Illustrated throughout with exquisite reproductions of the museum's holdings, this book considers the influence of Friedrich Nietzsche and his writings on the fine arts and examines the founding of the Secessionist artists' organisations in Germany and Austria. Insightful essays trace the emergence of Expressionism and abstraction, as well as the development of such movements as Dada and New Objectivity. Evolutions in architecture and design are appraised through the legacy of the Arts and Crafts movement, as well as the establishment of the Darmstadt Artists' Colony and the Wiener Werkstatte. The book also examines the role of the German Werkbund and the founding of the Bauhaus school. Finally, the book briefly addresses the horrific impact of the National Socialists' degenerate art campaign, which resulted in incalculable damage and led to the exile and death of artists and designers of the era. From well-known artists such as Otto Dix, Josef Hoffmann, Vasily Kandinsky, Gustav Klimt, and Egon Schiele, to lesser recognised but equally important figures, including Albert Birkle, Alfred Kubin, Felix Nussbaum, and Dagobert Peche, this book offers an authoritative and kaleidoscopic look at a crucial moment in history and a portrait of radical thought that changed forever the way we experience art in our lives.

Throughout his career, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner employed a highly inventive and original use of colour. He favoured novel applications of paint in unusual matte finishes. For Kirchner, colour was of primary importance, coupled with technique and style. He was one of the leading Expressionist painters of the time and was one of the founding members of the Brucke. In his deeply personal depictions, he focused on the places where he lived and worked and his close friends and associates. This book, accompanying a major exhibition at the Neue Galerie New York, provides a visual survey of Kirchner's oeuvre and offers an in-depth analysis of different aspects of the artist's output. Essays by leading experts examine Kirchner's approach to colour, his interest in the decorative arts, how electric light affected his treatment of colour, the impact of Nietzsche on his work, and how he was profoundly changed by World War I. This book includes illustrations of nearly 40 paintings, 30 prints, as well as drawings, sketchbooks, photographs, and decorative work.

The Wiener Werkstatte, founded by Josef Hoffmann, Koloman Moser, and Fritz Waerndorfer, was an artists' and craftsmen's collective that existed in Vienna from 1903 until 1932. The artists' goal was to bring high-quality design and craft into all areas of life and to elevate everyday objects into pieces of art. During that time, the collective produced items in a variety of media including ceramics, furniture, glass, jewelry, metalwork, and textiles. The Wiener Werkstatte style influenced generations of architects from Bauhaus to Art Deco. This book features the work of well-known Wiener Werkstatte members such as Josef Hoffmann, Koloman Moser, and Dagobert Peche along with lesser known designers such as Gudrun Baudisch, Carl Otto Czeschka, and Ugo Zovetti. It also includes in-depth essays that explore the Wiener Werkstatte's long history and legacy.

The Neue Galerie New York opened in November 2001, showcasing its collection of Austrian and German art from 1890 to 1940. This publication is issued in celebration of the museum's twentieth anniversary. The Austrian holdings encompass significant paintings by Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele, Oskar Kokoschka, Carl Moll, and Richard Gerstl. Decorative arts made by the Vienna Werkstatte (Vienna Workshops, 1903- 32) are another area of strength, in particular the designs of Josef Hoffmann, Koloman Moser, and Dagobert Peche. The German holdings emphasize the Expressionist movement, with canvases by members of the Brucke, including Erich Heckel, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Max Pechstein, and Karl Schmidt- Rottluff. Artists affiliated with the Blaue Reiter (Blue Rider), such as Vasily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, August Macke, Franz Marc, and Gabriele Munter, figure prominently. The Neue Sachlichkeit (New Objectivity) movement is well represented by Max Beckmann, Otto Dix, George Grosz, and Christian Schad. Works by proponents of Dada, such as John Heartfield, Hannah Hoech, and Kurt Schwitters, are a key interest. Iconic creations from the Bauhaus, including objects by Marcel Breuer, Marianne Brandt, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, and Wilhelm Wagenfeld, as well as art by Lyonel Feininger, Laszlo Moholy-Nagy, and Oskar Schlemmer, are special highlights.