Art Nouveau ( ; ; ),
Jugendstil
(; "Youth Style") was an artistic movement, particularly in the decorative arts, that was influential primarily in Germany, Austria and elsewhere in Europe to a lesser extent from about 1895 until about 1910. It was the German and Austrian cou ...
and
Sezessionstil in German, is an international
style
Style, or styles may refer to:
Film and television
* ''Style'' (2001 film), a Hindi film starring Sharman Joshi, Riya Sen, Sahil Khan and Shilpi Mudgal
* ''Style'' (2002 film), a Tamil drama film
* ''Style'' (2004 film), a Burmese film
* '' ...
of art, architecture, and
applied art
The applied arts are all the arts that apply design and decoration to everyday and essentially practical objects in order to make them aesthetically pleasing."Applied art" in ''The Oxford Dictionary of Art''. Online edition. Oxford Univ ...
, especially the
decorative arts
]
The decorative arts are arts or crafts whose aim is the design and manufacture of objects that are both beautiful and functional. This includes most of the objects for the interiors of buildings, as well as interior design, but typically excl ...
. It was often inspired by natural forms such as the sinuous curves of plants and flowers. Other characteristics of Art Nouveau were a sense of dynamism and movement, often given by asymmetry or
Whiplash (decorative art), whiplash lines, and the use of modern materials, particularly iron, glass, ceramics and later concrete, to create unusual forms and larger open spaces.
[Sembach, Klaus-Jürgen, ''L'Art Nouveau'' (2013), pp. 8–30] It was popular between 1890 and 1910 during the
Belle Époque
The Belle Époque () or La Belle Époque () was a period of French and European history that began after the end of the Franco-Prussian War in 1871 and continued until the outbreak of World War I in 1914. Occurring during the era of the Fr ...
period, and was a reaction against the
academicism
Academic art, academicism, or academism, is a style of painting and sculpture produced under the influence of European academies of art. This method extended its influence throughout the Western world over several centuries, from its origins i ...
,
eclecticism
Eclecticism is a conceptual approach that does not hold rigidly to a single paradigm or set of assumptions, but instead draws upon multiple theories, styles, or ideas to gain complementary insights into a subject, or applies different theories i ...
and
historicism
Historicism is an approach to explaining the existence of phenomena, especially social and cultural practices (including ideas and beliefs), by studying the process or history by which they came about. The term is widely used in philosophy, ant ...
of 19th century architecture and decorative art.
One major objective of Art Nouveau was to break down the traditional distinction between fine arts (especially painting and sculpture) and applied arts. It was most widely used in interior design, graphic arts, furniture, glass art, textiles, ceramics, jewellery and metal work. The style responded to leading 19th century theoreticians, such as French architect
Eugène-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc (1814–1879) and British art critic
John Ruskin
John Ruskin (8 February 1819 20 January 1900) was an English polymath a writer, lecturer, art historian, art critic, draughtsman and philanthropist of the Victorian era. He wrote on subjects as varied as art, architecture, Critique of politic ...
(1819–1900). In Britain, it was influenced by
William Morris
William Morris (24 March 1834 – 3 October 1896) was an English textile designer, poet, artist, writer, and socialist activist associated with the British Arts and Crafts movement. He was a major contributor to the revival of traditiona ...
and the
Arts and Crafts movement
The Arts and Crafts movement was an international trend in the decorative and fine arts that developed earliest and most fully in the British Isles and subsequently spread across the British Empire and to the rest of Europe and America.
Initiat ...
. German architects and designers sought a spiritually uplifting ('total work of art') that would unify the architecture, furnishings, and art in the interior in a common style, to uplift and inspire the residents.
The first Art Nouveau houses and interior decoration
appeared in Brussels in the 1890s, in the architecture and interior design of houses designed by
Paul Hankar,
Henry van de Velde, and especially
Victor Horta
Victor Pierre Horta (; Victor, Baron Horta after 1932; 6 January 1861 – 8 September 1947) was a Belgian architect and designer, and one of the founders of the Art Nouveau movement. He was a fervent admirer of the French architectural theoris ...
, whose
Hôtel Tassel
The Hôtel Tassel (; ) is a historic town house in Brussels, Belgium. It was designed by Victor Horta for the scientist and professor Emile Tassel, and built between 1892 and 1893, in Art Nouveau style. It is considered one of the first buil ...
was completed in 1893.
[Victor Horta](_blank)
– Encyclopædia Britannica It moved quickly to Paris, where it was adapted by
Hector Guimard
Hector Guimard (, 10 March 1867 – 20 May 1942) was a French architect and designer, and a prominent figure of the Art Nouveau style. He achieved early fame with his design for the Castel Beranger, the first Art Nouveau apartment building i ...
, who saw Horta's work in Brussels and applied the style to the entrances of the new
Paris Métro
The Paris Métro (, , or , ), short for Métropolitain (), is a rapid transit system serving the Paris metropolitan area in France. A symbol of the city, it is known for its density within the capital's territorial limits, uniform architectur ...
. It reached its peak at the
1900 Paris International Exposition, which introduced the Art Nouveau work of artists such as
Louis Tiffany
Louis Comfort Tiffany (February 18, 1848 – January 17, 1933) was an American artist and designer who worked in the decorative arts and is best known for his work in stained glass. He is associated with the Art Nouveau, art nouveauLander, David ...
. It appeared in graphic arts in the posters of
Alphonse Mucha
Alfons Maria Mucha (; 24 July 1860 – 14 July 1939), known internationally as Alphonse Mucha, was a Czech painter, illustrator, and graphic artist. Living in Paris during the Art Nouveau period, he was widely known for his distinctly stylized ...
, and the glassware of
René Lalique
René Jules Lalique (; 6 April 1860 – 1 May 1945) was a French jeweller, medallist, and glass designer known for his creations of glass art, perfume bottles, vases, jewellery, chandeliers, clocks, and automobile hood ornaments.
Life
Lalique ...
and
Émile Gallé
Émile Gallé (; 4 May 1846 in Nancy, France, Nancy – 23 September 1904 in Nancy) was a French artist and designer who worked in glass, and is considered to be one of the major innovators in the French Art Nouveau movement. He was noted fo ...
.
From Britain, Art Nouveau spread to Belgium onto Spain and France, and then to the rest of Europe, taking on different names and characteristics in each country (see
Naming section below). It often appeared not only in capitals, but also in rapidly growing cities that wanted to establish artistic identities (
Turin
Turin ( , ; ; , then ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital from 1861 to 1865. The city is main ...
and
Palermo
Palermo ( ; ; , locally also or ) is a city in southern Italy, the capital (political), capital of both the autonomous area, autonomous region of Sicily and the Metropolitan City of Palermo, the city's surrounding metropolitan province. The ...
in Italy;
Glasgow
Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...
in Scotland;
Munich
Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...
and
Darmstadt
Darmstadt () is a city in the States of Germany, state of Hesse in Germany, located in the southern part of the Frankfurt Rhine Main Area, Rhine-Main-Area (Frankfurt Metropolitan Region). Darmstadt has around 160,000 inhabitants, making it the ...
in Germany;
Barcelona
Barcelona ( ; ; ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...
in
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationalities and regions of Spain, nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia of 2006, Statute of Autonomy. Most of its territory (except the Val d'Aran) is situate ...
, Spain), as well as in centres of independence movements (
Helsinki
Helsinki () is the Capital city, capital and most populous List of cities and towns in Finland, city in Finland. It is on the shore of the Gulf of Finland and is the seat of southern Finland's Uusimaa region. About people live in the municipali ...
in Finland, then part of the Russian Empire).
By 1914, with the beginning of the
First World War
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, Art Nouveau was largely exhausted. In the 1920s, it was replaced as the dominant architectural and decorative art style by
Art Deco
Art Deco, short for the French (), is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design that first Art Deco in Paris, appeared in Paris in the 1910s just before World War I and flourished in the United States and Europe during the 1920 ...
and then
Modernism
Modernism was an early 20th-century movement in literature, visual arts, and music that emphasized experimentation, abstraction, and Subjectivity and objectivity (philosophy), subjective experience. Philosophy, politics, architecture, and soc ...
. The Art Nouveau style began to receive more positive attention from critics in the late 1960s, with a major exhibition of the work of
Hector Guimard
Hector Guimard (, 10 March 1867 – 20 May 1942) was a French architect and designer, and a prominent figure of the Art Nouveau style. He achieved early fame with his design for the Castel Beranger, the first Art Nouveau apartment building i ...
at the
Museum of Modern Art
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on 53rd Street (Manhattan), 53rd Street between Fifth Avenue, Fifth and Sixth Avenues. MoMA's collection spans the late 19th century to the present, a ...
in 1970.
Naming
The term ''Art Nouveau'' was first used in the 1880s in the Belgian journal ''
L'Art Moderne
''L'Art Moderne'' was a weekly review of the arts and literature published in Brussels from March 1881 until the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914. It was established by a number of lawyers based in Brussels who felt the need for a r ...
'' to describe the work of ''
Les Vingt'', twenty painters and sculptors seeking reform through art. The name was popularized by the ('House of the New Art'), an art gallery opened in Paris in 1895 by the Franco-German
art dealer
An art dealer is a person or company that buys and sells works of art, or acts as the intermediary between the buyers and sellers of art.
An art dealer in contemporary art typically seeks out various artists to represent, and builds relationsh ...
Siegfried Bing
Samuel Siegfried Bing (26 February 1838 – 6 September 1905), who usually gave his name as S. Bing (not to be confused with his brother, Samuel Otto Bing, 1850–1905), was a German-French art dealer who lived in Paris as an adult, and wh ...
. In Britain, the French term was commonly used, while in France, it was often called by the term (akin to the British term ''Modern Style''), or .
[Duncan (1994), pp. 23–24.] In France, it was also sometimes called (after the novelist
Jules Verne
Jules Gabriel Verne (;''Longman Pronunciation Dictionary''. ; 8 February 1828 – 24 March 1905) was a French novelist, poet and playwright.
His collaboration with the publisher Pierre-Jules Hetzel led to the creation of the ''Voyages extraor ...
), (after
Hector Guimard
Hector Guimard (, 10 March 1867 – 20 May 1942) was a French architect and designer, and a prominent figure of the Art Nouveau style. He achieved early fame with his design for the Castel Beranger, the first Art Nouveau apartment building i ...
's iron and glass subway entrances), , or .
[Gontar, Cybele. Art Nouveau. In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History](_blank)
. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000 (October 2006)
Art Nouveau is known by different names in different languages: in German, in Italian, in Catalan, and also known as the
Modern Style in English. The style is often related to, but not always identical with, styles that emerged in many countries in Europe and elsewhere at about the same time. Their local names were often used in their respective countries to describe the whole movement.
* In Austria and the neighbouring countries then part of the
Austro-Hungarian Empire
Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military and diplomatic alliance, it consist ...
, it was called ('Viennese youth style'), or ('Secession style'), after the artists of the
Vienna Secession
The Vienna Secession (; also known as the Union of Austrian Artists or ) is an art movement, closely related to Art Nouveau, that was formed in 1897 by a group of Austrian painters, graphic artists, sculptors and architects, including Josef Ho ...
(, , , ).
* In Belgium, it was sometimes termed ('Whiplash style'), ('Eel Style'), or ('Noodle style') by its detractors.
* In
Britain
Britain most often refers to:
* Great Britain, a large island comprising the countries of England, Scotland and Wales
* The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, a sovereign state in Europe comprising Great Britain and the north-eas ...
, besides Art Nouveau, it was known as the ''Modern Style'', or, because of the works of the
Glasgow School, as the ''Glasgow style''.
* In Denmark, it is known as ('Work of beauty').
* In Germany and Scandinavia, it was called ('Reform style'), or ('Youth style'), after the popular German art magazine ,
as well as ('Wave style'), or ('Lily style').
It is now called ''Jugend'' in Finland, Sweden, and Norway; in
Estonia
Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, and to the east by Ru ...
; and in
Latvia
Latvia, officially the Republic of Latvia, is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is one of the three Baltic states, along with Estonia to the north and Lithuania to the south. It borders Russia to the east and Belarus to t ...
. In Finland, it was also called .
* In Italy, it was often called ('Liberty style'), after
Arthur Lasenby Liberty, the founder of London's
Liberty & Co, whose textile designs were popular. It was also sometimes called ('floral style') or ('new art'; not in use anymore).
* In Japan, ''Shiro-Uma''.
* In the Netherlands, ('New Art'), or ('New style').
* In Poland, ('Secession').
* In Portugal, ('New Art').
* In
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...
, ('1900 Art'), ('New Art'), or ('New Style').
* In Spain, , (in Catalan) and ('Young art').
* In Switzerland, ('fir-tree style').
* In the United States, due to its association with
Louis Comfort Tiffany
Louis Comfort Tiffany (February 18, 1848 – January 17, 1933) was an American artist and designer who worked in the decorative arts and is best known for his work in stained glass. He is associated with the art nouveauLander, David"The Buyable ...
, it was sometimes called the ''Tiffany style''.
