General, 1985-1988

The German Art Nouveau style called Jugendstil developed in the last decade of the nineteenth century and consisted a two different movements, one devoted to decoration and individual expression and the other committed to functionalism and rational standards. Kathryn Bllom Hiesinger, Curator of European Decorative Arts before 1700, organized the first comprehensive exhibition of the movement in the United States, borrowing over 150 objects from international museums and private lenders. "Art Nouveau in Munich" was made possible by grants from The Pew Charitable Trusts, the National Endowment for the Arts, Lufthansa German Airlines, and the Bayerische Vereinsbank AG. After three months in Philadelphia, the exhibition traveled to museums in Los Angeles, Saint Louis, and Munich.