SILVIJA GROSA JŪGENDSTILA PERIODA PLASTISKAIS UN ...

in the depiction of the lyre – something that was adapted from the art of the 19 th
century.
III.2.6. Other motifs
Along with textbook Art Nouveau motifs which were based on the overall
concept of the style, there were other motifs that were used in building décor in
Rīga. These revealed manifestations of what was known as “new paganism” at the
turn of the 19 th and 20 th centuries, and in thematic terms, this represented attempts
to glorify the antique cultures of which artists were aware – Ancient Egypt,
Assyria, the Maya Indians, the art of the Far East and the Middle East, etc. During
the period that is reviewed here, building décor was influenced by hermeneutics,
theosophy, and the principles of the Freemasons. This was seen in décor both
directly and through free interpretation. It has to be said that there is a lack of
concrete facts about the so-called instrumental symbols of Freemasons. Even if the
symbols seem to be very clear, it cannot be said with absolute certainty that their
presence in décor indicated that the relevant building was owned by a Freemason.
The traditional symbol of Freemasonry, which, in a broader context, embodies the
idea of God as the architect of the Universe, was also the symbol of the profession
of architects. The elements were also seen in the emblems of the guilds of relevant
craftsmen (including in the Guild of St John, which was the largest in Rīga).
Membership in a guild, typically, was something of a symbol of the durability of
traditions. There were many craftsmen among building owners during this period,
and that does help to explain the meaning of the symbol that was used in décor. It
has to be added that Freemasonry was banned at that time in the Russian Empire –
a prohibition which lasted from 1822 until 1908. Freemasonry in Latvia at the turn
of the 19 th and 20 th centuries is a subject which has attracted virtually no attention
by researchers.
In Rīga, as in several other provincial centres in the Russian Empire,
Historicism played a particularly important role in architectural décor, and when
architects and designers began to move toward Art Nouveau, that was often in the
context of a reinterpretation of motifs that were popular in various neo-styles.
Beginning in the 19 th century, there was increased interest in emblems and,
particularly, in heraldry. This remained true during the entire period that is under
review here. New meaning was also attached to motifs and subjects which had
been tested in the decorative arts and remained well known in the latter half of the
19 th century. Sources of information about these included an ornamental handbook
that was published by Franz Sales Meyer in 1888 and, perhaps, later, as well.
This was one of the most popular publications in all of Europe in the area of
ornamentation. The traditional materials that were discussed in the publication
were much in demand, and the handbook was a source of information about
decorative motifs throughout the entire period that is discussed in this dissertation.
No less popular was a journal called “Allegories and Emblems,” which was issued
by the Viennese publishing house of Martin Gerlach. The first volume was
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