[Michèle Lavallée, "Art Nouveau", '']Grove Dictionary of Art
''Grove Art Online'' is the online edition of ''The Dictionary of Art'', often referred to as the ''Grove Dictionary of Art'', and part of Oxford Art Online, an internet gateway to online art reference publications of Oxford University Press, ...
'' Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press (OUP) is the publishing house of the University of Oxford. It is the largest university press in the world. Its first book was printed in Oxford in 1478, with the Press officially granted the legal right to print books ...
, accessed 11 April 2008.
* The term ''Modern'' was used in then
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...
and still used in current successor states such as
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a Boundaries between the continents, transcontinental and landlocked country at the boundary of West Asia and Eastern Europe. It is a part of the South Caucasus region and is bounded by ...
,
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a landlocked country primarily in Central Asia, with a European Kazakhstan, small portion in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the Kazakhstan–Russia border, north and west, China to th ...
,
Russia
Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
, and
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...
, while it is called in
Lithuania
Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania, is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, bordered by Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and south, P ...
. For painting, the name of the ''
Mir Iskusstva
''Mir iskusstva'' ( rus, «Мир искусства», p=ˈmʲir ɪˈskustvə, ''World of Art'') was both a Russian magazine and the artistic movement it fostered, playing a significant role in shaping the Russian avant-garde. The movement was d ...
'' ('World of Art') movement was also used.
History
Origins
File:Philip Webb's Red House in Upton.jpg, Red House in Bexleyheath
Bexleyheath is a town in southeast London, England, in the London Borough of Bexley. It had a population of approximately 15,600 in 2021 and is southeast of Charing Cross. It is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in London ...
(London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
) by William Morris
William Morris (24 March 1834 – 3 October 1896) was an English textile designer, poet, artist, writer, and socialist activist associated with the British Arts and Crafts movement. He was a major contributor to the revival of traditiona ...
and Philip Webb
Philip Speakman Webb (12 January 1831 – 17 April 1915) was a British architect and designer sometimes called the Father of Arts and Crafts Architecture. His use of vernacular architecture demonstrated his commitment to "the art of common ...
(1859)
File:Acteur als hoveling-Rijksmuseum AK-MAK-1601A.jpeg, Japanese woodblock print by Utagawa Kunisada (1850s)
File:The Peacock Room.jpg, ''The Peacock Room
''Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room'' (better known as ''The Peacock Room'') is a work of interior decorative art created by James McNeill Whistler and Thomas Jeckyll, translocated to the Freer Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. Whis ...
'' by James McNeill Whistler
James Abbott McNeill Whistler (; July 10, 1834July 17, 1903) was an American painter in oils and watercolor, and printmaker, active during the American Gilded Age and based primarily in the United Kingdom. He eschewed sentimentality and moral a ...
(1876–77), now in the Freer Gallery of Art
The Freer Gallery of Art is an art museum of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. focusing on Asian art. The Freer and the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery together form the National Museum of Asian Art in the United States. The Freer and ...
, Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
File:Chair LACMA M.2009.115 (5 of 5).jpg, Chair designed by Arthur Mackmurdo (1882–83)
File:Morris Wey printed textile design c 1883.jpg, William Morris
William Morris (24 March 1834 – 3 October 1896) was an English textile designer, poet, artist, writer, and socialist activist associated with the British Arts and Crafts movement. He was a major contributor to the revival of traditiona ...
printed textile design (1883)
File:Swan and Rush and Iris wallpaper Walter Crane.jpg, Swan, rush and iris wallpaper design by Walter Crane
Walter Crane (15 August 184514 March 1915) was an English artist and book illustrator. He is considered to be the most influential, and among the most prolific, children's book creators of his generation and, along with Randolph Caldecott and Ka ...
(1883)
The new art movement had its roots in Britain, in the floral designs of
William Morris
William Morris (24 March 1834 – 3 October 1896) was an English textile designer, poet, artist, writer, and socialist activist associated with the British Arts and Crafts movement. He was a major contributor to the revival of traditiona ...
, and in the
Arts and Crafts movement
The Arts and Crafts movement was an international trend in the decorative and fine arts that developed earliest and most fully in the British Isles and subsequently spread across the British Empire and to the rest of Europe and America.
Initiat ...
founded by the pupils of Morris. Early prototypes of the style include the
Red House with interiors by Morris and architecture by
Philip Webb
Philip Speakman Webb (12 January 1831 – 17 April 1915) was a British architect and designer sometimes called the Father of Arts and Crafts Architecture. His use of vernacular architecture demonstrated his commitment to "the art of common ...
(1859), and the lavish
Peacock Room by
James Abbott McNeill Whistler
James Abbott McNeill Whistler (; July 10, 1834July 17, 1903) was an American painter in oils and watercolor, and printmaker, active during the American Gilded Age and based primarily in the United Kingdom. He eschewed sentimentality and moral a ...
. The new movement was also strongly influenced by the
Pre-Raphaelite
The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood (PRB), later known as the Pre-Raphaelites, was a group of English painters, poets, and art critics, founded in 1848 by William Holman Hunt, John Everett Millais, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, William Michael Rossetti, ...
painters, including
Dante Gabriel Rossetti
Gabriel Charles Dante Rossetti (12 May 1828 – 9 April 1882), generally known as Dante Gabriel Rossetti ( ; ), was an English poet, illustrator, painter, translator, and member of the Rossetti family. He founded the Pre-Raphaelite Brother ...
and
Edward Burne-Jones
Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones, 1st Baronet, (; 28 August 183317 June 1898) was an English painter and designer associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood's style and subject matter.
Burne-Jones worked with William Morris as a founding part ...
, and especially by British graphic artists of the 1880s, including
Selwyn Image
Selwyn Image (17 February 1849, Bodiam, Sussex – 21 August 1930, London) was a British artist, designer, writer and poet associated with the Arts and Crafts Movement. He designed stained glass windows, furniture and embroidery, and illustra ...
,
Heywood Sumner,
Walter Crane
Walter Crane (15 August 184514 March 1915) was an English artist and book illustrator. He is considered to be the most influential, and among the most prolific, children's book creators of his generation and, along with Randolph Caldecott and Ka ...
,
Alfred Gilbert
Sir Alfred Gilbert (12 August 18544 November 1934) was an English sculpture, sculptor. He was born in London and studied sculpture under Joseph Boehm, Matthew Noble, Édouard Lantéri and Pierre-Jules Cavelier. His first work of importance wa ...
, and especially
Aubrey Beardsley
Aubrey Vincent Beardsley ( ; 21 August 187216 March 1898) was an English illustrator and author. His black ink drawings were influenced by Woodblock printing in Japan, Japanese woodcuts, and depicted the grotesque, the decadent, and the erotic. ...
. The chair designed by
Arthur Mackmurdo has been recognized as a precursor of Art Nouveau design.
In France, it was influenced by the architectural theorist and historian
Eugène Viollet-le-Duc
Eugène Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc (; 27 January 181417 September 1879) was a French architect and author, famous for his restoration of the most prominent medieval landmarks in France. His major restoration projects included Notre-Dame de Paris, ...
, a declared enemy of the historical
Beaux-Arts architectural style, whose theories on rationalism were derived from his study of
medieval art
The medieval art of the Western world covers a vast scope of time and place, with over 1000 years of art in Europe, and at certain periods in Western Asia and Northern Africa. It includes major art movements and periods, national and regional ar ...
:
* Function should define form.
* Unity of the arts and the abolition of any distinction between major art (architecture) and minor arts (decorative arts).
* Nature's logic is the model to be used for architecture.
* Architecture should adapt itself to man's environment and needs.
* Use of modern technologies and materials.
Viollet-le-Duc was himself a precursor of Art Nouveau: in 1851, at
Notre-Dame de Paris
Notre-Dame de Paris ( ; meaning "Cathedral of Our Lady of Paris"), often referred to simply as Notre-Dame, is a Medieval architecture, medieval Catholic cathedral on the Île de la Cité (an island in the River Seine), in the 4th arrondissemen ...
, he created a series of mural paintings typical of the style. These paintings were removed in 1945 as deemed non academic. At the
Château de Roquetaillade in the
Bordeaux
Bordeaux ( ; ; Gascon language, Gascon ; ) is a city on the river Garonne in the Gironde Departments of France, department, southwestern France. A port city, it is the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, as well as the Prefectures in F ...
region, his interior decorations dating from 1865 also anticipate Art Nouveau. In his 1872 book ''Entretiens sur l'architecture'', he wrote, "Use the means and knowledge given to us by our times, without the intervening traditions which are no longer viable today, and in that way we can inaugurate a new architecture. For each function its material; for each material its form and its ornament." This book influenced a generation of architects, including
Louis Sullivan
Louis Henry Sullivan (September 3, 1856 – April 14, 1924) was an American architect, and has been called a "father of skyscrapers" and "father of modernism". He was an influential architect of the Chicago school (architecture), Chicago ...
,
Victor Horta
Victor Pierre Horta (; Victor, Baron Horta after 1932; 6 January 1861 – 8 September 1947) was a Belgian architect and designer, and one of the founders of the Art Nouveau movement. He was a fervent admirer of the French architectural theoris ...
,
Hector Guimard
Hector Guimard (, 10 March 1867 – 20 May 1942) was a French architect and designer, and a prominent figure of the Art Nouveau style. He achieved early fame with his design for the Castel Beranger, the first Art Nouveau apartment building i ...
, and
Antoni Gaudí
Antoni Gaudí i Cornet ( , ; ; 25 June 1852 – 10 June 1926) was a Catalans, Catalan architect and designer from Spain, widely known as the greatest exponent of Catalan ''Modernisme''. Gaudí's works have a style, with most located in Barc ...
.
The French painters
Maurice Denis
Maurice Denis (; 25 November 1870 – 13 November 1943) was a French painter, decorative artist, and writer. An important figure in the transitional period between impressionism and modern art, he is associated with '' Les Nabis'', symbolism, ...
,
Pierre Bonnard
Pierre Bonnard (; 3 October 186723 January 1947) was a French painter, illustrator and printmaker, known especially for the stylized decorative qualities of his paintings and his bold use of color. A founding member of the Post-Impressionist gr ...
and
Édouard Vuillard
Jean-Édouard Vuillard (; 11 November 186821 June 1940) was a French painter, decorative artist, and printmaker. From 1891 through 1900, Vuillard was a member of the avant garde artistic group Les Nabis, creating paintings that assembled areas ...
played an important part in integrating fine arts painting with decoration. "I believe that before everything a painting must decorate", Denis wrote in 1891. "The choice of subjects or scenes is nothing. It is by the value of tones, the coloured surface and the harmony of lines that I can reach the spirit and wake up the emotions." These painters all did both traditional painting and decorative painting on screens, in glass, and in other media.
Another important influence on the new style was
Japonism
''Japonisme'' is a French term that refers to the popularity and influence of Japanese art and design among a number of Western European artists in the nineteenth century following the forced reopening of foreign trade with Japan in 1858. Japon ...
. This was a wave of enthusiasm for
Japanese woodblock printing
Woodblock printing or block printing is a technique for printing text, images or patterns used widely throughout East Asia and originating in China in antiquity as a method of textile printing, printing on textiles and later on paper. Each page ...
, particularly the works of
Hiroshige
or , born Andō Tokutarō (; 1797 – 12 October 1858), was a Japanese ''ukiyo-e'' artist, considered the last great master of that tradition.
Hiroshige is best known for his horizontal-format landscape series '' The Fifty-three Stations ...
,
Hokusai
, known mononymously as Hokusai, was a Japanese ukiyo-e artist of the Edo period, active as a painter and printmaker. His woodblock printing in Japan, woodblock print series ''Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji'' includes the iconic print ''The Gr ...
, and
Utagawa Kunisada, which were imported into Europe beginning in the 1870s. The enterprising
Siegfried Bing
Samuel Siegfried Bing (26 February 1838 – 6 September 1905), who usually gave his name as S. Bing (not to be confused with his brother, Samuel Otto Bing, 1850–1905), was a German-French art dealer who lived in Paris as an adult, and wh ...
founded a monthly journal, ''Le Japon artistique'' in 1888, and published thirty-six issues before it ended in 1891. It influenced both collectors and artists, including
Gustav Klimt
Gustav Klimt (14 July 1862 – 6 February 1918) was an Austrian symbolist painter and a founding member of the Vienna Secession movement. His work helped define the Art Nouveau style in Europe. Klimt is known for his paintings, murals, sket ...
