art nouveau
Art Nouveau
art nouveau?
How would you describe art nouveau (is that the right spelling?) – is it art inspired by nature? x
art nouveau is a style that was represented in most of western europe, with some influences in usa as well, at the beginning of the 20th century. i will mostly explain its characteristics in architecture and graphic design. it initiated as a reaction to the over-clacisist art of the time, that did not express the new society that emerged after the industrial revolution. the first manifestation of this trend are found in england in the 1850’s at a movement called arts and crafts. it was indeed inspired by nature elements, like plants, but it also had lots of other important traits. there were also japanesse influences brought through the international exibitions of time, like aperspective drawing, lack of volume representation, 2d images and the intense stilisation of form. actually here is the key. even before art nouveau, decoration in all artly domains was aboundent and mostly inspired by nature. now however, the designs are no longer replicated, duplicated nature forms, but stilisationis used, the reduction to a more simple form, catching it’s essential traits. in europe each country had its own interpretation. for instance, in france it was indeed called art nouveau and floral decoration was heavy, aboundent. belgium art nouveau was called ‘coup de fue’ and it was similar to the french expression. england however used highly geometric forms, based on the same nature pattern. obtaining a very different image. austria was it’s closest relative, were the trend was named ’seccesion’. germany called it ‘jugendstijl’. now i’ll give you a list of artists of the time. i hope you will google some of them in order to see the beautiful and divers images prouced by the style. england – charles mackintosh and the glasgow four, france – toulouse lautrec, emil galle(glass) and jules cheret, belgium – victor horta, austria – joseph maria olbrich, klimt, koloman mosser, usa – tiffany (glass).
Alphonse Mucha – Art Nouveau Visionary (Trailer)