The Art Nouveau Period and Style

The Art Nouveau Period and Style

The Art Nouveau period, although relatively short-lived, is seen as a jewel in the history of Europe and North America. Stemming from a number of different influences beginning in the 1880's, Art Nouveau encompassed a new style of architecture and design that featured curving, organic lines, decorative ornamentation, and nature-inspired motifs. The style also expressed a few daring details that also coined Art Nouveau as the "Spook Style", for its wonderfully elongated forms and the "creepy" quality to its motifs. While France and Belgium are most commonly associated with Art Nouveau, movements appeared in other countries during the end of the 19th Century as well, for example Jugenstijl in Austria, Style Floriel or Style Liberty in Italy, and Modernisme in Spain. In the United States a few designers worked closely in the style of French Art Nouveau. The term Art Nouveau or "New Art" described a period in which artists and craftsmen all over Europe were determined to forge a new form of art and break from the "tired historicism of the past" (Miller, pg. 348). At the same time however, references to the past were still integrated into the designs. The style of Art Nouveau had many influences and took many different directions.

Art Nouveau, similar to that of the Arts and Crafts movement, was born out of a response to industrialization. During the 1880's there was a period of rejection to the Industrial Revolution and in response, inspiration from the natural world and a return to craftsmanship were emphasized. Like the Arts and Crafts movement, and taking inspiration from the teachings of English designer William Morris, artists and designers of the Art Nouveau sought for design reform. As an alternative response to industrialization however, travel and communication became easier. Expanding education created an upper-middle class that desired to decorate their homes with beautiful "objets d'art". Similarly, there became an expanding awareness of Eastern cultures. There was a romanticism and "cultural craving" surrounding the use of opium that arrived in the 1800's through European travelers and Chinese immigrants. Use of the drug appeared in aristocratic circles especially in France, with reports from the time claiming that Paris had nearly 1200 opium dens. It is thought that French opium smoking inspired the mysterious, flowing lines of Art Nouveau style and decoration. At the same time, the opening of Japan in the 19th Century had a significant impact on design elements of the Art Nouveau period and across Europe. The one-dimensional aspect of Japanese prints influenced the iconic posters of Alphonse Mucha (1860-1939) and Henri Toulouse-Lautrec (1864-1901) during the Art Nouveau period. Most important to note, is one of the central motifs of the Art Nouveau known as the "whiplash curve". It too can be traced back to Japanese art and graphics, and its connection with nature is paramount. The whiplash curve reflects the sinuous curving of plant-like forms.

Japanese inspired one-dimensional prints reflecting the Whiplash Curve

At the same time, these sinuous curves also reflect the swirling, curving lines and floral decoration of the Rococo Period under Louis XV and the vine-like motifs featured in English Arts and Crafts designer William Morris' prints. Also inspired by William Morris and the Arts and Crafts movement, was the idea that interiors were to have a cohesive look, with all of the decorative elements and furniture encompassing a unified style. It is evident that even with this new style, Art Nouveau artists and designers did not entirely reject the styles of the past. After suffering defeats from Germany coupled with industrial unrest of the time, the flowing, curved line can also be seen as an expression of the freedom of art, creativity, and change that characterizes the Art Nouveau.

The Art Nouveau was also a period of societal changes. In 1859 Charles Darwin published his Origin of the Species by Natural Selection, resulting in a fascination with biology and the human form. French chemist Louis Pasteur also discovered in 1860 the relation between microorganisms and infectious diseases, making it possible to research better methods for dealing with disease. Art Nouveau designs featured elegant, nature-inspired motifs as an interest in plants, cells, animal and human bodies grew. Transformation and the idea of metamorphosis became one of the key themes of the Art Nouveau style that grew out of Darwin's theories. The female form in particular, was a common motif associated with Art Nouveau. Graphic artists such as Mucha and Toulouse-Lautrec depicted women