Alois riegl discussed the evolution of ornament by tracing how the basic element lotus develope. Industrializing folk art aesthetic transformation in alois riegls volkskunst, hausflei. All three were steeped in the tradition of german idealist philosophy stemming from kant and hegel. Alois riegl 18581905 was an austrian arthistorian and philosopher. As riegl himself mentions in the introduction to his second draft of the historical grammar of stylehis writings are for an advanced scholar in art history written at the height of the arts and crafts movement in findesiecle vienna, alois riegl s stilfragen represented a turning point in defining art and understanding the sources of its. Written at the height of the arts and crafts movement in findesiecle vienna, alois riegls stilfragen represented a turning point in defining art. Alois riegl 18581905 austrian art historian alois riegl is regarded, along with wolfflin and panofsky, as one of the founders of art history as a discipline. In 1894, on the basis of the stilfragen, riegl was awarded an extraordinarius position at the. Alois riegl s classic essay the modern cult of monuments. Its character and its origin, outlining the competing values to be considered when approaching the preservation andor conservation of historic structures. Its character and origin is often cited as the first, and most profound, formulation of.