SILVIJA GROSA JŪGENDSTILA PERIODA PLASTISKAIS UN ...

IV.5. Examples of the dominance of the Neo-Baroque and Burgher Classicism
An extensive use of plastic décor was very common in buildings that were
designed in 1901. Neo-Baroque decorative elements dominate in the appearance
of the apartment building which the architect Harry Mehlbart designed and built
for himself at Stabu Street 18 in 1900. The presentable impression of the building
is increased by decorative elements reminiscent of heraldry. There were also two
groups of figural acroteria on the outer edges of the cornice, although these have
not survived to the present day. They can be seen in the blueprints which were
drawn up by the architect.
Wilhelm Neumann designed several residential buildings on the basis of
the so-called style of Burgher Classicism, with a slight inclusion of
anthropomorphic and floral décor of the Art Nouveau type. These include a
building designed for Wilhelm Scheffers at Dome Square 1 (1901), as well as one
for Julius Hübner, who owned a liquor and balsam factory, at Dzirnavu Street 58
(1901).
An outstanding example of plastic décor in the Neo-Baroque style is
found at Elizabetes Street 33. The building, which was designed by the civil
engineer Mikhail Eisenstein (Михаил Эйзенштейн) for the attorney Juris Lazdiņš
in 1901, includes several elements of décor which were modern at that time. The
design offered a new interpretation of masks and hybrid creatures designed by the
Berlin-based architect Paul Wallot, as well as by Otto Rieth. There were also
figures of nudes – something that was truly innovative in the very earliest period of
the 20 th century.
Another building which has an excessive wealth of décor is the one at
Krišjāņa Barona Street 11, which was designed by Konstantīns Pēkšēns in 1901 for
the businessman Kristaps Bergs. The architect combined various pompous and
effective elements which were based on the style of Historicism, and his
interpretation of individual motifs in the décor made use of techniques that were
typical of academic sculpture. In other words, there was no attempt to subject the
motifs to stylisation. The décor of the Bergs building speaks to eternity and fame,
and this is a subject which Eisenstein would use in the décor of several other
buildings, as well, once he came around to the use of iconographic motifs and
formal solutions in the style of Art Nouveau.
IV.6. Symbolic accents in the context of Historicism. The spread of Art
Nouveau motifs and symbols
In the early 20 th century, a popular theme in the décor of residential
buildings was the profession of the owner, represented emblematically or in
figurative relief. A typical example of this is the building at Blaumaņa Street
11/13 (1901, architect Alexander Schmäling) which was owned by the mason and
businessman Pēteris Radziņš (Radzing). The décor is a precise copy of a design
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