. The stylised features of Japanese prints appeared in Art Nouveau graphics, porcelain, jewellery, and furniture. Since the beginning of 1860, a
Far East
The Far East is the geographical region that encompasses the easternmost portion of the Asian continent, including North Asia, North, East Asia, East and Southeast Asia. South Asia is sometimes also included in the definition of the term. In mod ...
ern influence suddenly manifested. In 1862, art lovers from London or Paris, could buy
Japanese art
Japanese art consists of a wide range of art styles and media that includes Jōmon pottery, ancient pottery, Japanese sculpture, sculpture, Ink wash painting, ink painting and Japanese calligraphy, calligraphy on silk and paper, Ukiyo-e, paint ...
works, because in that year, Japan appeared for the first time as an exhibitor at the
International Exhibition in London. Also in 1862, in Paris, ''La Porte Chinoise'' store, on
Rue de Rivoli, was open, where Japanese
ukiyo-e
is a genre of Japanese art that flourished from the 17th through 19th centuries. Its artists produced woodblock printing, woodblock prints and Nikuhitsu-ga, paintings of such subjects as female beauties; kabuki actors and sumo wrestlers; scenes ...
and other objects from the Far East were sold. In 1867, ''Examples of Chinese Ornaments'' by
Owen Jones
Owen Jones (born 8 August 1984) is a left-wing British newspaper columnist, commentator, journalist, author and political activist.
He writes a column for ''The Guardian'' and contributes to the ''New Statesman'', ''Tribune (magazine), Tribune ...
appeared, and in 1870 ''Art and Industries in Japan'' by R. Alcock, and two years later, O. H. Moser and T. W. Cutler published books about Japanese art. Some Art Nouveau artists, like
Victor Horta
Victor Pierre Horta (; Victor, Baron Horta after 1932; 6 January 1861 – 8 September 1947) was a Belgian architect and designer, and one of the founders of the Art Nouveau movement. He was a fervent admirer of the French architectural theoris ...
, owned a collection of Far Eastern art, especially Japanese.
New technologies in printing and publishing allowed Art Nouveau to quickly reach a global audience. Art magazines, illustrated with photographs and colour
lithographs
Lithography () is a planographic method of printing originally based on the miscibility, immiscibility of oil and water. The printing is from a stone (lithographic limestone) or a metal plate with a smooth surface. It was invented in 1796 by ...
, played an essential role in popularizing the new style. ''
The Studio'' in England, ''Arts et idèes'' and ''Art et décoration'' in France, and ''
Jugend'' in Germany allowed the style to spread rapidly to all corners of Europe.
Aubrey Beardsley
Aubrey Vincent Beardsley ( ; 21 August 187216 March 1898) was an English illustrator and author. His black ink drawings were influenced by Woodblock printing in Japan, Japanese woodcuts, and depicted the grotesque, the decadent, and the erotic. ...
in England, and
Eugène Grasset
Eugène Samuel Grasset (; 25 May 1845 – 23 October 1917) was a Swiss decorative artist who worked in Paris, France in a variety of creative design fields during the Belle Époque. He is considered a pioneer in Art Nouveau design.
Biography
...
,
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
Count, ''Comte'' Henri Marie Raymond de Toulouse-Lautrec-Monfa (24 November 1864 – 9 September 1901), known as Toulouse-Lautrec (), was a French painter, printmaker, draughtsman, caricaturist, and illustrator whose immersion in the colour ...
, and
Félix Vallotton
Félix Édouard Vallotton (; December 28, 1865December 29, 1925) was a Swiss and French painter and printmaker associated with the group of artists known as '. He was an important figure in the development of the modern woodcut. He painted portra ...
achieved international recognition as illustrators.
With the posters by
Jules Chéret
Jules Chéret (31 May 1836 – 23 September 1932) was a French painter and lithographer who became a master of ''Belle Époque'' poster art. He has been called the father of the modern poster.
Early life and career
Born in Paris to a poor bu ...
for dancer
Loie Fuller
Loie Fuller (; born Marie Louise Fuller; January 15, 1862 – January 1, 1928), also known as Louie Fuller and Loïe Fuller, was an American dancer and a pioneer of modern dance and theatrical lighting techniques.
Auguste Rodin said of her, "Lo ...
in 1893, and by
Alphonse Mucha
Alfons Maria Mucha (; 24 July 1860 – 14 July 1939), known internationally as Alphonse Mucha, was a Czech painter, illustrator, and graphic artist. Living in Paris during the Art Nouveau period, he was widely known for his distinctly stylized ...
for actress
Sarah Bernhardt
Sarah Bernhardt (; born Henriette-Rosine Bernard; 22 October 1844 – 26 March 1923) was a French stage actress who starred in some of the most popular French plays of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including by Alexandre Dumas fils, ...
in 1895, the poster became not just advertising, but an art form. Sarah Bernhardt set aside large numbers of her posters for sale to collectors.
Development – Brussels (1893–1898)
File:St-Gilles (Hankar) JPG01.jpg, Hankar House by Paul Hankar (1893)
File:Victor Horta Hotel Tassel.JPG, Façade of the Hôtel Tassel
The Hôtel Tassel (; ) is a historic town house in Brussels, Belgium. It was designed by Victor Horta for the scientist and professor Emile Tassel, and built between 1892 and 1893, in Art Nouveau style. It is considered one of the first buil ...
by Victor Horta
Victor Pierre Horta (; Victor, Baron Horta after 1932; 6 January 1861 – 8 September 1947) was a Belgian architect and designer, and one of the founders of the Art Nouveau movement. He was a fervent admirer of the French architectural theoris ...
(1892–93)
File:Tassel House stairway.JPG, Stairway of the Hôtel Tassel
File:Villa Bloemenwerf (front).JPG, Villa Bloemenwerf by Henry van de Velde (1895)
File:Henry van de Velde - Chair - 1895.jpg, Chair by Van de Velde for the Villa Bloemenwerf (1895)
File:International Exhibition Brussels par Privat-Livemont.jpg, Poster for the International Exposition
A world's fair, also known as a universal exhibition, is a large global exhibition designed to showcase the achievements of nations. These exhibitions vary in character and are held in different parts of the world at a specific site for a perio ...
by Privat Livemont (1897)
The first Art Nouveau town houses, the
Hankar House by
Paul Hankar (1893) and the
Hôtel Tassel
The Hôtel Tassel (; ) is a historic town house in Brussels, Belgium. It was designed by Victor Horta for the scientist and professor Emile Tassel, and built between 1892 and 1893, in Art Nouveau style. It is considered one of the first buil ...
by
Victor Horta
Victor Pierre Horta (; Victor, Baron Horta after 1932; 6 January 1861 – 8 September 1947) was a Belgian architect and designer, and one of the founders of the Art Nouveau movement. He was a fervent admirer of the French architectural theoris ...
(1892–1893),
were built almost simultaneously in
Brussels
Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) is a Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium#Regions, region of Belgium comprising #Municipalit ...
. They were similar in their originality, but very different in their design and appearance.
Victor Horta was among the most influential architects of early Art Nouveau, and his Hôtel Tassel (1892–1893) in Brussels is one of the style's landmarks. Horta's architectural training was as an assistant to
Alphonse Balat, architect to
King Leopold II, constructing the monumental iron and glass
Royal Greenhouses of Laeken
The Royal Greenhouses of Laeken (, ) are a vast complex of monumental heated greenhouses in the park of the Palace of Laeken, Royal Palace of Laeken (northern part of the City of Brussels), Belgium. The historic complex contains Tropics, tropic ...
.
[Culot and Pirlot, ''Bruxelles Art Nouveau'' (2005), pp. 74–75.] He was a great admiror of
Viollet-le-Duc, with whose ideas he completely identified. In 1892–1893, he put this experience to a very different use. He designed the residence of a prominent Belgian chemist, Émile Tassel, on a very narrow and deep site. The central element of the house was the stairway, not enclosed by walls, but open, decorated with a curling wrought-iron railing, and placed beneath a high skylight. The floors were supported by slender iron columns like the trunks of trees. The mosaic floors and walls were decorated with delicate
arabesque
The arabesque is a form of artistic decoration consisting of "surface decorations based on rhythmic linear patterns of scrolling and interlacing foliage, tendrils" or plain lines, often combined with other elements. Another definition is "Foliate ...
s in floral and vegetal forms, which became the most popular signature of the style. In a short period, Horta built three more town houses, all with open interiors, and all with skylights for maximum interior light: the
Hôtel Solvay, the
Hôtel van Eetvelde (for
Edmond van Eetvelde), and the
Maison & Atelier Horta. All four are now part of a
UNESCO World Heritage Site
World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
.
Paul Hankar was also an innovator of early Art Nouveau. Born at
Frameries
Frameries (; ; ) is a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality of Wallonia located in the Hainaut Province, province of Hainaut, Belgium.
The municipality consists of the following deelgemeente, districts: Eugies, Frameries, La Bouverie, Noirchai ...
, in
Hainaut, the son of a master stone cutter, he had studied ornamental sculpture and decoration at the
Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Brussels from 1873 to 1884, whilst working as an ornamental sculptor. From 1879 to 1894, he worked in the studio of the prominent architect
Henri Beyaert, a master of
eclectic and
neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture, sometimes referred to as Classical Revival architecture, is an architectural style produced by the Neoclassicism, Neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century in Italy, France and Germany. It became one of t ...
. Through Beyaert, Hankar also became an admirer of Viollet-le-Duc. In 1893, Hankar designed and built the Hankar House, his own residence in Brussels. With a goal to create a synthesis of fine arts and decorative arts, he brought together the sculptor René Janssens and the painter
Albert Ciamberlani to decorate the interior and exterior with
sgraffiti, or murals. The façade and balconies featured iron decoration and curling lines in stylised floral patterns, which became an important feature of Art Nouveau. Based on this model, he built several houses for his artist friends. He also designed a series of innovative glass display windows for Brussels shops, restaurants and galleries, in what a local critic called "a veritable delirium of originality". He died in 1901, just as the movement was beginning to receive recognition.
Henry van de Velde, born in
Antwerp
Antwerp (; ; ) is a City status in Belgium, city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of Antwerp Province, and the third-largest city in Belgium by area at , after ...
, was another founding figure in the birth of Art Nouveau. Van de Velde's designs included the interior of his residence in Brussels, the
Villa Bloemenwerf (1895). The exterior of the house was inspired by the
Red House, the residence of writer and theorist
William Morris
William Morris (24 March 1834 – 3 October 1896) was an English textile designer, poet, artist, writer, and socialist activist associated with the British Arts and Crafts movement. He was a major contributor to the revival of traditiona ...
, the founder of the
Arts and Crafts movement
The Arts and Crafts movement was an international trend in the decorative and fine arts that developed earliest and most fully in the British Isles and subsequently spread across the British Empire and to the rest of Europe and America.
Initiat ...
. Trained as a painter, Van de Velde turned to illustration, then to furniture design, and finally to architecture. For the Villa Bloemenwerf, he created the textiles, wallpaper, silverware, jewellery, and even clothing, that matched the style of the residence. Van de Velde went to Paris, where he designed furniture and decoration for the German-French
art dealer
An art dealer is a person or company that buys and sells works of art, or acts as the intermediary between the buyers and sellers of art.
An art dealer in contemporary art typically seeks out various artists to represent, and builds relationsh ...
Siegfried Bing
Samuel Siegfried Bing (26 February 1838 – 6 September 1905), who usually gave his name as S. Bing (not to be confused with his brother, Samuel Otto Bing, 1850–1905), was a German-French art dealer who lived in Paris as an adult, and wh ...
, whose Paris gallery gave the style its name. He was also an early Art Nouveau theorist, demanding the use of dynamic, often opposing lines. Van de Velde wrote: "A line is a force like all the other elementary forces. Several lines put together but opposed have a presence as strong as several forces". In 1906, he departed Belgium for
Weimar
Weimar is a city in the state (Germany), German state of Thuringia, in Central Germany (cultural area), Central Germany between Erfurt to the west and Jena to the east, southwest of Leipzig, north of Nuremberg and west of Dresden. Together w ...
(Germany), where he founded the Grand-Ducal School of Arts and Crafts, where the teaching of historical styles was forbidden. He played an important role in the
German Werkbund, before returning to Belgium.
The debut of Art Nouveau architecture in Brussels was accompanied by a wave of Decorative Art in the new style. Important artists included
Gustave Strauven, who used wrought iron to achieve baroque effects on Brussels façades; the furniture designer
Gustave Serrurier-Bovy, known for his highly original chairs and articulated metal furniture; and the jewellery designer
Philippe Wolfers, who made jewellery in the form of dragonflies, butterflies, swans and serpents.
The
Brussels International Exposition held in 1897 brought international attention to the style; Horta, Hankar, Van de Velde, and Serrurier-Bovy, among others, took part in the design of the fair, and
Henri Privat-Livemont created the poster for the exhibition.
Paris – Maison de l'Art Nouveau (1895) and Castel Beranger (1895–1898)
File:Art nouveau publicité galerie Samuel Bing Paris 1895.jpg, Siegfried Bing
Samuel Siegfried Bing (26 February 1838 – 6 September 1905), who usually gave his name as S. Bing (not to be confused with his brother, Samuel Otto Bing, 1850–1905), was a German-French art dealer who lived in Paris as an adult, and wh ...
invited artists to show modern works in his new Maison de l'Art Nouveau (1895).
