Der Zeit ihre Kunst. Der Kunst ihre Freiheit —
To every age its art, to every art its freedom.
It was on this day a year ago we had returned to India after a ever-memorable #Motorover self-drive tour of Balkan Europe- Zagreb, Split, then a fascinating drive through Durmitor National Park, to a ski resort in Montenegro. Through Kotor to Mostar in Bosnia with its famous ‘Stari Most’ ( the old bridge). And finally, after a 2 day stay at the turquoise blue ocean facing Royal Neptune Hotel at Dubrovnik. I had written a blog about the wonderful time we had to the Balkan states in Europe.
Today as I go back in time, I realised that I have been unable to put jot about how Khyati and I were almost overawed by the scale of monuments and architecture of Vienna- our entry point in Europe last summer. Although power, opulence, celebration of arts and culture and the imperialist might of the Austro-Hungarian empire was very visible as we walked on each of our three day stay from Hotel Indigo, our abode, past the very interesting Naschmarkt to the Karls Platz and beyond. The photo moments at Opera House, Karl Platz, St Michael Platz and Schloss Belvedere got majestic images of Vienna stamped on our minds (and hearts). And of course, the very touristy pleasures of tea at Mozart Café and devouring the famous Torte and Cream at Sacher Café were amply splashed on Insta and FB handles. The touristy pleasures also included travelling in a small group tour to the Salskammergut region with the picturesque Hallstatt as a destination; with fun stops at St Gilgen and other towns in Austria’s ‘Lake District’ region. Also, a chance to be at a unique equestrian show by students of a Scottish Riding School with over 400 years history in Vienna! ( I came to know of its existence while browsing through an inflight magazine on Etihad Airways flight from Abu Dhabi to Vienna!)
And oh! the fantastic opportunity to see the original Gustav Klimt’s ‘The Kiss’ with his unique 2-dimentional style and use of opulent colours and coatings in his inimitable style.
But it was Ms Teja Lele’s blog- ‘Vienna: A city that brings art to life’ that transported me back in time to Vienna once more. Well Vienna was all about Mozart and Klimt. Surprisingly, there was not much about Sigmund Freud on the tourist circuit; even though my eye caught a museum dedicated to the great philosopher and father of psychoanalysis that we couldn’t visit. But going back to Teja Lele’s blog, she mentions that 2026 marks 271st birth anniversary of Mozart and 129 years of Vienna Secession Movement. To quote the author,” the instinct to treat culture not as a performance but as presence, makes Vienna one of Europe’s most quietly powerful art capital.”
A little curious to know about ‘Secession Movement’, I dipped into internet resources. And holy smoke! I realised what a monumental opportunity I had missed in Vienna to be within the hallowed space – the Secession House- that was the very mecca of Secessionists!
SECESSION HOUSE
From the onset, one of the most important aims of the secessionists was to have their own exhibition building. After the tremendous success of the very first exhibition on a space rented from Horticultural Society with nearly 57,000 visitors in 1897, the building was designed by Joseph Maria Olbrich in 1898 as a white cube with a golden dome of laurel leaves. In the 14 months of its construction, it would attract more curiosity and ridicule than any other building constructed in Vienna. Originally nicknamed ‘Mahdi’s Tomb’ or the ‘Assyrian convenience’, it was not until the gold cupola was in place that the most famous of nicknames was coined; ‘The golden cabbage'.
Gustav Klimt who was the first President of Vienna Secession Movement, had made a mural inspired by Richard Wagner’s interpretation of Beethoven’s ninth symphony ,particularly the final movement. ‘Ode to Joy’! The mural, now popular as ‘Beethoven Frieze’ was commissioned for the 14th Vienna Secessionist Exhibition in 1902 as a tribute to Beethoven, whose music Klimt and his contemporaries greatly admired.
Source: Klimt's Beethoven Frieze Decoded & Why it's a Must-See in Vienna - Museum of Wander
As Klimt meant the mural only to be an ephemeral art work, the 34.14 m long mural would have been scrapped; but for a chance fate – a private collector- Carl Reininghaus stepped in at the last minute in 1903, bought rights to the exhibition space, had the mural cut into 8 pieces and lifted off the plaster and stored it away till 1915. Today the Secession House located opposite Karlsplatz station near Naschmarkt, is the permanent home for Klimt’s Beethoven Frieze. It was so close to our hotel in Vienna and yet we did not find time or energy to spend some time within its space is going to be my regret. Or perhaps, a Raison d’être to visit Vienna once more!
Well, let me share what the famous mural is all about, with help of internet resources:
’ Beethoven Frieze’ spans three walls and reflects themes of human aspiration and redemption through art and beauty.
Starting from the left, Klimt asks the question of how man can reach fulfilment and the ideals of truth, beauty, and joy. The genii, or yearnings, set out on a journey to find these values.
Enter the knight.
If there is one who can accomplish this, it must be a knight in golden armour. Three naked people, looking pretty helpless and defeated, are kneeling and begging the knight for help.
The knight in shining armour symbolizes humanity’s aspiration and pursuit of happiness. He is flanked by two female figures representing the arts—Poetry and Ambition—who guide him on his quest. This team will help man in his pursuit of happiness.
Here, at the start already, Klimt is hinting at the transformative power of creativity and culture. The panel’s composition, with its flowing lines and harmonious forms, evokes a sense of movement and progression towards an ideal state. Klimt’s knight emphasizes that the pursuit of happiness is both a noble and an enduring endeavour, driven by a blend of inner desire and external inspiration from the arts.
On either side of these central figures are allegorical representations of suffering: three figures embodying lust, overindulgence, and recklessness. These elements highlight the internal and external challenges that individuals face in their pursuit of joy and fulfilment.
The stark contrast between the grotesque figures and the serene, harmonious elements in the earlier panels underscores the intense conflict between good and evil, hope and despair. Klimt’s intricate use of gold and texture in this panel amplifies the dramatic tension, emphasizing that the path to true happiness and enlightenment is fraught with formidable adversities that must be overcome.
Moving on to the grand finale, Klimt gives us the answer to achieving true happiness.
Art and culture is the ultimate answer to living a fulfilled and enlightened life.
In the third panel of the Beethoven Frieze, we see a figure of a female personifying the Arts, embracing the knight who has successfully overcome the challenges depicted in the earlier panels.
Surrounding them are ethereal figures symbolizing the Choir of Angels, singing the Ode to Joy, echoing Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. This divine chorus signifies the ultimate attainment of happiness, peace, and enlightenment through the power of art and beauty. In this last scene of the Beethoven Frieze, Klimt emphasizes that true happiness is attained when the soul finds solace and inspiration in the arts and higher ideals.
It is here that I paused to reflect on teachings of Vedanta ( Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad) that seeks to synthesize three states of consciousness- waking ( Jāgrat ), dream (Svapna) and deep sleep (Suṣupti) with the concept of ‘turiya’ –“the fourth” – not really a stage, but the underlying reality that witnesses all three states. Its pure consciousness itself. Or as Adi Shankara describes in his work ‘Brahma Jnanavali Mala’ with the words :
सच्चिदानन्दरूपोऽहमहमेवाहमव्ययः
I am of the nature of Existence-Consciousness-Bliss. I am the very Self, indestructible and ever unchanging.