Eclecticism

Eclecticism. Buļļu Street.
Photo: Zanda Milzarāja

Eclecticism, which can be seen wherever we set foot, came into European architecture after the Classical period, and one could say, as its antithesis. It is a real mish-mosh of styles.

The homeowner who wanted to build his rental house or cottage, ordered the architect to put on the facade anything he liked - all sorts of towers, decorative elements and a lot of forged metal. The result depended on client's taste and the cooperation of the architect. The result, which we now see before our eyes, may be in good taste, but then again, not always.

Eclecticism. Wooden architecture in Ķīpsala.
Photo: Zanda Milzarāja

One common trait that characterizes eclecticism is a regular window frame rhythm which may not work with the building's interior needs.
Perhaps a window ended up too close to a wall, or at a rather unsuccessful height from the floor, but so what, as long as the window pattern was beautiful and rhythmic on the façade.
I can testify to such inconvenience from my experience at the Volgunte Street artists' workshop where a window was so close to a wall that it was it was difficult to open. No need to mention that, for example, putting a cupboard on that wall was 'mission impossible'.

Eclecticism. Daugavgrīvas Street.
Photo: Zanda Milzarāja

But from the outside, of course, no one could know this, so who cares?
In the designs of the Eclecticist architects we can see buildings with a rich mix of various styles - all combined in one. Alternatively we find buildings built in the specific style of the Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance or Baroque.

We can see the Neo-Romantic in St. Martin's Church (34 Slokas Street); the Neo-Gothic style in a boarding house (4 Pilotu Street); the Neo-Renaissance in a boarding house of 31 Slokas Street; the Neo-Baroque in St. Albert's Church on 38 Liepājas Street.
So, all of this is right here in Pārdaugava, for you to walk to on foot, and see with your own eyes.
Around 1900, as with all art and architectural styles which have reached their closing phases, Eclecticism became pompous and grotesque and gave way to the incoming Art Nouveau.
The typical little street corner towers of the end of Eclecticism can be well seen at 4 Pilotu Street and 7a Nometņu Street.
They are noticeable and impressive, are they not?