File:Galeries Bing entrée rue de Provence.jpg, The Maison de l'Art Nouveau gallery of Siegfried Bing (1895)
File:Vallotton pour Bing.jpg, Poster by Félix Vallotton
Félix Édouard Vallotton (; December 28, 1865December 29, 1925) was a Swiss and French painter and printmaker associated with the group of artists known as '. He was an important figure in the development of the modern woodcut. He painted portra ...
for the new Maison de l'Art Nouveau (1896)
File:Castel Béranger, February 16, 2013.jpg, Gateway of the Castel Béranger by Hector Guimard
Hector Guimard (, 10 March 1867 – 20 May 1942) was a French architect and designer, and a prominent figure of the Art Nouveau style. He achieved early fame with his design for the Castel Beranger, the first Art Nouveau apartment building i ...
(1895–1898)
File:Paris - Castel Béranger (30001340011).jpg, Breezeway of the Castel Béranger, with wall plates by Alexandre Bigot
File:Lescalier principal du Castel Béranger (Hector Guimard) (5478779855).jpg, Detail of main stairway of the Castel Béranger
The Franco-German art dealer and publisher
Siegfried Bing
Samuel Siegfried Bing (26 February 1838 – 6 September 1905), who usually gave his name as S. Bing (not to be confused with his brother, Samuel Otto Bing, 1850–1905), was a German-French art dealer who lived in Paris as an adult, and wh ...
played a key role in publicizing the style. In 1891, he founded a magazine devoted to the art of Japan, which helped publicize
Japonism
''Japonisme'' is a French term that refers to the popularity and influence of Japanese art and design among a number of Western European artists in the nineteenth century following the forced reopening of foreign trade with Japan in 1858. Japon ...
in Europe. In 1892, he organized an exhibit of seven artists, among them
Pierre Bonnard
Pierre Bonnard (; 3 October 186723 January 1947) was a French painter, illustrator and printmaker, known especially for the stylized decorative qualities of his paintings and his bold use of color. A founding member of the Post-Impressionist gr ...
,
Félix Vallotton
Félix Édouard Vallotton (; December 28, 1865December 29, 1925) was a Swiss and French painter and printmaker associated with the group of artists known as '. He was an important figure in the development of the modern woodcut. He painted portra ...
,
Édouard Vuillard
Jean-Édouard Vuillard (; 11 November 186821 June 1940) was a French painter, decorative artist, and printmaker. From 1891 through 1900, Vuillard was a member of the avant garde artistic group Les Nabis, creating paintings that assembled areas ...
,
Toulouse-Lautrec
''Comte'' Henri Marie Raymond de Toulouse-Lautrec-Monfa (24 November 1864 – 9 September 1901), known as Toulouse-Lautrec (), was a French painter, printmaker, draughtsman, caricaturist, and illustrator whose immersion in the colourful an ...
and
Eugène Grasset
Eugène Samuel Grasset (; 25 May 1845 – 23 October 1917) was a Swiss decorative artist who worked in Paris, France in a variety of creative design fields during the Belle Époque. He is considered a pioneer in Art Nouveau design.
Biography
...
, which included both modern painting and decorative work. This exhibition was shown at the
Société nationale des beaux-arts in 1895. In the same year, Bing opened a new gallery at
22 rue de Provence in Paris, the
Maison de l'Art Nouveau
The Maison de l'Art Nouveau ("House of New Art"), abbreviated often as L'Art Nouveau, and known also as Maison Bing for the owner, was a gallery opened on 26 December 1895, by Siegfried Bing at 22 rue de Provence, Paris.Martin Eidelberg and Suzan ...
, devoted to new works in both the fine and decorative arts. The interior and furniture of the gallery were designed by the Belgian architect
Henry van de Velde, one of the pioneers of Art Nouveau architecture. The ''Maison de l'Art Nouveau'' showed paintings by
Georges Seurat
Georges Pierre Seurat ( , ; ; 2 December 1859 – 29 March 1891) was a French post-Impressionist artist. He devised the painting techniques known as chromoluminarism and pointillism and used conté crayon for drawings on paper with a rough ...
,
Paul Signac and
Toulouse-Lautrec
''Comte'' Henri Marie Raymond de Toulouse-Lautrec-Monfa (24 November 1864 – 9 September 1901), known as Toulouse-Lautrec (), was a French painter, printmaker, draughtsman, caricaturist, and illustrator whose immersion in the colourful an ...
, glass from
Louis Comfort Tiffany
Louis Comfort Tiffany (February 18, 1848 – January 17, 1933) was an American artist and designer who worked in the decorative arts and is best known for his work in stained glass. He is associated with the art nouveauLander, David"The Buyable ...
and
Émile Gallé
Émile Gallé (; 4 May 1846 in Nancy, France, Nancy – 23 September 1904 in Nancy) was a French artist and designer who worked in glass, and is considered to be one of the major innovators in the French Art Nouveau movement. He was noted fo ...
, jewellery by
René Lalique
René Jules Lalique (; 6 April 1860 – 1 May 1945) was a French jeweller, medallist, and glass designer known for his creations of glass art, perfume bottles, vases, jewellery, chandeliers, clocks, and automobile hood ornaments.
Life
Lalique ...
, and posters by
Aubrey Beardsley
Aubrey Vincent Beardsley ( ; 21 August 187216 March 1898) was an English illustrator and author. His black ink drawings were influenced by Woodblock printing in Japan, Japanese woodcuts, and depicted the grotesque, the decadent, and the erotic. ...
. The works shown there were not at all uniform in style. Bing wrote in 1902, "Art Nouveau, at the time of its creation, did not aspire in any way to have the honor of becoming a generic term. It was simply the name of a house opened as a rallying point for all the young and ardent artists impatient to show the modernity of their tendencies."
The style was quickly noticed in neighbouring France. After visiting Horta's Hôtel Tassel,
Hector Guimard
Hector Guimard (, 10 March 1867 – 20 May 1942) was a French architect and designer, and a prominent figure of the Art Nouveau style. He achieved early fame with his design for the Castel Beranger, the first Art Nouveau apartment building i ...
built the
Castel Béranger, among the first Paris buildings in the new style, between 1895 and 1898. Parisians had been complaining of the monotony of the architecture of the boulevards built under
Napoleon III
Napoleon III (Charles-Louis Napoléon Bonaparte; 20 April 18089 January 1873) was President of France from 1848 to 1852 and then Emperor of the French from 1852 until his deposition in 1870. He was the first president, second emperor, and last ...
by
Georges-Eugène Haussmann. The Castel Beranger was a curious blend of Neo-Gothic and Art Nouveau, with curving
whiplash lines and natural forms. Guimard, a skilled publicist for his work, declared: "What must be avoided at all cost is...the parallel and symmetry. Nature is the greatest builder of all, and nature makes nothing that is parallel and nothing that is symmetric."
Parisians welcomed Guimard's original and picturesque style; the Castel Béranger was chosen as one of the best new façades in Paris, launching Guimard's career. Guimard was given the commission to design the entrances for the new
Paris Métro
The Paris Métro (, , or , ), short for Métropolitain (), is a rapid transit system serving the Paris metropolitan area in France. A symbol of the city, it is known for its density within the capital's territorial limits, uniform architectur ...
system, which brought the style to the attention of the millions of visitors to the city's 1900 .
Paris ''Exposition Universelle'' (1900)
File:Grand entrance, Exposition Universal, 1900, Paris, France.jpg, Main entrance to the Paris 1900 ''Exposition Universelle''
File:The Bigot-pavilion at the Paris Universal Exposition, 1900.jpg, The Bigot Pavilion, showcasing the work of ceramics artist Alexandre Bigot
File:Paris Exposition Austrian Pavilion, Paris, France, 1900.jpg, Entrance to the Austrian Pavilion, with exhibits designed by Josef Hoffmann
Josef Hoffmann (15 December 1870 – 7 May 1956) was an Austrians, Austrian-Sudeten Germans, Moravian architect and designer. He was among the founders of Vienna Secession and co-establisher of the Wiener Werkstätte. His most famous architect ...
File:Traubensaal.jpg, The German Pavilion, designed by Bruno Möhring
Paris Metro 2 Porte Dauphine Libellule.JPG, Paris metro station entrance at Porte Dauphine
Porte Dauphine () is the western terminus of Line 2 of the Paris Métro. It is situated in the 16th arrondissement. Avenue Foch station, served by the RER C line, is located nearby, as is Paris Dauphine University.
Location
The station is es ...
designed by Hector Guimard
Hector Guimard (, 10 March 1867 – 20 May 1942) was a French architect and designer, and a prominent figure of the Art Nouveau style. He achieved early fame with his design for the Castel Beranger, the first Art Nouveau apartment building i ...
File:Finland paviljong.jpg, The Finnish Pavilion, designed by Armas Lindgren and Eliel Saarinen
Gottlieb Eliel Saarinen (, ; August 20, 1873 – July 1, 1950) was a Finnish and American Architecture, architect known for his work with Art Nouveau buildings in the early years of the 20th century. He was also the father of famed architect Ee ...
File:Menu for Bosnia Pavillion by Alfons Mucha 1900.jpg, Menu designed by Alphonse Mucha
Alfons Maria Mucha (; 24 July 1860 – 14 July 1939), known internationally as Alphonse Mucha, was a Czech painter, illustrator, and graphic artist. Living in Paris during the Art Nouveau period, he was widely known for his distinctly stylized ...
for the restaurant of the Bosnian Pavilion
File:Portique Sèvres, square Félix-Desruelles, Paris 6e.jpg, Portico of the Sevres Porcelain Pavilion, now on Square Félix-Desruelles
The Paris 1900
''Exposition universelle'' marked the high point of Art Nouveau. Between April and November 1900, it attracted nearly fifty million visitors from around the world, and showcased the architecture, design, glassware, furniture and decorative objects of the style. The architecture of the Exposition was often a mixture of Art Nouveau and
Beaux-Arts architecture
Beaux-Arts architecture ( , ) was the academic architectural style taught at the in Paris, particularly from the 1830s to the end of the 19th century. It drew upon the principles of French neoclassicism, but also incorporated Renaissance and ...
: the main exhibit hall, the
Grand Palais
The (; ), commonly known as the , is a historic site, exhibition hall and museum complex located in the 8th arrondissement of Paris between the Champs-Élysées and the Seine, France. Construction of the began in 1897 following the demolitio ...
had a Beaux-Arts façade completely unrelated to the spectacular Art Nouveau stairway and exhibit hall in the interior.
French designers all made special works for the Exhibition:
Lalique crystal and jewellery; jewellery by
Henri Vever and
Georges Fouquet;
Daum glass; the
Manufacture nationale de Sèvres
The ''Manufacture nationale de Sèvres'' () is one of the principal European porcelain factories. It is located in Sèvres, Hauts-de-Seine, France. It is the continuation of Vincennes porcelain, founded in 1740, which moved to Sèvres in 1756. ...
in
porcelain
Porcelain (), also called china, is a ceramic material made by heating Industrial mineral, raw materials, generally including kaolinite, in a kiln to temperatures between . The greater strength and translucence of porcelain, relative to oth ...
; ceramics by
Alexandre Bigot; sculpted glass lamps and vases by
Émile Gallé
Émile Gallé (; 4 May 1846 in Nancy, France, Nancy – 23 September 1904 in Nancy) was a French artist and designer who worked in glass, and is considered to be one of the major innovators in the French Art Nouveau movement. He was noted fo ...
; furniture by
Édouard Colonna and
Louis Majorelle; and many other prominent arts and crafts firms. At the 1900 Paris Exposition,
Siegfried Bing
Samuel Siegfried Bing (26 February 1838 – 6 September 1905), who usually gave his name as S. Bing (not to be confused with his brother, Samuel Otto Bing, 1850–1905), was a German-French art dealer who lived in Paris as an adult, and wh ...
presented a pavilion called '' Art Nouveau Bing'', which featured six different interiors entirely decorated in the Style.
The Exposition was the first international showcase for Art Nouveau designers and artists from across Europe and beyond. Prize winners and participants included
Alphonse Mucha
Alfons Maria Mucha (; 24 July 1860 – 14 July 1939), known internationally as Alphonse Mucha, was a Czech painter, illustrator, and graphic artist. Living in Paris during the Art Nouveau period, he was widely known for his distinctly stylized ...
, who made murals for the pavilion of
Bosnia-Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina, sometimes known as Bosnia-Herzegovina and informally as Bosnia, is a country in Southeast Europe. Situated on the Balkan Peninsula, it borders Serbia to the east, Montenegro to the southeast, and Croatia to the north a ...
and designed the menu for the restaurant of the pavilion; the decorators and designers
Bruno Paul
Bruno Paul (19 January 1874 – 17 August 1968) was a German architect, illustrator, interior designer, and furniture designer.
Trained as a painter in the royal academy just as the Munich Secession developed against academic art, he first ca ...
and
Bruno Möhring from Berlin;
Carlo Bugatti from
Turin
Turin ( , ; ; , then ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital from 1861 to 1865. The city is main ...
; Bernhardt Pankok from
Bavaria
Bavaria, officially the Free State of Bavaria, is a States of Germany, state in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the list of German states by area, largest German state by land area, comprising approximately 1/5 of the total l ...
