Art Nouveau Man

Art Nouveau Man A photographer, compulsive traveller and art nouveau enthusiast. Also posting on Instagram as

15/07/2026

Located 60 km north of Budapest, the picturesque village of Zebegény became popular with wealthy Budapest residents who wanted to escape from the city in the summer months.  Sat amongst the natural beauty of the area is a remarkable catholic church dedicated to Our Lady of the Snows.

A marshy plot of land in the centre of the village was purchased in 1883 for the purpose of building a new Catholic church.  The project stalled due to a lack of funds, but the idea was resurrected in 1907.  The project was awarded to the architect Károly Kós and Béla Jánszky, who submitted preliminary designs for the church on 14 August 1908.  The initial foundation stone was laid on 12th September that same year, and the church was consecrated on 31 July 1910.  

The gleaming white exterior is striking enough, but stepping inside takes your breath away.  

Vibrant frescoes in an art nouveau style line many of the surfaces of the interior, along with geometric, nature-inspired motifs.  The frescoes were designed by Aladár Körösfői-Kriesch and painted by György Leszovszky and some of his students.  The frescoes depict scenes from the Triumph and Exaltation of the Holy Cross, commemorating the 1600th anniversary of Emperor Constantine’s victory.  It's a place that's both peaceful and awe-inspiring.   

The only Roman Catholic Church in Hungary which is decorated in an art nouveau style, it's a real treasure in this beautiful region.





08/07/2026

The Darvas - La Roche House was built between 1909 and 1912 by brothers László and József Vágó. The construction was funded by Imre Darvas, a Jewish industrialist who founded a local logging company, and Swiss banker Alfred La Roche, a partner in Darvas's logging company. Originally built for Darvas and Margit Schultz (his wife) as a private residence for their family, it now houses the city's art nouveau museum, which reconstructs the bourgeois environment of Oradea.

The house is filled with stained glass, some stunning period furniture, and has a beautiful flow about it.

The Darvas la Roche House had many owners and went through many tribulations, especially after World War Two, when the communist regime seized the building. Subsequently, the house was neglected and even devastated by the tenants whom the state relocated on the premises. Furthermore, most of the last owners families ended up in the Auschwitz concentration camp. Thankfully, the building escaped any major alterations during the period of diverse ownership, and a after a meticulous restoration was completed in 2020, the house is now open to the public.







01/07/2026

Built in 1911 - 1913, the Palace of Culture is perhaps the most remarkable art nouveau building in Târgu Mureș, Romania. Built at the request of mayor György Bernády, it was originally supposed to be a two-storey building, but the mayor persuaded the architects to add an additional floor, despite the fact that the construction has already started! The building makes quite an impression from the exterior, and that impression is intesifies when you step inside.

Designed by the architectural duo Marcell Komor & Dezső Jakab, the colourful façade and roof are designed to grab the attention and not let go. Aladár Körösfői-Kriesch designed the giant mosaic on the façade and the incredible paintings in the lobby, which make this part of the building a work of art in its own right.

It's an absolutely incredible building, and I hope this brief reel gives you an interesting overview of its beauty.





24/06/2026

After a short stop in the beautiful city of Sighişoara, I caught the bus to the next destination of my journey through the historical region of Transylvania - Târgu Mureș.  

In the late 19th century and early 20th century, the city of Târgu Mureș was part of the Hungarian Kingdom.   During this time, the provincial appearance of the city changed greatly. Built between 1905 and 1907, the Hungarian Art-Nouveau style city hall complex was inaugurated, as part of mayor Bernády György's urban renewal.  It was the first building in the city to be built in the Hungarian Art Nouveau style, which is known locally as szecesszió style.  Designed by architects Marcell Komor and Dezső Jakab, I was fortunate enough to be able to visit this beautiful place, which is not always open to the public as it is still in use today as the County Prefecture.  It's a really amazing building, and I hope this reel shows that.

The modernisation of Târgu Mureș, instigated by mayor Bernády György, led to a number of szecesszió style buildings being constructed.  As a result, Târgu Mureș is one of the best places to see szecesszió architecture in modern day Romania.  No wonder the city has recently become a member of the .   

It is also the hometown of my dear friend .of.artnouveau who has been encouraging me to visit for several years.  I am very glad I took her advice.  

Thank you to .targumures for showing me around this wonderful building!





17/06/2026

In the night of 23 January 1904, the entire town centre of Ålesund, in Norway, was destroyed by a huge fire.  But from those ashes, a beautiful phoenix of a town rose up.  

The town was rebuilt in the then contemporary Jugendstil (Art Nouveau) style.  The structures were designed by approximately 20 master builders and 30 Norwegian architects, most of them educated in Trondheim and Charlottenburg, Berlin, drawing inspiration from all over Europe. 

The Swan Pharmacy was one of the buildings that was reborn after the fire.  Designed by Norwegian architect Hagbarth Martin Schytte-Berg and built between 1905 and 1907, the building now houses the which is home to the town's best preserved Art Nouveau interior.  And what a beautiful interior it is! 





Jachtslot Mookerheide is a Dutch hunting lodge built in an art nouveau style in 1904. Located in Mook, the Netherlands, ...
06/06/2026

Jachtslot Mookerheide is a Dutch hunting lodge built in an art nouveau style in 1904. Located in Mook, the Netherlands, it was commissioned by a descendant of wealthy bankers in 1902. The building is a real 'Gesamtkunstwerk' (a total work of art), and much of the decoration reflects it's original purpose as a hunting lodge.

Designed by the brothers Oscar and Henri Leeuw Jr., the building became a national monument due to its rich history. The vibrant exterior has been restored to its original light pink colour which, together with the blue and yellow tile decorations, makes the building pop out of the nature that surrounds it. The interior is also full of colour and craftsmanship, with two large stained-glass windows in the hallway.

