How did Art Nouveau flourish around the turn of the 20th century?
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This aesthetic movement dominated many artistic fields in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
It was influenced by nature and used trademark organic shapes and sinuous lines, moving away from previous limits to create new kinds of design objects.
Let's take a few minutes to reflect on where Art Nouveau came from, as well as its major themes and artists.
How did the movement start?
Unlike many artistic waves, Art Nouveau didn't come from one particular artist or theory.
Rather, it marked a change in mentality and a move away from traditional, restrictive art forms.
Experts have commented that Art Nouveau's roots can be found in the British arts and crafts movement, which also took off in the second half of the 19th century in response to Victorian industrialisation and the rise of mass production to the detriment of quality craftsmanship.
The term Art Nouveau first appeared in a Belgian art journal in 1884, describing the work of a group of 20 progressive artists.
Indeed, the movement really emerged in France and Belgium, and the 1900 Paris Exposition Universelle helped it to reach a much wider audience.
It spread all around Europe and to the United States, flourishing through to World War I.
We're not just talking about paintings then, are we?
You've got that right.
Art Nouveau was embraced by all kinds of artists, from architects to graphic designers and jewellers, to name just a few examples.
They advocated the unity of all the arts.
Seeking to integrate art with everyday objects was a clear desire to break down the boundaries between fine art ie painting and sculpture, which had always been seen as purer expressions of artistic talent, and decorative arts, which tended to be looked down upon.
Indeed's New York-based non-profit.
The Art Story says that Art Nouveau was arguably more responsible than any other style in history for closing that gap.
The movement definitely showed it was possible to create works of art that were both beautiful and functional everyday objects.
What are the main characteristics of Art Nouveau work?
Art Nouveau was expressed in different ways across different countries and cultures, but there were still many common points.
We've already mentioned flowing lines, but it's worth repeating, as they really are highly characteristic of the style.
There was often an accent on the fluidity of the lines, which flowed from one object to another.
Asymmetry was also popular, as well as organic shapes based on plant forms the artists had observed themselves in nature.
Typical motif choices included elegant abstracted versions of leaves, flowers and animals, for example.
Given Art Nouveau's broad influence across numerous fields, it led to the creation of total works of art which solicited multiple senses.
One key name to remember is that of Alphonse Mucha, a Czech artist who was based in Paris.
His representations of what he called the bold new woman were a perfect example of how graphic advertisements were emerging.
Another defining figure was English designer and architect William Morris, who was strongly associated with the arts and crafts movement and held ideals of stylized, artisanal craftsmanship.
According to riseartcom, he's often called the philosophical forefather of the Art Nouveau movement.
And other stalwarts included Gustave Klimt, who worked on the Stockley Palace in Brussels, and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, who became just as renowned for his graphic art as his paintings.
There you have it.
Now you know what Art Nouveau is.
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