; The Russian architect-designer
Fyodor Schechtel, and
Louis Comfort Tiffany
Louis Comfort Tiffany (February 18, 1848 – January 17, 1933) was an American artist and designer who worked in the decorative arts and is best known for his work in stained glass. He is associated with the art nouveauLander, David"The Buyable ...
and Company from the United States. The Viennese architect
Otto Wagner was a member of the jury, and presented a model of the Art Nouveau bathroom of his own town apartment in Vienna, featuring a glass bathtub.
Josef Hoffmann
Josef Hoffmann (15 December 1870 – 7 May 1956) was an Austrians, Austrian-Sudeten Germans, Moravian architect and designer. He was among the founders of Vienna Secession and co-establisher of the Wiener Werkstätte. His most famous architect ...
designed the Viennese exhibit at the Paris exposition, highlighting the designs of the
Vienna Secession
The Vienna Secession (; also known as the Union of Austrian Artists or ) is an art movement, closely related to Art Nouveau, that was formed in 1897 by a group of Austrian painters, graphic artists, sculptors and architects, including Josef Ho ...
.
Eliel Saarinen
Gottlieb Eliel Saarinen (, ; August 20, 1873 – July 1, 1950) was a Finnish and American Architecture, architect known for his work with Art Nouveau buildings in the early years of the 20th century. He was also the father of famed architect Ee ...
first won international recognition for his imaginative design of the pavilion of Finland.
While the Paris Exposition was by far the largest, other expositions did much to popularize the style. The
1888 Barcelona Universal Exposition
The 1888 Barcelona Universal Exposition (in Catalan language, Catalan: ''Exposició Universal de Barcelona'' and ''Exposición Universal de Barcelona'' in Spanish language, Spanish) was Spain's first International World's Fair
and ran from 8 Apri ...
marked the beginning of the
Modernisme style in Spain, with some buildings of
Lluís Domènech i Montaner
Lluís Domènech i Montaner (; 21 December 1850 – 27 December 1923) was a Catalan architect who was very much involved in and influential for the Catalan '' Modernisme català'', the Art Nouveau/ Jugendstil movement. He was also a Catalan pol ...
. The ''
Esposizione internazionale d'arte decorativa moderna'' of 1902 in Turin, Italy, showcased designers from across Europe, including
Victor Horta
Victor Pierre Horta (; Victor, Baron Horta after 1932; 6 January 1861 – 8 September 1947) was a Belgian architect and designer, and one of the founders of the Art Nouveau movement. He was a fervent admirer of the French architectural theoris ...
from Belgium and
Joseph Maria Olbrich from Vienna, along with local artists such as
Carlo Bugatti,
Galileo Chini and
Eugenio Quarti.
Local variations
Art Nouveau in France
File:Immeuble art nouveau de Jules Lavirotte à Paris (5519755116).jpg, Façade of the Lavirotte Building by Jules Lavirotte at 29, , Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
(1901)
File:XDSC 7288-29-av-Rapp-paris-7.jpg, Doorway of the Lavirotte Building, with ceramic sculptures by
File:MuchaFouquet3.jpg, Jewellery shop of Georges Fouquet at 6, , Paris, designed by Alphonse Mucha
Alfons Maria Mucha (; 24 July 1860 – 14 July 1939), known internationally as Alphonse Mucha, was a Czech painter, illustrator, and graphic artist. Living in Paris during the Art Nouveau period, he was widely known for his distinctly stylized ...
, now in the Carnavalet Museum (1901)
File:Pharmacie Lesage.JPG, Pharmacie Lesage by François Rouvray at 78, rue du Général-de-Gaulle, Douvres-la-Délivrande (1901)
File:Villa Majorelle facade.JPG, Villa Majorelle in Nancy for furniture designer Louis Majorelle by architect Henri Sauvage (1901–02)
File:Immeuble rue de l'église détail 1.jpg, Alfred Wagon building at 24, , Paris (1905)
File:La Samaritaine rue de la Monnaie 2.jpg, Façade of La Samaritaine
La Samaritaine (French pronunciation: a samaʁitɛn is a large department store in the first arrondissement of Paris; the nearest metro station is Pont-Neuf. Founded in 1870 by Ernest Cognacq, it is now owned by the luxury goods conglomerate ...
department store by Frantz Jourdain
Frantz Jourdain (; 3 October 1847 – 22 August 1935) was a Belgian architect and author. He is best known for La Samaritaine, an Art Nouveau department store built in the 1st arrondissement of Paris in three stages between 1904 and 1928. He was r ...
, , Paris (1905–1910)
File:Gare de Rouen Rive-Droite, South View 140215 1.jpg, Rouen-Rive-Droite railway station by Adolphe Dervaux, with sculptures by Camille Lefèvre (1928)
Following the 1900 Exposition, the capital of Art Nouveau was Paris. The most extravagant residences in the style were built by
Jules Lavirotte, who entirely covered the façades with ceramic sculptural decoration. The most flamboyant example is the
Lavirotte Building, at 29, (1901). Office buildings and department stores featured high courtyards covered with stained glass cupolas and ceramic decoration. The style was particularly popular in restaurants and cafés, including ''
Maxim's
Maxim's () is a restaurant in Paris, France, located at No. 3 Rue Royale in the 8th arrondissement. It is known for its Art Nouveau interior decor. In the mid 20th century, Maxim's was regarded as the most famous restaurant in the world.
His ...
'' at
3, ''rue Royale'', and
''Le Train bleu'' at the
Gare de Lyon
The Gare de Lyon, officially Paris Gare de Lyon (), is one of the seven large mainline railway stations in Paris, France. It handles about 148.1 million passengers annually according to the estimates of the SNCF in 2018, with SNCF railways and ...
(1900).
The status of Paris attracted foreign artists to the city. The Swiss-born artist
Eugène Grasset
Eugène Samuel Grasset (; 25 May 1845 – 23 October 1917) was a Swiss decorative artist who worked in Paris, France in a variety of creative design fields during the Belle Époque. He is considered a pioneer in Art Nouveau design.
Biography
...
was one of the first creators of French Art Nouveau posters. He helped decorate the famous cabaret
Le Chat Noir
(; French for "The Black Cat") was a 19th century entertainment establishment in the Montmartre district of Paris. It was opened on 18 November 1881 at 84 Boulevard de Rochechouart by impresario Rodolphe Salis, and closed in 1897 not long ...
in 1885, made his first posters for the ''Fêtes de Paris'' and a celebrated poster of
Sarah Bernhardt
Sarah Bernhardt (; born Henriette-Rosine Bernard; 22 October 1844 – 26 March 1923) was a French stage actress who starred in some of the most popular French plays of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including by Alexandre Dumas fils, ...
in 1890. In Paris, he taught at the Guérin school of art (''École normale d'enseignement du dessin''), where his students included
Augusto Giacometti and
Paul Berthon. Swiss-born
Théophile-Alexandre Steinlen created the famous poster for the Paris
cabaret
Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, casino, hotel, restaurant, or nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dining or drinking, ...
''Le Chat noir'' in 1896. The
Czech
Czech may refer to:
* Anything from or related to the Czech Republic, a country in Europe
** Czech language
** Czechs, the people of the area
** Czech culture
** Czech cuisine
* One of three mythical brothers, Lech, Czech, and Rus
*Czech (surnam ...
artist
Alphonse Mucha
Alfons Maria Mucha (; 24 July 1860 – 14 July 1939), known internationally as Alphonse Mucha, was a Czech painter, illustrator, and graphic artist. Living in Paris during the Art Nouveau period, he was widely known for his distinctly stylized ...
(1860–1939) arrived in Paris in 1888, and in 1895, made a poster for actress Sarah Bernhardt in the play ''
Gismonda'' by
Victorien Sardou
Victorien Sardou ( , ; 5 September 1831 – 8 November 1908) was a French dramatist. He is best remembered today for his development, along with Eugène Scribe, of the well-made play. He also wrote several plays that were made into popular 19th-c ...
in
Théâtre de la Renaissance. The success of this poster led to a contract to produce posters for six more plays by Bernhardt.
The city of
Nancy in
Lorraine
Lorraine, also , ; ; Lorrain: ''Louréne''; Lorraine Franconian: ''Lottringe''; ; ; is a cultural and historical region in Eastern France, now located in the administrative region of Grand Est. Its name stems from the medieval kingdom of ...
became the other French capital of the new style. In 1901, the ''Alliance provinciale des industries d'art'', also known as the ''
École de Nancy'', was founded, dedicated to upsetting the hierarchy that put painting and sculpture above the decorative arts. The major artists working there included the glass vase and lamp creators
Émile Gallé
Émile Gallé (; 4 May 1846 in Nancy, France, Nancy – 23 September 1904 in Nancy) was a French artist and designer who worked in glass, and is considered to be one of the major innovators in the French Art Nouveau movement. He was noted fo ...
, the
Daum brothers in glass design, and the designer
Louis Majorelle, who created furniture with graceful floral and vegetal forms. The architect
Henri Sauvage brought the new architectural style to Nancy with his
Villa Majorelle in 1902.
File:Tea set, by Bapst & Falize, Germain Bapst, and Lucien Falize, partially gilt silver, ivory and agate, inv. 23868 A-D, MAD Paris.jpg, Tea set by Bapst & Falize, Germain Bapst, and Lucien Falize, made of partially gilt silver, ivory and agate ()
File:Cheret, Jules - La Loie Fuller (pl 73).jpg, Poster for the dancer Loie Fuller
Loie Fuller (; born Marie Louise Fuller; January 15, 1862 – January 1, 1928), also known as Louie Fuller and Loïe Fuller, was an American dancer and a pioneer of modern dance and theatrical lighting techniques.
Auguste Rodin said of her, "Lo ...
by Jules Chéret
Jules Chéret (31 May 1836 – 23 September 1932) was a French painter and lithographer who became a master of ''Belle Époque'' poster art. He has been called the father of the modern poster.
Early life and career
Born in Paris to a poor bu ...
(1893)
File:Martin nancy1894.jpg, Poster by Camille Martin for ''L'Exposition d'art décoratif'' at the Galeries Poirel in Nancy (1894)
File:Alphonse Mucha - Poster for Victorien Sardou's Gismonda starring Sarah Bernhardt.jpg, Poster by Alphonse Mucha
Alfons Maria Mucha (; 24 July 1860 – 14 July 1939), known internationally as Alphonse Mucha, was a Czech painter, illustrator, and graphic artist. Living in Paris during the Art Nouveau period, he was widely known for his distinctly stylized ...
for '' Gismonda'' starring Sarah Bernhardt
Sarah Bernhardt (; born Henriette-Rosine Bernard; 22 October 1844 – 26 March 1923) was a French stage actress who starred in some of the most popular French plays of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including by Alexandre Dumas fils, ...
(1894)
File:Émile andrè, ed eugéne vallin, porta di un camerino dei magasing françois vaxelaire et cie, nancy 1901 (vetrata di jacques gruber).JPG, Doors with stained glass for the Store of Francois Vaexlaire in Nancy (1901), glass by Jacques Grüber
Jacques Grüber (25 January 1870 – 15 December 1936) was a French woodworker and stained glass, stained-glass artist.
Biography
Grüber was born in Sundhouse (Alsace). After starting his training at the , where he would later be a teacher, h ...
, doors by Émile Andrè and Eugéne Vallin
File:Chambre à coucher Majorelle.jpg, Bedroom furniture of the Villa Majorelle (1901–02), now in the Museum of Fine Arts of Nancy
File:René lalique, pettine in corno, oro, smalti e brillanti, 1902 ca.JPG, Comb of horn, gold, and diamonds by René Lalique
René Jules Lalique (; 6 April 1860 – 1 May 1945) was a French jeweller, medallist, and glass designer known for his creations of glass art, perfume bottles, vases, jewellery, chandeliers, clocks, and automobile hood ornaments.
Life
Lalique ...
(), in the Musée d'Orsay
The Musée d'Orsay ( , , ) () is a museum in Paris, France, on the Rive Gauche, Left Bank of the Seine. It is housed in the former Gare d'Orsay, a Beaux-Arts architecture, Beaux-Arts railway station built from 1898 to 1900. The museum holds mai ...
, Paris
The French style was widely propagated by new magazines, including ''The Studio'', ''Arts et Idées'' and ''Art et Décoration'', whose photographs and colour
lithograph
Lithography () is a planographic method of printing originally based on the miscibility, immiscibility of oil and water. The printing is from a stone (lithographic limestone) or a metal plate with a smooth surface. It was invented in 1796 by ...
s made the style known to designers and wealthy clients around the world.
In France, the style reached its summit in 1900, and thereafter slipped rapidly out of fashion, virtually disappearing from France by 1905. Art Nouveau was a luxury style, which required expert and highly-paid craftsmen, and could not be easily or cheaply mass-produced. One of the few Art Nouveau products that could be mass-produced was the perfume bottle, and these are still manufactured in the style today.
