Floral Forms [recto] 

This delicate pencil drawing of floral forms was created by Josef Hoffmann, a key figure of the Vienna Secession. Hoffmann and the Secessionists sought a radical departure from the aesthetic norms of the Austrian empire, embracing new forms of art that blurred the boundaries between the fine and decorative arts. This drawing embodies their desire to transform everyday life through beauty. The plants are placed on a grid; its presence reminds us that art can be both organic and structured, free and contained. Hoffmann’s designs often evoke a sense of utopian possibility, reflecting the broader social and political reform movements of early 20th-century Vienna. Yet, they were mostly accessible to the upper classes. What feelings arise as you consider this drawing and the social context in which it was created? What does it mean to create beautiful things during times of political change?