“Ver Sacrum”, magazine of the Union of Austrian Artists, founders’ issue, July 1898, 1st year, no. 7, 1898

With the magazine Ver Sacrum (Latin for “sacred spring”), the Union of Austrian Artists launched a publication intended to explain and spread their ideas about a rebirth of the arts. With a publication run of six years (1898–1903), the informative and sophisticated arts and literature magazine accompanied the early history of the Vienna Secession. Starting in 1898, the magazine in an almost square format was published monthly, printed by the publishing house Gerlach & Sohn and sold for a price of two crowns. The magazine was created and designed by constantly changing editorial teams.
Issue number 7 of the 1st year was published in July 1898 and contained texts by Berta Zuckerkandl (1864–1945), Hermann Bahr (1863–1934), Paul Scheerbart (1863–1915) and Adolf Loos (1870–1933). Ferdinand von Saar (1833–1906) published the poem Ver Sacrum, paying metaphoric homage to the power and beauty of spring. Josef Hoffmann (1870–1956), Joseph Maria Olbrich (1867–1908) and Josef Maria Auchentaller (1865–1949) contributed illustrations on book decoration and architectural designs.

AK, 2022