special exhibition

Precious materials, sensual lines, and iridescent lighting - the were no bounds to the diversity in designs during the period of Art Nouveau. Overabundance was not the focal point but rather a turn away from historicist aesthetics, which was perceived to be over the top. There was a longing for something fresh and new!

Artists around 1900, such as Emile Gallé, Henry van de Velde, and Peter Behrens, drew inspiration from the shapes and colors of nature. Whether people called it "Art Nouveau" or "Jugendstil" - the whole of Europe was gripped by the 6"winged fever". The variety of forms and materials that emerged during Art Nouveau remains unsurpassed to this day. Aesthetic elements included not only curved lines and winged shapes but also more abstract, geometric or reduced shapes.

Many of the approximately 350 objects featured in the exhibition were donated by Claus and Maria Pese. The display is rounded off by several other pieces that decidedly are not focused on the "old familiar", but rather on the late period of Art Nouveau that has rarely or never been presented to the public.

Admission to the special exhibition is free.