Art Nouveau in Belgium
File:Belgique - Bruxelles - Hôtel Van Eetvelde - 01.jpg, Hôtel van Eetvelde in Brussels by Victor Horta
Victor Pierre Horta (; Victor, Baron Horta after 1932; 6 January 1861 – 8 September 1947) was a Belgian architect and designer, and one of the founders of the Art Nouveau movement. He was a fervent admirer of the French architectural theoris ...
(1895–1901)
File:Belgique - Bruxelles - Hôtel Van Eetvelde - 20.jpg, Detail of the Winter Garden of the Hôtel van Eetvelde
File:Henry van de velde, sedia, belgio 1896.JPG, Chair by Henry van de Velde (1896)
File:Philippe Wolfers, Plumes de Paon, KMKG-MRAH.jpg, Philippe Wolfers, ('Peacock Feathers'), belt buckle (1898)
File:Old England facade, Brussels (DSCF7544).jpg, Former Old England department store in Brussels
Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) is a Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium#Regions, region of Belgium comprising #Municipalit ...
by Paul Saintenoy (1898–99)
File:Gustave Serrurier-Bovy.jpg, Bed and mirror by Gustave Serrurier-Bovy (1898–99), now in the Musée d'Orsay
The Musée d'Orsay ( , , ) () is a museum in Paris, France, on the Rive Gauche, Left Bank of the Seine. It is housed in the former Gare d'Orsay, a Beaux-Arts architecture, Beaux-Arts railway station built from 1898 to 1900. The museum holds mai ...
, Paris
File:Maison Saint-Cyr (DSCF7558).jpg, Saint-Cyr House in Brussels by Gustave Strauven (1901–1903)
File:Maison Cauchie-445.jpg, House
A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air c ...
of the architect Paul Cauchie in Brussels, featuring sgraffito
(; ) is an artistic or decorative technique of scratching through a coating on a hard surface to reveal parts of another underlying coating which is in a contrasting colour. It is produced on walls by applying layers of plaster tinted in con ...
(1905)
Belgium was an early centre of Art Nouveau, thanks largely to the architecture of
Victor Horta
Victor Pierre Horta (; Victor, Baron Horta after 1932; 6 January 1861 – 8 September 1947) was a Belgian architect and designer, and one of the founders of the Art Nouveau movement. He was a fervent admirer of the French architectural theoris ...
, who designed one of the first Art Nouveau houses, the
Hôtel Tassel
The Hôtel Tassel (; ) is a historic town house in Brussels, Belgium. It was designed by Victor Horta for the scientist and professor Emile Tassel, and built between 1892 and 1893, in Art Nouveau style. It is considered one of the first buil ...
in 1893, and three other townhouses in variations of the same style. They are now
UNESCO World Heritage sites
World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural heritag ...
. Horta had a strong influence on the work of the young
Hector Guimard
Hector Guimard (, 10 March 1867 – 20 May 1942) was a French architect and designer, and a prominent figure of the Art Nouveau style. He achieved early fame with his design for the Castel Beranger, the first Art Nouveau apartment building i ...
, who came to see the Hôtel Tassel under construction, and later declared that Horta was the "inventor" of the Art Nouveau. Horta's innovation was not the façade, but the interior, using an abundance of iron and glass to open up space and flood the rooms with light, and decorating them with wrought iron columns and railings in curving vegetal forms, which were echoed on the floors and walls, as well as the furniture and carpets which Horta designed.
Paul Hankar was another pioneer of Brussels' Art Nouveau. His house was completed in 1893, the same year as Horta's Hôtel Tassel, and featured
sgraffiti murals on the façade. Hankar was influenced by both
Viollet-le-Duc and the ideas of the English
Arts and Crafts movement
The Arts and Crafts movement was an international trend in the decorative and fine arts that developed earliest and most fully in the British Isles and subsequently spread across the British Empire and to the rest of Europe and America.
Initiat ...
. His conception idea was to bring together decorative and fine arts in a coherent whole. He commissioned the sculptor Alfred Crick and the painter to decorate the façades of houses with their work. The most striking example was the house and studio built for the artist Albert Ciamberlani at 48, / in Brussels, for which he created an exuberant façade covered with
sgraffito
(; ) is an artistic or decorative technique of scratching through a coating on a hard surface to reveal parts of another underlying coating which is in a contrasting colour. It is produced on walls by applying layers of plaster tinted in con ...
murals with painted figures and ornament, recreating the decorative architecture of the
Quattrocento
The cultural and artistic events of Italy during the period 1400 to 1499 are collectively referred to as the Quattrocento (, , ) from the Italian word for the number 400, in turn from , which is Italian for the year 1400. The Quattrocento encom ...
, or 15th-century Italy.
Hankar died in 1901, when his work was just receiving recognition.
Gustave Strauven began his career as an assistant designer working with Horta, before he started his own practice at age 21, making some of the most extravagant Art Nouveau buildings in Brussels. His most famous work is the
Saint-Cyr House at 11, /. The house is only wide, but is given extraordinary height by his elaborate architectural inventions. It is entirely covered by
polychrome
Polychrome is the "practice of decorating architectural elements, sculpture, etc., in a variety of colors." The term is used to refer to certain styles of architecture, pottery, or sculpture in multiple colors.
When looking at artworks and ...
bricks and a network of curling vegetal forms in
wrought iron
Wrought iron is an iron alloy with a very low carbon content (less than 0.05%) in contrast to that of cast iron (2.1% to 4.5%), or 0.25 for low carbon "mild" steel. Wrought iron is manufactured by heating and melting high carbon cast iron in an ...
, in a virtually Art Nouveau-Baroque style.
Other important Art Nouveau artists from Belgium included the architect and designer
Henry van de Velde, though the most important part of his career was spent in Germany; he strongly influenced the decoration of the
Jugendstil
(; "Youth Style") was an artistic movement, particularly in the decorative arts, that was influential primarily in Germany, Austria and elsewhere in Europe to a lesser extent from about 1895 until about 1910. It was the German and Austrian cou ...
. Others included the decorator
Gustave Serrurier-Bovy, and the graphic artist
Fernand Khnopff
Fernand Edmond Jean Marie Khnopff (12 September 1858 – 12 November 1921) was a Belgian symbolist painter.
Life Youth and training
Fernand Khnopff was born to a wealthy family that was part of the high bourgeoisie for generations. Khnopf ...
.
Belgian designers took advantage of an abundant supply of
ivory
Ivory is a hard, white material from the tusks (traditionally from elephants) and Tooth, teeth of animals, that consists mainly of dentine, one of the physical structures of teeth and tusks. The chemical structure of the teeth and tusks of mamm ...
imported from the
Belgian Congo
The Belgian Congo (, ; ) was a Belgian colonial empire, Belgian colony in Central Africa from 1908 until independence in 1960 and became the Republic of the Congo (Léopoldville). The former colony adopted its present name, the Democratic Repu ...
; mixed sculptures, combining stone, metal and ivory, by such artists as
Philippe Wolfers, was popular.
''Nieuwe Kunst'' in the Netherlands
File:Delftsche Slaolie.jpeg, Poster for Delft Salad Oil by Jan Toorop
Johannes Theodorus "Jan" Toorop[Jan Toorop]
Netherlands Institute for Art History, 2014. Retrieved on 18 February 201 ...
(1893)
File:BeursVanBerlage.jpg, Amsterdam Commodities Exchange by Hendrik Petrus Berlage
Hendrik Petrus Berlage (; 21 February 185612 August 1934) was a Dutch architect and designer. He is considered one of the fathers of the architecture of the Amsterdam School.
Life and work
Hendrik Petrus Berlage, son of Nicolaas Willem Ber ...
(1896–1903)
File:H.p. berlage per m.j. hack, stipo-scrittoio, 1895 ca.jpg, Cabinet/Desk by Berlage (1898)
File:Vaas met deksel met geabstraheerd floraal decor, 1888-89.jpg, Vase with abstract floral design by Theo Colenbrander (1898)
File:Vase by J. Jurriaan Kok (form) & W. R. Sterken (decoration), Haagsche Plateelbakkerij, Rozenburg, Den Haag, 1901, porcelain - Hessisches Landesmuseum Darmstadt - Darmstadt, Germany - DSC00820.jpg, Porcelain vase designed by J. Jurriaan Kok and decorated by W.R. Sterken (1901)
File:Astoria Amsterdam 3.jpg, Astoria building in Amsterdam
Amsterdam ( , ; ; ) is the capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, largest city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It has a population of 933,680 in June 2024 within the city proper, 1,457,018 in the City Re ...
by Herman Hendrik Baanders and Gerrit van Arkel (1905)
File:Pathe Tuschinski.jpg, Tuschinski Theatre in Amsterdam by Hijman Louis de Jong and Willem Kromhout (1921)
File:Haarlem Kathedraal Sint Bavo 06.jpg, Cathedral of St Bavo in Haarlem
Haarlem (; predecessor of ''Harlem'' in English language, English) is a List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the Netherlands. It is the capital of the Provinces of the Nether ...
by Joseph Cuypers (1930)
In the Netherlands, the style was known as the ('New Style'), or ('New Art'), and it took a different direction from the more floral and curving style in Belgium. It was influenced by the more geometric and stylised forms of the German
Jugendstil
(; "Youth Style") was an artistic movement, particularly in the decorative arts, that was influential primarily in Germany, Austria and elsewhere in Europe to a lesser extent from about 1895 until about 1910. It was the German and Austrian cou ...
and Austrian
Vienna Secession
The Vienna Secession (; also known as the Union of Austrian Artists or ) is an art movement, closely related to Art Nouveau, that was formed in 1897 by a group of Austrian painters, graphic artists, sculptors and architects, including Josef Ho ...
. It was also influenced by the art and imported woods from
Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian Ocean, Indian and Pacific Ocean, Pacific oceans. Comprising over List of islands of Indonesia, 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, ...
, then the
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies, also known as the Netherlands East Indies (; ), was a Dutch Empire, Dutch colony with territory mostly comprising the modern state of Indonesia, which Proclamation of Indonesian Independence, declared independence on 17 Au ...
, particularly the designs of the textiles and
batik
Batik is a dyeing technique using wax Resist dyeing, resist. The term is also used to describe patterned textiles created with that technique. Batik is made by drawing or stamping wax on a cloth to prevent colour absorption during the dyein ...
from
Java
Java is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea (a part of Pacific Ocean) to the north. With a population of 156.9 million people (including Madura) in mid 2024, proje ...
.
The most important architect and furniture designer in the style was
Hendrik Petrus Berlage
Hendrik Petrus Berlage (; 21 February 185612 August 1934) was a Dutch architect and designer. He is considered one of the fathers of the architecture of the Amsterdam School.
Life and work
Hendrik Petrus Berlage, son of Nicolaas Willem Ber ...
, who denounced historical styles and advocated a purely functional architecture. He wrote, "It is necessary to fight against the art of illusion, to and to recognize the lie, in order to find the essence and not the illusion." Like
Victor Horta
Victor Pierre Horta (; Victor, Baron Horta after 1932; 6 January 1861 – 8 September 1947) was a Belgian architect and designer, and one of the founders of the Art Nouveau movement. He was a fervent admirer of the French architectural theoris ...
and
Gaudí, he was an admirer of architectural theories of
Viollet-le-Duc. His furniture was designed to be strictly functional, and to respect the natural forms of wood, rather than bending or twisting it as if it were metal. He pointed to the example of Egyptian furniture, and preferred chairs with right angles. His first and most famous architectural work was the
Beurs van Berlage
The Beurs van Berlage (literally ''Berlage's stock market'') is a building on the Damrak, in the centre of Amsterdam. It was designed as a commodity exchange by architect Hendrik Petrus Berlage and constructed between 1896 and 1903. It inf ...
(1896–1903), the Amsterdam Commodities Exchange, which he built following the principles of
constructivism. Everything was functional, including the lines of rivets that decorated the walls of the main room. He often included very tall towers to his buildings to make them more prominent, a practice used by other Art Nouveau architects of the period, including
Joseph Maria Olbrich in Vienna and
Eliel Saarinen
Gottlieb Eliel Saarinen (, ; August 20, 1873 – July 1, 1950) was a Finnish and American Architecture, architect known for his work with Art Nouveau buildings in the early years of the 20th century. He was also the father of famed architect Ee ...
in Finland.
Other buildings in the style include the
American Hotel (1898–1900), also by Berlage; and
Astoria (1904–1905) by
Herman Hendrik Baanders and
Gerrit van Arkel in
Amsterdam
Amsterdam ( , ; ; ) is the capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, largest city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It has a population of 933,680 in June 2024 within the city proper, 1,457,018 in the City Re ...
; the
railway station
Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport using wheeled vehicles running in railway track, tracks, which usually consist of two parallel steel railway track, rails. Rail transport is one of the two primary means of ...
in
Haarlem
Haarlem (; predecessor of ''Harlem'' in English language, English) is a List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the Netherlands. It is the capital of the Provinces of the Nether ...
