Report from Europe.(art exhibitions)

The cozy world of Biedermeier

The Congress of Vienna in 1815 heralded an era of relative peace for much of Europe following Napoleon's final defeat at Waterloo. In the countries of central Europe, particularly Austria, the population could devote themselves to more tranquil pursuits in what could be termed a culture of domesticity. The interiors of houses, as well as literature and music--especially chamber music--took on a cozy feel. It was no accident that this era gave birth to the middle class.

The style was called Biedermeier, a literary pseudonym used in a Munich newspaper between 1855 and 1857, which can be taken to mean "common man." At the end of the nineteenth century it became the term applied to the art and the lifestyle of German-speaking countries from 1815 until at least 1830.

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An exhibition on how Biedermeier affected one of Europe's princely families is on view until August 20 at the Liechtenstein Museum in Vienna. Called Biedermeier in the House of Liechtenstein: The Epoch in the Light of the Princely Collections, it includes about two hundred examples of porcelain, furniture, and paintings such as landscapes, interiors, and portraits. Some of these works are on public view for the first time. The curator is Johann Kraftner, director of the Liechtenstein Museum, who also wrote the accompanying catalogue, which is published by Prestel and is available only in German by sending an e-mail to liechtensteinmuseum@cedon.com.

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Biedermeier-The Invention of Simplicity, an exhibition seen last year in the United States, is also on view in Vienna--at the Albertina until May 13.