Secession

The Secession Building is a contemporary art museum featuring Secession style artworks. In 1898, Joseph Maria Olbrich designed and constructed the grand exhibition hall as an architectural manifesto for the Vienna Secession movement.  Vienna Secession, a branch of Art Nouveau, is an art movement formed by a group of Austrian artists and architects at the end of the 19th century. The motto “Der Zeit ihre Kunst. Der Kunst ihre Freiheit”, translated in English as “To every age its art. To every art its freedom,” adorns the entrance of the museum. Masterpieces by many Secession artists are featured in the museum, including the world-famous Beethoven Frieze by Gustav Klimt.