(1906–1908), and the former office building of the
Holland America Lines (1917) in
Rotterdam
Rotterdam ( , ; ; ) is the second-largest List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city in the Netherlands after the national capital of Amsterdam. It is in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of South Holland, part of the North S ...
, now the
Hotel New York.
Prominent graphic artists and illustrators in the style included
Jan Toorop
Johannes Theodorus "Jan" Toorop[Jan Toorop]
Netherlands Institute for Art History, 2014. Retrieved on 18 February 201 ...
, whose work inclined toward
mysticism
Mysticism is popularly known as becoming one with God or the Absolute (philosophy), Absolute, but may refer to any kind of Religious ecstasy, ecstasy or altered state of consciousness which is given a religious or Spirituality, spiritual meani ...
and
symbolism
Symbolism or symbolist may refer to:
*Symbol, any object or sign that represents an idea
Arts
*Artistic symbol, an element of a literary, visual, or other work of art that represents an idea
** Color symbolism, the use of colors within various c ...
, even in his posters for salad oil. In their colors and designs, they also sometimes showed the influence of the art of Java.
Important figures in Dutch ceramics and porcelain included Jurriaan Kok and
Theo Colenbrander. They used colorful floral pattern and more traditional Art Nouveau motifs, combined with unusual forms of pottery and contrasting dark and light colors, borrowed from the batik decoration of Java.
Modern Style and Glasgow School in Britain
File:MackmurdoWren1883.gif, Cover design by Arthur Mackmurdo for a book on Christopher Wren
Sir Christopher Wren FRS (; – ) was an English architect, astronomer, mathematician and physicist who was one of the most highly acclaimed architects in the history of England. Known for his work in the English Baroque style, he was ac ...
(1883)
File:Belt buckle designed by Archibald Knox.jpg, Belt buckle by Archibald Knox for Liberty
Liberty is the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one's way of life, behavior, or political views. The concept of liberty can vary depending on perspective and context. In the Constitutional ...
department store (1899)
File:Glasgow. 59 Dumbarton Road. Art Nouveau detail.jpg, Pub building by James Hoey Craigie at 59 Dumbarton Road, Glasgow
Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...
(1899–1900)
File:St Vincent Chambers - view from S.jpg, Hatrack building by James Salmon at 142a, 144 St. Vincent Street, Glasgow (1899–1902)
File:Everardsprintingworks.jpg, Former Everard's Printing Works by Henry Williams, Broad Street, Bristol
Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, the most populous city in the region. Built around the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by t ...
(1900)
File:The May Queen, by Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh, 1900, pencil, watercolour, and bodycolour, heightened with silver, on oiled tracing paper, 33 x 69.2 cm, private collection.jpg, ''The May Queen'' by Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh (1900)
File:Hill House 7 (37376578142).jpg, Interior hallway view, Hill House, Helensburgh
Helensburgh ( ; ) is a town on the north side of the Firth of Clyde in Scotland, situated at the mouth of the Gareloch. Historically in Dunbartonshire, it became part of Argyll and Bute following local government reorganisation in 1996.
Histo ...
, Scotland
Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...
, designed and built by Walter Blackie (1902–1904)
Art Nouveau had its roots in Britain, in the
Arts and Crafts movement
The Arts and Crafts movement was an international trend in the decorative and fine arts that developed earliest and most fully in the British Isles and subsequently spread across the British Empire and to the rest of Europe and America.
Initiat ...
which started in the 1860s and reached international recognition by the 1880s. It called for better treatment of decorative arts, and took inspiration in medieval craftmanship and design, and nature. One notable early example of the Modern Style is
Arthur Mackmurdo's design for the cover of his essay on the city churches of
Sir Christopher Wren
Sir Christopher Wren FRS (; – ) was an English architect, astronomer, mathematician and physicist who was one of the most highly acclaimed architects in the history of England. Known for his work in the English Baroque style, he was acc ...
, published in 1883, as is his Mahogany chair from the same year.
Other important innovators in Britain included the graphic designers
Aubrey Beardsley
Aubrey Vincent Beardsley ( ; 21 August 187216 March 1898) was an English illustrator and author. His black ink drawings were influenced by Woodblock printing in Japan, Japanese woodcuts, and depicted the grotesque, the decadent, and the erotic. ...
whose drawings featured the curved lines that became the most recognizable feature of the style. Free-flowing
wrought iron
Wrought iron is an iron alloy with a very low carbon content (less than 0.05%) in contrast to that of cast iron (2.1% to 4.5%), or 0.25 for low carbon "mild" steel. Wrought iron is manufactured by heating and melting high carbon cast iron in an ...
from the 1880s could also be adduced, or some flat floral textile designs, most of which owed some impetus to patterns of 19th century design. Other British graphic artists who had an important place in the style included
Walter Crane
Walter Crane (15 August 184514 March 1915) was an English artist and book illustrator. He is considered to be the most influential, and among the most prolific, children's book creators of his generation and, along with Randolph Caldecott and Ka ...
and
Charles Ashbee.
The
Liberty
Liberty is the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one's way of life, behavior, or political views. The concept of liberty can vary depending on perspective and context. In the Constitutional ...
department store in London played an important role, through its colourful stylised floral designs for textiles, and the silver, pewter, and jewellery designs of
Manxman (of Scottish descent)
Archibald Knox. His jewellery designs in materials and forms broke away entirely from the historical traditions of jewellery design.
For Art Nouveau architecture and furniture design, the most important centre in Britain was
Glasgow
Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...
, with the creations of
Charles Rennie Mackintosh
Charles Rennie Mackintosh (7 June 1868 – 10 December 1928) was a Scottish architect, designer, water colourist and artist. His artistic approach had much in common with European Symbolism. His work, alongside that of his wife Margaret Macd ...
and the
Glasgow School, whose work was inspired by
Scottish baronial architecture
Scottish baronial or Scots baronial is an architectural style of 19th-century Gothic Revival which revived the forms and ornaments of historical architecture of Scotland in the Late Middle Ages and the Early Modern Period. Reminiscent of Scot ...
and Japanese design. Beginning in 1895, Mackintosh displayed his designs at international expositions in London, Vienna, and Turin; his designs particularly influenced the Secession Style in Vienna. His architectural creations included the Glasgow Herald Building (1894) and the library of the
Glasgow School of Art
The Glasgow School of Art (GSA; ) is a higher education art school based in Glasgow, Scotland, offering undergraduate degrees, post-graduate awards (both taught and research-led), and PhDs in architecture, fine art, and design. These are all awa ...
(1897). He also established a major reputation as a furniture designer and decorator, working closely with his wife,
Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh, a prominent painter and designer. Together they created striking designs that combined geometric straight lines with gently curving floral decoration, particularly a famous symbol of the style, the Glasgow Rose".
Léon-Victor Solon, made an important contribution to Art Nouveau ceramics as art director at Mintons. He specialised in plaques and in
tube-lined vases marketed as "secessionist ware" (usually described as named after the
Viennese art movement). Apart from ceramics, he designed textiles for the
Leek silk industry and
doublures for a bookbinder (G.T.Bagguley of Newcastle-under-Lyme), who patented the ''Sutherland'' binding in 1895.
George Skipper was perhaps the most active Art Nouveau architect in England. The Edward Everard building in Bristol, built during 1900–01 to house the
printing works of Edward Everard, features an Art Nouveau façade. The figures depicted are of
Johannes Gutenberg
Johannes Gensfleisch zur Laden zum Gutenberg ( – 3 February 1468) was a German inventor and Artisan, craftsman who invented the movable type, movable-type printing press. Though movable type was already in use in East Asia, Gutenberg's inven ...
and
William Morris
William Morris (24 March 1834 – 3 October 1896) was an English textile designer, poet, artist, writer, and socialist activist associated with the British Arts and Crafts movement. He was a major contributor to the revival of traditiona ...
, both eminent in the field of printing. A winged figure symbolises the "Spirit of Light", while a figure holding a lamp and mirror symbolises light and truth.
''Jugendstil'' in Germany
File:Atelier (Hofatelier) Elvira.jpg, Façade of the Hofatelier Elvira
The Hofatelier Elvira (''tr. Court wikt:atelier, atelier Elvira'', also known as ''Atelier Elvira'' or ''Salon Elvira'') was a photography studio in Munich founded by jurist and actress Anita Augspurg and friend photographer Sophia Goudstikker in ...
photography studio in Munich
Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...
, designed by August Endell
August Endell (April 12, 1871 – April 13, 1925) was a designer, writer, teacher, and German architect. He was one of the founders of the Jugendstil movement, the German counterpart of Art Nouveau. His first marriage was with Baroness Elsa, Els ...
(1896–1898)
File:La colonie dartistes jugendstil (Mathildenhöhe, Darmstadt) (7882268852).jpg, Ernst Ludwig House in Darmstadt Artists' Colony by Joseph Maria Olbrich (1900), now hosting Darmstadt Colony Museum
File:Mexikoplatz B-Schlachtensee 06-2017.jpg, Mexikoplatz station in Berlin
Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...
by Gustav Hart and Alfred Lesser (1902–1904)
File:Sprudelhof Bad Nauheim, Hessen, Germany.jpg, Spa complex Sprudelhof in Bad Nauheim
Bad Nauheim () is a town in the Wetteraukreis district of Hesse state of Germany.
As of 2020, Bad Nauheim has a population of 32,493. The town is approximately north of Frankfurt am Main, on the east edge of the Taunus mountain range. It is a w ...
(1905–1911)
File:Hackesche Höfe (Berlin) 1.jpg, Hackesche Höfe in Berlin by Endell (1906)
File:Hochzeitsturm DA.jpg, Wedding tower in Darmstadt Artists' Colony (1908)
File:Darmstadt-Mathildenhoehe-Glueckert-Haus-01-gje.jpg, Entrance door of Großes Haus Glückert in Darmstadt Artists' Colony
File:2015-02-28 Bonn Graurheindorfer Str 157 Vorderansicht.JPG, Façade of a former tram depot, now an office building, in Bonn
Bonn () is a federal city in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, located on the banks of the Rhine. With a population exceeding 300,000, it lies about south-southeast of Cologne, in the southernmost part of the Rhine-Ruhr region. This ...
German Art Nouveau is commonly known by its German name, , or 'Youth Style'. The name is taken from the artistic journal, ('Youth'), which was published in Munich. The magazine was founded in 1896 by
Georg Hirth, who remained editor until his death in 1916. The magazine survived until 1940. During the early 20th century, ''Jugendstil'' was applied only to the graphic arts. It referred especially to the forms of
typography
Typography is the art and technique of Typesetting, arranging type to make written language legibility, legible, readability, readable and beauty, appealing when displayed. The arrangement of type involves selecting typefaces, Point (typogra ...
and
graphic design
Graphic design is a profession, academic discipline and applied art that involves creating visual communications intended to transmit specific messages to social groups, with specific objectives. Graphic design is an interdisciplinary branch of ...
found in German magazines such as ''
Jugend'', ''
Pan'', and ''
Simplicissimus
:''Simplicissimus is also a name for the 1668 novel ''Der abenteuerliche Simplicissimus, Simplicius Simplicissimus'' and its protagonist.''
''Simplicissimus'' () was a German language, German weekly satire, satirical magazine, founded by Albert ...
''. ''Jugendstil'' was later applied to other versions of Art Nouveau in Germany, the Netherlands. The term was borrowed from German by several languages of the
Baltic states
The Baltic states or the Baltic countries is a geopolitical term encompassing Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. All three countries are members of NATO, the European Union, the Eurozone, and the OECD. The three sovereign states on the eastern co ...
and
Nordic countries
The Nordic countries (also known as the Nordics or ''Norden''; ) are a geographical and cultural region in Northern Europe, as well as the Arctic Ocean, Arctic and Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic oceans. It includes the sovereign states of Denm ...
to describe Art Nouveau (see
Naming
Naming is assigning a name to something.
Naming may refer to:
* Naming (parliamentary procedure), a procedure in certain parliamentary bodies
* Naming ceremony, an event at which an infant is named
* Product naming, the discipline of deciding wha ...
section).
In 1892
Georg Hirth chose the name
Munich Secession
The Munich Secession (German language, German Münchener Secession) was an association of visual artists who broke away from the mainstream Munich Artists' Association in 1892, to promote and defend their art in the face of what they considered ...
for the Association of Visual Artists of
Munich
Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...
. The
Vienna Secession
The Vienna Secession (; also known as the Union of Austrian Artists or ) is an art movement, closely related to Art Nouveau, that was formed in 1897 by a group of Austrian painters, graphic artists, sculptors and architects, including Josef Ho ...
, founded in 1897,
and the
Berlin Secession
The Berlin Secession was an art movement established in Germany on May 2, 1898. Formed in reaction to the Association of Berlin Artists, and the restrictions on contemporary art imposed by Wilhelm II, German Emperor, Kaiser Wilhelm II, 65 artist ...
also took their names from the Munich group.
The journals ''Jugend'' and ''
Simplicissimus
:''Simplicissimus is also a name for the 1668 novel ''Der abenteuerliche Simplicissimus, Simplicius Simplicissimus'' and its protagonist.''
