'Art Nouveau' is an international style of art, architecture and applied art, especially the decorative arts, that was most popular between 1893 and 1910[1]. In Russian language it is called Modern (in cyrillic: Ар-нуво, Моде́рн).
Art Nouveau Architecture in Russia was mostly spread in large cities among merchants and Old Believers and was highly influenced by contemporary movements[2] that constitute Art Nouveau style: Glasgow School, Jugendstil of Germany, Vienna Secession, National Romantic style of Nordic countries (one of which, Grand Duchy of Finland, was a part of Russian Empire) and Franco-Belgian Art Nouveau movement, whose name is used for the whole style in English language. But in some Russian towns, there also were unique examples of artistic expression that mostly referred to Architecture of Kievan Rus' and Wooden architecture [ru].
A certain part of Art Nouveau heritage in Russia also lies on territories that had belonged to Germany and Grand Duchy of Finland at the moment of creation and were ceded to Soviet Union after World War II. And vice versa, Russian architectors worked on the development of Harbin in China since 1898, that explains the presence of Art Nouveau architecture there.
The first Art Nouveau building in Russia was built in Saint Petersburg in 1898 [nb 1]. It was Hauswald summer house built by Vladimir Chagin and Vasily (Wilhelm) Schoene.
As Saint Petersburg was situated close to the border with Grand Duchy of Finland, there was a strong influence of its National Romantic style on Art Nouveau Architecture in Saint Petersburg. This style is called "Severny modern" in Russia (in Cyrillic: Северный модерн) meaning "Northern Art Nouveau". But European movements influenced local architecture as well.
The "Art Nouveau World" website considers 7 Saint Petersburg buildings[nb 2] as Art Nouveau masterpieces[3], all of them were built by different architectors:
The last two building are examples of Nordic National Romantic style. Other notable examples of that movement are:
The mosque and the church at the list above are not pure National Romantic - they are influenced by Islamic and Romanesque architecture respectively. Most common examples of Art Nouveau buildings influenced by other styles are Orthodox churches with Russian Revival influence:
A notable secular example of a building influenced by another style is Esders and Scheefhaals building by Vladimir Lipsky (1907)
The first Art Nouveau building in Moscow was built in 1898-1899 - it is List House by Lev Kekushev[5]. Kekushev was acquaintant with Victor Horta[1], the initiator of Art Nouveau, and was his follower. Kekushev's buildings are notable for his skillful use of metal ornaments and his signature with a lion (Lev) ornament or sculpture.[6]
Most prominent buildings of Lev Kekushev built in Art Nouveau style[7] include:
Lev Kekushev also took part in the construction of Hotel Metropol. In 1898-1899, he won the first prize in the open contest, but the commissioner of the project Savva Morozov discarded the decision of a professional jury and awarded the prize to William Walcot. However, the owners retained Kekushev as overall project manager. As William Craft Brumfield wrote in his book "The Origins of Modernism in Russian Architecture", "Kekushev's assistance was probably crucial to the final realization of this complex structure, with its immense dome of glass and iron over an interior court"[8].
Another influential master of Russian Art Nouveau who worked in Moscow was Franz (Fyodor) Schechtel. Starting his career with Neo-Gothic buildings and finishing career with Neoclassical ones, he built his best-known masterpieces in Art Nouveau style. In 1901 he was commissioned to build the pavilion of Russia at Glasgow Exhibition. There he gained international recognition and got to know Charles Rennie Mackintosh who influenced Schechtel's art. Another influencer is Joseph Maria Olbrich, the founder of the Darmstadt Artists' Colony, whose Ludwig Habich House was an inspiration for Ryabushinsky House [ru](1900-1903)[9]. Along with that building his masterpieces in Moscow include[7]:
Another outstanding example of Neo-Russian/Art Nouveau building in Moscow is Pertsova House (also known as Pertsov House), built 1905-1907 after a project of Sergey Malyutin, an artist of Mir iskusstva movement. Though Lev Kekushev's Nosov House was influenced by Franco-Belgian Art Nouveau[10] and American cottages[11], being built of wood it is still a unique example.By some researches[2] Trinity Church Apartments (also known as House with Beasts) are also characterized as Art Nouveau. This building is mostly notable for stone carving made by Sergei Vashkov inspired by carvings of Cathedral of Saint Demetrius in Vladimir and Saint George Cathedral in Yuryev-Polsky of XII and XIII centuries.
The influence of Nordic National Romantic style was weaker in Moscow than in Saint Petersburg. Buildings with influence that style in Moscow are:
Other notable architects of Art Nouveau in Moscow include:
After the restriction to build Old Believers churches was canceled in 1905, construction of a numerous amount of Old Believers churches was started. Along with 2 churches listed above, some of them shared Art Nouveau characteristics:
An Old Believers chapel on the upper floor of Ryabushinsky House [ru] was also built.
Art Nouveau in Russia was promoted not only by single architects but also by art colonies who worked in Russian Revival style that is sometimes considered as Russian option of National Romantic European movement. The 2 best-known colonies were situated in Abramtsevo, funded by Savva Mamontov, and Talashkino, funded by Princess Maria Tenisheva. They mostly dealt with interior and ceramics but also left architecture monuments:
Some researches include Church of the Holy Mandylion in Abramtsevo in the list of Art Nouveau buildings[12] but it was built in 1881-1891 - before the inception of Art Nouveau movement.
Most Art Nouveau churches in Russia are also considered Russian Revival. Along with already described examples some notable ones include:
Wood carving is also a distinctive feature of Russian Revival style and has become a feature of Russian Art Nouveau wooden houses. Houses with wood carvings can be found not only in Central Russia but also in Siberia, namely in Tomsk.
The territories of Karelian Isthmus and partly East Prussia that belonged to Finland and Germany respectively were ceded to Soviet Union after World War II. The Art Nouveau heritage at Karelian Isthmus consisted of:
In East Prussia (that became Kaliningrad Oblast) houses in Zelenogradsk can be noted.