Isn’t it fascinating how a single portfolio can encapsulate an entire artistic movement? Right here we have die Quelle Stele. It represents a pivotal moment in Viennese Secession-style graphic design.
Die Quelle, meaning “The Source,” was more than just a collection of designs. It was a statement. It showcased the evolution of art nouveau toward geometric abstraction.
The publisher Martin Gerlach was the visionary behind this project. He was known as the “leader of modernism”. Gerlach collaborated with many Secession artists. He even worked with them when they were students.
In 1900, Gerlach teamed up with Carl Otto Czeschka and Koloman Moser. They created die Quelle. It was a three-volume portfolio dedicated to surface decoration.
Czeschka illustrated the first volume, titled Vignetten. It showed illustrations for ex-libris and menu designs. The volume contained thirty plates. Many plates featured duo-tone illustrations.
Max Bernirchke created the second volume, titled Buchschmuck. His plant motifs are quintessential Jugendstil. They show the influence of Belgian and French art nouveau styles.
Koloman Moser’s Flächenschmuck is often considered the most beautiful volume. It showed Moser at the height of his talent. Each plate demonstrated a synthesis of type design and ornamentation. Each colour plate was accompanied by a subtle grey pattern.
Moser had completed many of the designs for the 4th Secession exhibition in 1899. They were published in the Ver Sacrum issue. Die Quelle gave him the opportunity to expand on the designs. He added decorative text boxes and colour.
Many illustrations reflect Moser’s interest in Japanese textile design. He began exploring this as early as 1898. He collaborated with the textile company Johan Backhausen & Söhne. They later produced nearly all of the Secession and Wiener Werkstätte designs.
We also see the influence of Japanese and Turkish paper marbling techniques. Moser taught these techniques to his students at the College of Applied Arts in Vienna. We can see an early preoccupation with tessellations and grids. This is evident in his design for Die Tausend Raben, Frau Nolda, and Donauwellen Wanddekore.
While art nouveau is prevalent in Moser’s flower and plant patterns. We also glimpse the beginnings of geometric abstraction. The emphasis on the square becomes apparent. In a few years, Moser would abandon the curvilinear style of art nouveau. The square would become the central motif of the Wiener Werkstätte.
Die Quelle remains one of the finest examples of Secession-style graphic design. It signifies a shift in artistic expression. It moved from floral patterns to geometric forms.
Looking at die Quelle Stele, consider its legacy. It’s more than just art. It represents a pivotal moment in Viennese modernism. It shows the transition from one era to another. It encapsulates an artistic revolution frozen in time.