Design System

Vienna Secession

Ver Sacrum - To Each Age Its Art, To Art Its Freedom

Austria 1897 - 1905

Section I

Color Palette

Gold dominates alongside deep jewel tones, black, and white - the palette of Klimt's masterworks

Gold

#D4AF37

Black

#0D0D0D

White

#FFFFFF

Cream

#FAF8F0

Emerald

#046307

Sapphire

#0F4C81

Ruby

#9B111E

Amethyst

#5B3A6E

Section II

Typography

Elegant extended letterforms with refined spacing, echoing the movement's distinctive poster art

Display / Josefin Sans Light

Klimt

Heading / Cormorant

The Golden Phase

Subheading / Josefin Sans

Sacred and Sensual

Body / Cormorant

The Vienna Secession was founded in 1897 by a group of Austrian artists who rejected the conservative attitudes of the traditional art establishment. Led by Gustav Klimt, they sought to create a new artistic freedom, blending geometric precision with organic beauty, and elevating decorative arts to the realm of fine art.

Section III

Spacing

Measured intervals creating rhythm and harmony in composition

4px
xs
8px
sm
16px
md
24px
lg
32px
xl
48px
2xl
64px
3xl

Section IV

Buttons

Interactive elements adorned with gold accents and geometric precision

"

All art is erotic. The first ornament that was born was the cross, the first work of art.
Adolf Loos

Section V

Form Elements

Refined input fields with gilded borders and elegant proportions

Section VI

Cards

Content vessels with ornate gold frames and geometric corner details

I

Geometric Harmony

Squares, circles, and spirals combined with organic flowing forms create a distinctive visual language.

II

Gold Leaf

Klimt's revolutionary use of gold leaf elevates decoration to a spiritual and sensual experience.

III

Total Artwork

The Gesamtkunstwerk unites architecture, furniture, and decoration into a complete artistic vision.

The Secession Building

Joseph Maria Olbrich's iconic exhibition hall, crowned with its golden laurel dome, stands as a monument to artistic freedom and the movement's ideals.

Section VII

Data Table

Structured information presented with classical refinement

Artist Discipline Notable Work Year
Gustav Klimt Painting The Kiss 1907-08
Koloman Moser Design Wiener Werkstatte 1903
Joseph Maria Olbrich Architecture Secession Building 1897-98
Egon Schiele Painting Self-Portraits 1910-18
Otto Wagner Architecture Postal Savings Bank 1904-06

Section VIII

Badges

Small ornamental labels with jewel-toned variations

Golden Secession Emerald Sapphire Ruby Outlined

Section IX

Design Principles

The philosophy of the Vienna Secession - art as sacred expression

01

Geometric Meets Organic

Balance strict geometric patterns with flowing organic forms, creating tension between order and nature.

02

Luxurious Materials

Gold, precious stones, and rich textures elevate everyday objects to works of art worthy of reverence.

03

Sacred Sensuality

Embrace the duality of spiritual symbolism and earthly desire, finding beauty in human experience.

04

Unified Vision

Every element harmonizes - from architecture to typography - creating immersive total artworks.

"

Whoever wants to know something about me - as an artist, the only notable thing - ought to look carefully at my pictures and try and see in them what I am and what I want to do.
Gustav Klimt