Sezession. Term adopted by several groups of artists in Germany and Austria-Hungary in the 1890s, who seceded from the traditional, conservative academies to show their works. The first group was formed in Munich in 1892, but the most celebrated of the Sezessionen was founded in Vienna in 1897, and included the artist Gustav Klimt (1862–1918) and the architect Joseph Maria Olbrich (1867–1908): the latter designed the exhibition-gallery and premises for the Vienna Sezession which made his reputation. The Sezessionists' enthusiasm for Art Nouveau gave the name Sezessionstil to that style in Austria-Hungary.

Bibliography

Borsi & and Godoli (1986);
Latham (ed.) (1980);
Ouvrard et al. (1986);
Waissenberger (1971);
Wiener Sezession (1972)

Sezession Radical movement (formed 1897) of young Austrian artists who organized their own exhibitions in defiance of the traditional organizations and aligned themselves with progressive European contemporaries. The first president was Gustav Klimt and other members included Oskar Kokoschka and, later, Egon Schiele.