Art Nouveau
Art movements have always seen the emergence of new ideas and approaches in terms of concept as well as execution. Such a movement became popular in the 1890s which came to be known as “Art Nouveau” meaning “New Art”. Apart from being executed in sculpture and paintings, this international style of art was largely observed in decorative arts especially interior design, graphic arts, furniture, glass art, textiles, ceramics, jewelry and metal work. Motifs of insects, animals, leaves and other stylized forms of natural elements were used along with organic shapes that initiated a sensuous ornamentation in the asymmetrical compositions.
From Britain, Belgium and France, Art Nouveau spread to the rest of Europe influencing art and architecture in applied art, graphics and illustration. The Belgian architect Victor Horta is often considered the father of Art Nouveau. He was the first architect to use iron and glass in private buildings. The dynamic whiplash lines of “S” curves used by him later became a major characteristic of the architectures during this period. These lines were mostly ironworks which were used in furniture pieces and door handles as well. He was inspired not from ancient or previously existing styles but from nature and its sensuous forms. His work inspired many other Art Nouveau artists such as Hector Guimard and Gustave Serrurier-Bovy. Few examples of his great designs are “The Maison du Peuple”, “Hotel van Eetvelde”, “Hotel Tassel” etc.
Other major artists of Art Nouveau include; Aubrey Vincent Beardsley, Alphonse Mucha, Gustav Klimt, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Louis Comfort Tiffany, and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.
Fluidity of lines, sensuous flow of ornamented designs, asymmetrical compositions were characteristics of Art Nouveau. There was a graphical quality in the designs which are seen not just in drawings or paintings but in furniture, architecture and interior decorations as well. Designing magazine covers and producing advertising illustrations were also very popular during this time and artists like Toulouse-Lautrec and Alphonse Mucha were well known for such creations. After finishing their formal training in classical styles of art, artists decided to revolutionize art to create a new style, a break from traditional representations and that is how Art Nouveau was born.
