Before World War I Rīga was a growing industrial city and the wealth of the 'haute' bourgeoisie naturally found its way onto the facades of their new luxury townhomes. Many of the designs were of the
Art Nouveau style. I am particularly fond of this short-lived style because so much emphasis was placed on creating something unique, free flowing, and just a little 'off the chain.' ...Not so different from today's avant-garde.
This entryway is something special because it displays the face of Mother Nature and the look of intricately carved wood, both of which are distictly Baltic features. Latvia and Lithuania were the last regions of Europe to adopt Christianity (approx. 12th century), and as a result most of the traditional symbols and icons are distinctly pagan. It's a little eery (and possibly fun) to walk down a dark side street and notice all these symbols normally associated with witchcraft and the devil.
The most famous of the local architects was Mikhail Eisenstein. His son, Sergei, was a pioneer of early cinema. Ironically, Sergei moved to Moscow to make propaganda for the Bolsheviks who despised (and eventually destroyed) the same bourgeoisie that supported his father and fed him as a child.
This entryway is something special because it displays the face of Mother Nature and the look of intricately carved wood, both of which are distictly Baltic features. Latvia and Lithuania were the last regions of Europe to adopt Christianity (approx. 12th century), and as a result most of the traditional symbols and icons are distinctly pagan. It's a little eery (and possibly fun) to walk down a dark side street and notice all these symbols normally associated with witchcraft and the devil.
The most famous of the local architects was Mikhail Eisenstein. His son, Sergei, was a pioneer of early cinema. Ironically, Sergei moved to Moscow to make propaganda for the Bolsheviks who despised (and eventually destroyed) the same bourgeoisie that supported his father and fed him as a child.
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