private pieces, but whole interiors of companies of the time!

Here you will find very special pieces of furniture and objects of daily life characteristic of the Wiener Werkstätte. The painter, graphic artist and designer Koloman Moser was one of the most important artists of Viennese Art Nouveau around 1900. The exhibition gives an interesting overview of his comprehensive oeuvre. So Kolo Moser created entire home furnishings from furniture to wallpaper to ornaments and tableware. My favourite: Moser's design for the angel window for the later Otto Wagner church at Steinhof.