Ten-Minute Art School Course Art Nouveau is an international movement and style of art, architecture and applied art—especially the decorative arts—that peaked in popularity at the turn of the 20th century (1890–1905).The name ‘art nouveau’ is French for ‘new art’. It is also known as Jugendstil (or ‘youth style’, from the German magazine Jugend, which promoted it), and Stile Liberty (from the London department store Liberty & Co., which popularized the style). A reaction to academic art of the 19th century, it is characterized by organic motifs (especially floral and other plant-inspired), as well as highly-stylized, flowing curvilinear forms. Art Nouveau is an approach to design, in which artists should work on everything from architecture to furniture, making art part of everyday life. The movement was strongly influenced by the Czech artist Alphonse Mucha, who, in 1896, produced a lithographed poster advertising the play Gismonda by Victorien Sardou. His poster was an overnight sensation, and announced the new artistic style and its creator to the citizens of Paris. Initially called the Style Mucha, (Mucha Style), this soon became known as Art Nouveau. Art Nouveau’s fifteen-year peak was most strongly felt throughout Europe, but its influence was global. In France, architect Hector Guimard’s Metro entrances shaped the landscape of Paris, while glass artist Emile Gallé was at the center of the movement in Nancy. Designer Victor Horta had a decisive impact on architecture in Belgium. Magazines like Jugend helped spread the style in Germany, especially as a graphic art-form, while the Vienna Secessionists influenced art and architecture throughout Austria-Hungary. Art Nouveau was also a movement of distinct individuals such as Gustav Klimt, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, René Lalique, Antoni Gaudí and Louis Comfort Tiffany, each of whom interpreted it in their own individual manner. Although the style fell out of favor with the arrival of 20th-century modernist styles, it is seen today as an important bridge between the historicism of Neoclassicism and modernism. Art Nouveau was a movement that was very broad in its scope. To many Europeans, it encompassed a whole way of life—- it was possible to live in an Art Nouveau-inspired house with Art Nouveau furniture, silverware, crockery, jewelry, cigarette cases, etc. The Movement itself wanted to make art part of everyday life, break all connections to classical times, and bring down the barriers between the fine arts and applied arts. Art Nouveau was also underlined by a particular way of thinking about modern society and new production methods. It attempted to redefine the meaning and nature of ‘the work of art’, so that art would not overlook any everyday object, no matter how utilitarian. [via]

Ten-Minute Art School Course

Art Nouveau is an international movement and style of art, architecture and applied art—especially the decorative arts—that peaked in popularity at the turn of the 20th century (1890–1905).The name ‘art nouveau’ is French for ‘new art’. It is also known as Jugendstil (or ‘youth style’, from the German magazine Jugend, which promoted it), and Stile Liberty (from the London department store Liberty & Co., which popularized the style). A reaction to academic art of the 19th century, it is characterized by organic motifs (especially floral and other plant-inspired), as well as highly-stylized, flowing curvilinear forms. Art Nouveau is an approach to design, in which artists should work on everything from architecture to furniture, making art part of everyday life.

The movement was strongly influenced by the Czech artist Alphonse Mucha, who, in 1896, produced a lithographed poster advertising the play Gismonda by Victorien Sardou. His poster was an overnight sensation, and announced the new artistic style and its creator to the citizens of Paris. Initially called the Style Mucha, (Mucha Style), this soon became known as Art Nouveau.

Art Nouveau’s fifteen-year peak was most strongly felt throughout Europe, but its influence was global. In France, architect Hector Guimard’s Metro entrances shaped the landscape of Paris, while glass artist Emile Gallé was at the center of the movement in Nancy. Designer Victor Horta had a decisive impact on architecture in Belgium. Magazines like Jugend helped spread the style in Germany, especially as a graphic art-form, while the Vienna Secessionists influenced art and architecture throughout Austria-Hungary. Art Nouveau was also a movement of distinct individuals such as Gustav Klimt, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, René Lalique, Antoni Gaudí and Louis Comfort Tiffany, each of whom interpreted it in their own individual manner.

Although the style fell out of favor with the arrival of 20th-century modernist styles, it is seen today as an important bridge between the historicism of Neoclassicism and modernism. Art Nouveau was a movement that was very broad in its scope. To many Europeans, it encompassed a whole way of life—- it was possible to live in an Art Nouveau-inspired house with Art Nouveau furniture, silverware, crockery, jewelry, cigarette cases, etc. The Movement itself wanted to make art part of everyday life, break all connections to classical times, and bring down the barriers between the fine arts and applied arts. Art Nouveau was also underlined by a particular way of thinking about modern society and new production methods. It attempted to redefine the meaning and nature of ‘the work of art’, so that art would not overlook any everyday object, no matter how utilitarian.

[via]