Viennese design and architecture around 1900 is a global brand. How did this situation come about and what effects did these decisive moments in Modernism have? The exhibition presents main works by Josef Hoffmann and Adolf Loos as expression of central themes in a cultural debate. The show documents the different, often antithetical paths that the protagonists chose for shaping modern life, which today´s designers and architects also react to.

This exhibition is the most comprehensive show to date on the work of iconic turn-of-the-century sculptor Josep Llimona i Bruguera (Barcelona, 1864-1934).

The show invites visitors to walk through the artist´s entire production from the beginning of his training, with works from his earliest days (The Prodigal Son, 1879, MNAC), to works from his period of full maturity (Adolescent or Naïve, 1924, Museum of Catalan Modernism), alongside pieces that represent the beginnings of his fullest symbolist language (Modesty, 1891, Museum of Montserrat).

More than 60 pieces have been gathered together for the occasion, including previously unseen works by the public and a wide range of pieces by the sculptor that display his various specialties, from drawing to art objects, in which sculpture is strongly featured. Given the relevance of Josep Llimona´s production in Catalan art history, the exhibition seeks to show the great quantity of his work and be the retrospective that this major artist deserves.

After Bad Nauheim, the traveling exhibition "The Nature of Art Nouveau", now presented in Aveiro, has been organised by the Réseau Art Nouveau Network in the framework of the European project "Art Nouveau & Ecology" (2010-2015) with the support of the European Commission.

The exhibition comprises two identical concurrent exhibitions and begun its journey to all partner cities in October 2013.

This exhibition is free and bilingual Portuguese-English.

It is the first substantial exhibition devoted to Mackintosh´s architecture, with over 80 architectural drawings, many never exhibited before, rarely seen archival material, and specially commissioned films and models.

This exhibition explores the unique skills of some of the leading makers associated with this period including Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Talwin Morris, Jessie Marion King, Ernest Archibald Taylor and Margaret and Frances Macdonald, showing the strength and prominence of Glaswegian Arts and Crafts.

"The Nature of Art Nouveau" offers art enthusiasts and the general public an original appraisal of the Art Nouveau style and its relation to nature. This is a free show, presented in Catalan and English. The exhibition is complemented by the book A Strange World: Hybridisation in Art Nouveau and Symbolism and an activity booklet for kids from 6 to 11 years old.

The exhibition, which is touring thirteen cities including Barcelona, forms part of the project "Art Nouveau and Ecology", organised by the Réseau Art Nouveau Network with the support of the European Commission´s Culture 2007-2013 programme.
The exhibition is in three parts:

·    Eye of an Era examines artists´ fascination for nature, with scientific discoveries in the spheres of botany, zoology and oceanography, as well as developing evolutionary theory, and technical inventions such as the microscope, photography and film.

·    Nature´s Studio shows artistic experiments using natural and artificial materials as well as fresh techniques for creating new forms inspired by nature: lines, ornaments and structures, motifs and symbols.

·    The final section, Artificial landscapes, illustrates Art Nouveau interpretations of the seasons and natural elements: spring, earth, water, air, light, fire.

Each city brings its own vision to the exhibition, complementing it by presenting local works. In Barcelona´s case, this consists of:

·    Nineteen photographs taken by the architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner

·    Two folders from the studio library of the cabinetmaker and decorator Joan Busquets i Jané (Barcelona 1874-1949), published in Paris, which influenced the manner of constructing decorative compositions in Art Nouveau.

·    Three films by Segundo de Chomón (Teruel, 1871 - París, 1929), in which nature is transformed as if by magic.

·    The posters Al·legories del cicle de la natura (Allegories on Nature´s Cycle), which the painter and poet Alexandre de Riquer i Ynglada (Calaf, 1856 - Palma de Mallorca, 1920) dedicated to the four seasons.

·    Fragments from the book of prose poems by Alexandre de Riquer, Crisantemes (Chrysanthemums), Barcelona, Ed. Thomas, 1899.