The National and University Library of Strasbourg (BNU) will hold a free exhibition about Art Nouveau between November 8 to December 8, 2018.

It is a way to promote Art Nouveau amongst the citizens of an Art Nouveau city by itself. An awesome heritage that is becoming more popular for tourists and inhabitants alike. Because of the German occupation of Alsace (1871-1918) more than 6000 buildings have been erected during the period, among those, around 100 in the art nouveau style. This artistic movement lasted in Strasbourg from 1898 to 1908.

Although Riga is the European city with the highest concentration of Art Nouveau architecture, it is still not well known for the citizens of Strasbourg and that’s why the BNU has made this effort to prepare the exhibition.

The exhibition is based on panels loaned by the City of Riga and it will allow the visitors to follow in the footsteps of Art Nouveau in the Latvian capital in all its artistic expressions. Some Art Nouveau treasures from the BNU collections (books, posters, ex-libris, postcards, menus …), selected by the students of the Master of Art History of the University of Strasbourg, will complete this exposure.

You can visit a free exhibition in the BNU, at the level 1 of  the number 6, place of the Republic, Strasbourg, every day. Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 10:00 to 19:00 and Sundays from 14:00 to 19:00. It will be closed on the 11th of November.

Our private tours are the best way to discover Riga’s Art Nouveau

Riga is home to one of Europe’s largest collections of Art Nouveau architecture. Discover Central Riga and what makes the city tick today as well. A great way to see more, learn about art styles and trends of the early 20th Century and discover Riga’s magical Art Nouveau architecture. Discover the main streets of Riga best known for Art Nouveau architecture, such as Alberta iela and Elizabetes iela, as well as streets and areas less visited and frequently missed by visitors. With literally hundreds of buildings in the style across Riga we offer you to see how the movement adapted to the Northern tastes of Riga, how it evolved and where it lead to.

We aim to show how the style in Riga developed from 1899 all the way through to the First World War and how elements such as National Romanticism intertwined into Art Nouveau and how Riga flourished creatively at the end of the Russian Empire. You will also learn about what is hot and what is not today in Riga.

Click HERE to learn on our selection of private tours.