An Austrian Secessionist Silver Tray

The Vienna Secession was formed in 1897 by a group of Austrian artist who had resigned from the Association of Austrian Artist, to object to the prevailing conservatism with its traditional orientation toward Historicism. It included a variety of artists, including painters, sculptors, architects and silver workers. 

Unlike other movements, there is not a single style that unites their work, as secession artists were concerned with, above all else, exploring the possibilities of art outside the confines of academic tradition.