Riga, the capital of Latvia, the place to see Art Nouveau, who would have guessed.
Art Nouveau or Jugenstil, was a popular artform in Europe between 1890 and 1914. A counter-reaction to Impressionism,
"Art Nouveau is considered a "total" art style, embracing architecture, graphic art, interior design, and most of the decorative arts including jewellery, furniture, textiles, household silver and other utensils, and lighting, as well as the fine arts. According to the philosophy of the style, art should be a way of life. For many well-off Europeans, it was possible to live in an art nouveau-inspired house with art nouveau furniture, silverware, fabrics, ceramics including tableware, jewellery, cigarette cases, etc. Artists desired to combine the fine arts and applied arts, even for utilitarian objects." source Wikipedia
Well yes, i know, twirling branches, bare-breasted woman, followed by Art Deco, i should have known better.
So i was in for a pleasant surprise, walking in Riga, medieval buildings, Communist-era architecture, the people who are in an upbeat tempo embracing their independency, celebrating with Arts, Design, innovation.
Let's take a walk,
It turns out to be one of those long walks, street after street, every house has something to watch out for, to much to grasp in one visit,
inside one of the houses, for me it's time to take a seat somewhere and have a rest.
Not every day one goes to Riga or the Baltic states, def well worth it!