It's an arresting sight, both inside and out, and is one of the finest examples of Dutch art nouveau that I have seen. I hope this short reel gives you a flavour of it's beauty.

Rooms at the venue are available to hire for meetings, and it is also available as a wedding venue. The restaurant is open daily and serves delicious cakes and drinks, and tours of the hunting lodge can be booked for groups or individuals.

Mathildenhöhe is an area in the city of Darmstadt, Germany, where an Artists' Colony was established by Grand Duke Ernst...
06/06/2026

Mathildenhöhe is an area in the city of Darmstadt, Germany, where an Artists' Colony was established by Grand Duke Ernst Ludwig in 1899. He believed the combination of art and trade would provide economic stimulus for his land. His motto was "Mein Hessenland blühe und in ihm die Kunst" ("My Hessian land shall flourish and in it, art").

A visionary idea, the timing of the Artists' Colony meant that the forward-looking artists invited to join were all interested in the new ideas of art nouveau. As a result, the work of the artists' colony expressed the dawn of modernity through art nouveau architecture and design. In this respect, it’s an almost unique time capsule of what the future looked like through the eyes of art nouveau designers. By the outbreak of the First World War, a total of 23 artists had worked on the Mathildenhöhe.

The colony held 4 exhibitions during its lifetime; in 1901, 1904, 1908 and a final exhibition in 1914.

The artists were offered plots of land upon which they could build their own houses so that they could provide concrete examples of their work. These houses became the focus of the first exhibition in 1901, and many of them still stand today. Building from subsequent exhibitions are also still in the area.

Sadly, the Mathildenhöhe site suffered extensive damage during bombing in World War II. Several houses were severely damaged, and a few were completely destroyed. Even so, the area of Mathildenhöhe is still a unique area which gives a wonderful glimpse into an art nouveau future that never came to pass. In recognition of this uniqueness, Mathildenhöhe was recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2021.

Constanța Casino is an awe-inspiring art nouveau building, sat evocatively on the edge of the Black Sea in Constanța, Ro...
06/06/2026

Constanța Casino is an awe-inspiring art nouveau building, sat evocatively on the edge of the Black Sea in Constanța, Romania. Last year, I visited the casino just as a five-year restoration project was nearing completion. This year, I revisited the casino to see the interior!

Having first visited the casino in 2019, when it was in such a dilapidated state there were genuine fears for its future, I was keen to revisit to see the restoration. What I saw exceeded all of my expectations.

The Casino was designed by architect Daniel Renard, a Romanian architect of Swiss descent, and built in 1907 - 1909. It was officially inaugurated in August 1910 and attracted both admiration and criticism but attracted a number of high-profile visitors, including the Russian Imperial Family in 1914. When Constanța was bombed in 1916 during World War I, it became a Red Cross Hospital and began a long and troubled existence. The building was closed once and for all in 1990 and quickly became a magnet for photographers who love exploring abandoned places. Following several political and financial upheavals, restoration work began in January 2020 and completed in March 2025 and was reopened to the public in May 2025.

Located along a quiet street in the Marolles district of Brussels, Belgium, Maison Cortvriendt was designed by architect...
06/06/2026

Located along a quiet street in the Marolles district of Brussels, Belgium, Maison Cortvriendt was designed by architect Léon Sneyers and built in 1900. Sneyers was one of the most creative architects in fin-de-siècle Brussels. His work combined art nouveau style and Vienna Secession, but almost all his buildings have been destroyed, leaving just this one extraordinary building - the house and workshop of painter Albert Cortvriendt.

Three asymmetrical bays make up the facade, the right bay with its remarkable entrance door and stunning sgraffito, framed by stone and stained glass, features the artist's workshop.

The sgraffito decoration, by Adolphe Crespin, was lovingly restored a few years ago. The stained-glass windows with geometric designs have also been restored after disappearing in the 1980s.

The door is also impressive with its elaborate iron door handle and letter box. Although the artist died in 1920, the name Cortvriendt is still etched in a round metal plaque next to the door.

The building has been listed since January 1998.

The work of Charles Rennie Mackintosh and his wife Margaret Macdonald was influential on European design movements such ...
06/06/2026

The work of Charles Rennie Mackintosh and his wife Margaret Macdonald was influential on European design movements such as Art Nouveau and Secessionism and praised by great modernists such as Josef Hoffmann. MacKintosh, along with his circle, pioneered the 'Glasgow Style'- a distinctive variant of art nouveau which was concentrated in and around the city of Glasgow, Scotland.

The Hill House in Helensburgh, Scotland, is Charles Rennie Mackintosh's best-preserved home. Considered by many to be his domestic masterpiece, Mackintosh built Hill House between 1902 - 1904. Mackintosh and Macdonald worked collaboratively to create almost everything you can see in the house, from the building itself to the furniture and textiles. Between the two of them they created a true Gesamtkunstwerk - a total work of art!

Commissioned by Walter Blackie, a Glasgow book publisher, it was a family home for 50 years. Mackintosh observed the everyday life of the Blackie family before creating any drawings, aiming to tailor the house to the needs of its occupants by addressing functional aspects before developing the design. Mackintosh paid just as much attention to the building’s interior spaces as to its overall architectural form, and the custom-made furniture and decoration were a vital part of the harmony that Mackintosh wanted to create. ‘Here is the house’ said Mackintosh to Walter Blackie on completion of the Hill House. ‘It is not an Italian Villa, an English Mansion House, a Swiss Chalet, or a Scotch Castle. It is a Dwelling House.’

In 1982, the house was donated to , which maintains and opens the house to visitors to this day. It is a truly remarkable place.

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