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From Russia to Amsterdam

Art Nouveau during the Reign of the Last Tsars
Hermitage, Amsterdam
October 13, 2007 – May 5, 2008

Table decoration La danse de l’écharpe / The Scarf Dance by Agathon Léonard van Weydenfeld
Title: Table decoration La danse de l’écharpe / The Scarf Dance, France, 1900
Artist: Agathon Léonard van Weydenfeld Sèvres porcelain factory
Medium: Biscuit Porcelain
Dimensions: Height of figures c. 40-50 cm
Notes: The sparkling shows of the originally
American dancer Loïe Fuller were an important source of
inspiration for the Art Nouveau artists in the Paris art world.
Image Courtesy: Hermitage, Amsterdam


Portrait bust of Tsar Nicholas Nicolaas II by Leopold Adolfovich Bernstamm
Title: Portrait bust of Tsar Nicholas Nicolaas II, France, 1891
Artist: Leopold Adolfovich Bernstamm (1859-1939)
Sèvres Porcelain Factory
Medium: Biscuit Porcelain
Dimensions: Height 46 cm
Notes: This classical portrait of Nicholas has a cloak in pure Art Nouveau style.
Image Courtesy: Hermitage, Amsterdam

Art Nouveau. Stile Liberty. Jugendstil. Modernismo. Wiener Sezession / The Vienna Secession. The French, Italian, German, Spanish and Austrian terms each refer to the same art movement: the new wave encompassing the European style that arose in the late 19th Century for architecture and visual arts. If it's new, aesthetic and collectable the Russian Royal family took interest.


The different terms reflect the artists desire to distance themselves from other art movements and styles. Craftsman found value was attributed to their work. This was the time that imitation of historical forms played a heavy role in decorative arts.

Set of Gobelins, the Four Seasons Summer by Gobelin factory
Title: Set of Gobelins,
the Four Seasons: ‘Summer’,
France, Paris, 1910–1913
Artist: Gobelin Factory
After a design by Jules Chéret (1836-1932).
Medium: Wool, Silk
Dimensions: 278 x 172 cm
Notes: The Four Seasons tapestry set was presented to Tsar Nicholas II
by the French president on the eve of the Second World War.
Image Courtesy: Hermitage, Amsterdam


Vase with lake scene by Emile Galle
Title: Vase with Lake Scene, Nancy, c. 1904
Artist: Émile Gallé (French 1846-1904)
Medium: Four-Layered Glass
Dimensions: Height 61.8 cm. (diameter 19 cm).
Notes: This vase was probably purchased by Tsarina Alexandra herself for her private apartments.
Image Courtesy: Hermitage, Amsterdam

The term Art Nouveau was a portion of the name that the German art dealer Siegfrid Bing gave his Paris store La Maison de l'Art Nouveau. Often the style was based on plant and floral form, noting in particular their curvy asymmetrical lines. The pieces reflect these roots with flowers and leaves as popular subjects.

Table Flore de Lorraine by Emile Galle
Title: Table ‘Flore de Lorraine', Nancy, October 1903
Artist: Émile Gallé (French 1846-1904)
Medium: Walnut, Inlay Work in various kinds of Wood, Metal
Dimensions 207 x 97 x 77 cm.
Notes: This Flore de Lorraine table was an important diplomatic gift in the negotiations between
France and Russia in preparation of their later Union.
The best French artists of Lorraine put their best foot forward
to make this table, which was in the latest style: Art Nouveau.
Image Courtesy: Hermitage, Amsterdam

Some of the Hermitage Art Nouveau Collection began as gifts to the Romanoffs, such as the Émile Gallé designed Flore de Lorraine table.

The most beautiful Art Nouveau pieces in the Hermitage are the gifts of the French Government to the Russian Tsars. France and Germany were at odds and France looked to Russia as an ally. To make their diplomatic case regarding the contention regarding Lotharingen several gifts originated from the French city. It was where the glassmakers Gallé and the Daum brothers had their work places.

Vase with Dahlia
Title: Vase with Dahlia,
Artist: Vase: Émile Gallé (French 1846-1904), Nancy (France), 1898.
Artist: Stand: Russia, St Petersburg, Carl Fabergé firm (Julius Rappoport)
Medium: Three-Layered Glass; Stand: Silver
Dimensions: Height (with stand) 28.5 cm
Notes: The Fabergé firm made an appropriate stand for this vase by Gallé.
In cases like this Fabergé put himself ‘at the service’ of the original work.
Image Courtesy: Hermitage, Amsterdam


Rene Lalique, Vase Bacchants
Title: Bacchants Vase Paris, c. 1924;
Artist: René Lalique (French 1860-1945)
Medium: Glass
Dimensions: Height 24.5 cm
Notes: This vase by René Lalique shows a
transition from Art Nouveau to Art Deco.
Image Courtesy: Hermitage, Amsterdam

The mission didn't start and end at Lotharingen. The Sèvres Porcelain Works provided several vases and Gobelins produced tapestries all to be sent to influence the tsars.


Jewelry is an integral part of the Art Nouveau movement.

Tangle of Snakes Pendant
Title: Tangle of Snakes, Paris (France), 1898-1900
Artist: René Lalique (French 1860-1945)
Medium: Gold, Pearl, Enamel
Dimensions: Height 11 cm.
Notes: René Lalique not only worked in Art Nouveau style
(as in this piece of jewellery) but also became an important Art Deco artist.
Image Courtesy: Hermitage, Amsterdam


Cornflowers with Oats by Carl Faberge firm, St Petersburg
Title: Cornflowers with Oats, Early 20th Century
Artist: Carl Fabergé firm, St Petersburg
Medium: Gold, Pink Diamonds, Enamel, Rock Crystal
Dimensions: Height 19 cm
Image Courtesy: Hermitage, Amsterdam

Fabergé and the Romanoffs. The two are intricately entwined with the Russians royals eye for beautiful and Fabergé's artistic genius.

The Hermitage Art Nouveau Collection didn't completely originate with the Tsars. Among it's pieces is a Gallé vase once owned by Joseph Stalin. Much of the Art Nouveau items entered the Hermitage following the October Revolution of 1917 after the new Soviet regime confiscated the art works from the Tsars and other private collectors.

Art Nouveau
Hermitage, Amsterdam:
October 13, 2007 – May 5, 2008

Hermitage, Amsterdam

www.hermitage.nl

Holland Tourism

www.holland.com

© 2007 International Art Treasures Web Magazine, All Rights Reserved.