''Simplicissimus'' () was a German language, German weekly satire, satirical magazine, founded by Albert ...
'', published in Munich, and ''
Pan'', published in Berlin, were important proponents of the ''Jugendstil''. ''Jugendstil'' art combined sinuous curves and more geometric lines, and was used for covers of novels, advertisements, and
exhibition
An exhibition, in the most general sense, is an organized presentation and display of a selection of items. In practice, exhibitions usually occur within a cultural or educational setting such as a museum, art gallery, park, library, exhibiti ...
posters. Designers often created original styles of
typeface
A typeface (or font family) is a design of Letter (alphabet), letters, Numerical digit, numbers and other symbols, to be used in printing or for electronic display. Most typefaces include variations in size (e.g., 24 point), weight (e.g., light, ...
that worked harmoniously with the image, e.g.
Arnold Böcklin typeface in 1904.
Otto Eckmann was one of the most prominent German artists associated with both ''Die Jugend'' and ''Pan''. His favourite animal was the swan, and so great was his influence that the swan came to serve as the symbol of the entire movement. Another prominent designer in the style was
Richard Riemerschmid, who made furniture, pottery, and other decorative objects in a sober, geometric style that pointed forward toward Art Deco. The Swiss artist
Hermann Obrist, living in Munich, illustrated the ''coup de fouet'' or whiplash motif, a highly stylised double curve suggesting motion taken from the stem of the
cyclamen flower.
File:Joseph Sattler-PAN.jpg, Cover of ''Pan'' magazine by Joseph Sattler (1895)
File:Tapestry 'Five Swans', designed by Otto Eckmann, made by Schule fur Kunstweberie, Scherrebek, 1896-1897, wool - Bröhan Museum, Berlin - DSC04157.JPG, Tapestry ''The Five Swans'' by Otto Eckmann (1896–97)
File:Muenchner Secession 1898—1900.jpg, Poster of the Munich Secession
The Munich Secession (German language, German Münchener Secession) was an association of visual artists who broke away from the mainstream Munich Artists' Association in 1892, to promote and defend their art in the face of what they considered ...
by Franz Stuck (1898–1900)
File:Art Nouveau door handle.jpg, Jugendstil door handle in Berlin ()
File:Richard Riemerschmid Stuhl 1905 Dresdner Werkstätten für Handwerkskunst 1.jpg, Chair by Richard Riemerschmid (1902)
File:La maison de Peter Behrens (Musée de la colonie d'artistes, Darmstadt) (8728647639).jpg, Jugendstil dining room set and dishes by Peter Behrens
Peter Behrens (14 April 1868 – 27 February 1940) was a leading Germany, German architect, graphic and industrial designer, best known for his early pioneering AEG turbine factory, AEG Turbine Hall in Berlin in 1909. He had a long career, desi ...
(1900–01)
File:Jug, designed by Richard Riemerschmid, made by Merkelbach Wilhelm Reinhold, Grenzhausen, 1902, stoneware with salt glaze and relief - Bröhan Museum, Berlin - DSC03997.JPG, Stoneware jug by Richard Riemerschmid (1902)
File:WMF Jugendstil pewter dish.jpg, Jugendstil pewter dish by WMF, design no. 232 ()
The
Darmstadt Artists' Colony was founded in 1899 by
Ernest Ludwig, Grand Duke of Hesse. The architect who built Grand Duke's house, as well as the largest structure of the colony (Wedding tower), was
Joseph Maria Olbrich, one of the
Vienna Secession
The Vienna Secession (; also known as the Union of Austrian Artists or ) is an art movement, closely related to Art Nouveau, that was formed in 1897 by a group of Austrian painters, graphic artists, sculptors and architects, including Josef Ho ...
founders. Other notable artists of the colony were
Peter Behrens
Peter Behrens (14 April 1868 – 27 February 1940) was a leading Germany, German architect, graphic and industrial designer, best known for his early pioneering AEG turbine factory, AEG Turbine Hall in Berlin in 1909. He had a long career, desi ...
and
Hans Christiansen. Ernest Ludwig also commissioned to rebuild the spa complex in
Bad Nauheim
Bad Nauheim () is a town in the Wetteraukreis district of Hesse state of Germany.
As of 2020, Bad Nauheim has a population of 32,493. The town is approximately north of Frankfurt am Main, on the east edge of the Taunus mountain range. It is a w ...
at the beginning of century. A completely new complex was constructed in 1905–1911 under the direction of and attained one of the main objectives of Jugendstil: a synthesis of all the arts.
Another member of the reigning family who commissioned an Art Nouveau structure was
Princess Elisabeth of Hesse and by Rhine. She founded
Marfo-Mariinsky Convent in Moscow in 1908 and its katholikon is recognized as an Art Nouveau masterpiece.
Another notable union in German Empire was the
Deutscher Werkbund
The Deutscher Werkbund (; ) is a German association of artists, architects, designers and industrialists established in 1907. The ''Werkbund'' became an important element in the development of modern architecture and industrial design, parti ...
, founded in 1907 in
Munich
Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...
at the instigation of
Hermann Muthesius by artists of Darmstadt Colony
Joseph Maria Olbrich,
Peter Behrens
Peter Behrens (14 April 1868 – 27 February 1940) was a leading Germany, German architect, graphic and industrial designer, best known for his early pioneering AEG turbine factory, AEG Turbine Hall in Berlin in 1909. He had a long career, desi ...
; by another founder of
Vienna Secession
The Vienna Secession (; also known as the Union of Austrian Artists or ) is an art movement, closely related to Art Nouveau, that was formed in 1897 by a group of Austrian painters, graphic artists, sculptors and architects, including Josef Ho ...
Josef Hoffmann
Josef Hoffmann (15 December 1870 – 7 May 1956) was an Austrians, Austrian-Sudeten Germans, Moravian architect and designer. He was among the founders of Vienna Secession and co-establisher of the Wiener Werkstätte. His most famous architect ...
, as well as by
Wiener Werkstätte
The Wiener Werkstätte ("Vienna Workshop"), established in 1903 by the graphic designer and painter Koloman Moser, the architect Josef Hoffmann and the patron Fritz Waerndorfer, was a productive association in Vienna, Austria that brought to ...
(founded by Hoffmann), by
Richard Riemerschmid,
Bruno Paul
Bruno Paul (19 January 1874 – 17 August 1968) was a German architect, illustrator, interior designer, and furniture designer.
Trained as a painter in the royal academy just as the Munich Secession developed against academic art, he first ca ...
and other artists and companies.
Later Belgian
Henry van de Velde joined the movement. The , founded by him in
Weimar
Weimar is a city in the state (Germany), German state of Thuringia, in Central Germany (cultural area), Central Germany between Erfurt to the west and Jena to the east, southwest of Leipzig, north of Nuremberg and west of Dresden. Together w ...
, was a predecessor of
Bauhaus
The Staatliches Bauhaus (), commonly known as the , was a German art school operational from 1919 to 1933 that combined Decorative arts, crafts and the fine arts.Oxford Dictionary of Art and Artists (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 4th edn., ...
, one of the most influential currents in
Modernist architecture
Modern architecture, also called modernist architecture, or the modern movement, is an architectural architectural movement, movement and architectural style, style that was prominent in the 20th century, between the earlier Art Deco Architectu ...
.
In Berlin, Jugendstil was chosen for the construction of several railway stations. The most notable is
Bülowstraße by
Bruno Möhring (1900–1902), other examples are
Mexikoplatz (1902–1904),
Botanischer Garten (1908–1909),
Frohnau
Frohnau () is a locality in the Reinickendorf borough of Berlin, Germany. It lies in the extreme northern part of the city. Frohnau is an affluent area characterized by many patrician villas from the early 20th century.
History
Founded in 1910, ...
(1908–1910),
Wittenbergplatz
Wittenbergplatz is a square in the central Schöneberg district of Berlin, Germany. One of the main plazas in the " City West" area, it is known for the large '' Kaufhaus des Westens'' (KaDeWe) department store on its southwestern side.
It was l ...
(1911–1913) and
Pankow
Pankow () is the second largest and most populous Boroughs and quarters of Berlin, borough of the German capital Berlin. In Berlin's 2001 administrative reform, it was merged with the former boroughs of Prenzlauer Berg and Weissensee (Berlin), W ...
(1912–1914) stations. Another notable structure of Berlin is
Hackesche Höfe (1906) which used polychrome glazed brick for the courtyard façade.
Art Nouveau in Strasbourg
Art is a diverse range of cultural activity centered around ''works'' utilizing creative or imaginative talents, which are expected to evoke a worthwhile experience, generally through an expression of emotional power, conceptual ideas, tec ...
(then part of the German Empire as the capital of the ''
Reichsland Elsaß-Lothringen'') was a specific brand, in that it combined influences from
Nancy and
Brussels
Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) is a Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium#Regions, region of Belgium comprising #Municipalit ...
, with influences from
Darmstadt
Darmstadt () is a city in the States of Germany, state of Hesse in Germany, located in the southern part of the Frankfurt Rhine Main Area, Rhine-Main-Area (Frankfurt Metropolitan Region). Darmstadt has around 160,000 inhabitants, making it the ...
and
Vienna
Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...
, to operate a local synthesis which reflected the
history of the city between the Germanic and the French realms.
Secession in Austria–Hungary
Vienna Secession
File:Secession 2016, Vienna.jpg, Secession Hall in Vienna
Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...
by Joseph Maria Olbrich (1897–98)
File:Majolikahaus Detail 10.JPG, Floral design by Alois Ludwig on the façade of Maiolica House in Vienna by Otto Wagner (1898)
File:Otto-Wagner-Pavillon Wien.jpg, Karlsplatz Stadtbahn Station in Vienna by Wagner (1899)
Penzing (Wien) - Kirche am Steinhof (2).JPG, Church of St. Leopold in Vienna by Wagner (1903–1907)
File:Otto Wagner Kirche, Wien (02).jpg, Interior of the Church of St. Leopold, with altarpiece by Leopold Forstner
Leopold Forstner (2 November 1878 in Bad Leonfelden, Upper Austria – 5 November 1936 in Stockerau) was an artist who was part of the Viennese Secession movement, working in the Jugendstil style, focusing particularly on the mosaic as a form.
Bi ...
File:20120923 Brussels PalaisStoclet Hoffmann DSC06725 PtrQs.jpg, Stoclet Palace in Brussels
Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) is a Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium#Regions, region of Belgium comprising #Municipalit ...
by Josef Hoffmann
Josef Hoffmann (15 December 1870 – 7 May 1956) was an Austrians, Austrian-Sudeten Germans, Moravian architect and designer. He was among the founders of Vienna Secession and co-establisher of the Wiener Werkstätte. His most famous architect ...
(1905–1911)
Vienna
Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...
became the centre of a distinct variant of Art Nouveau, which became known as the
Vienna Secession
The Vienna Secession (; also known as the Union of Austrian Artists or ) is an art movement, closely related to Art Nouveau, that was formed in 1897 by a group of Austrian painters, graphic artists, sculptors and architects, including Josef Ho ...
. The movement took its name from
Munich Secession
The Munich Secession (German language, German Münchener Secession) was an association of visual artists who broke away from the mainstream Munich Artists' Association in 1892, to promote and defend their art in the face of what they considered ...
established in 1892. Vienna Secession was founded in April 1897 by a group of artists that included
Gustav Klimt
Gustav Klimt (14 July 1862 – 6 February 1918) was an Austrian symbolist painter and a founding member of the Vienna Secession movement. His work helped define the Art Nouveau style in Europe. Klimt is known for his paintings, murals, sket ...
,
Koloman Moser,
Josef Hoffmann
Josef Hoffmann (15 December 1870 – 7 May 1956) was an Austrians, Austrian-Sudeten Germans, Moravian architect and designer. He was among the founders of Vienna Secession and co-establisher of the Wiener Werkstätte. His most famous architect ...
,
Joseph Maria Olbrich,
Max Kurzweil
Maximilian Franz Viktor Zdenko Marie Kurzweil (12 October 1867, Bisenz – 9 May 1916, Vienna) was an Austrian painter and printmaker. He moved near Vienna in 1879.
Maximillian or Max Kurzweil studied at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna with ...
,
Ernst Stöhr, and others.
The painter Klimt became the president of the group. They objected to the conservative orientation toward
historicism
Historicism is an approach to explaining the existence of phenomena, especially social and cultural practices (including ideas and beliefs), by studying the process or history by which they came about. The term is widely used in philosophy, ant ...
expressed by
Vienna Künstlerhaus
The Künstlerhaus in Vienna's 1st district has accommodated the Künstlerhaus Vereinigung since 1868. It is located in the Ringstrassenzone in between Akademiestraße, Bösendorferstraße and Musikvereinsplatz.
The building was erected betwee ...
, the official union of artists. The Secession founded a magazine, ''
Ver Sacrum
''Ver sacrum'' ("sacred spring") is a religious practice of ancient Italic peoples, especially the Sabelli (or Sabini) and their offshoot Samnites, concerning the dedication of colonies. It was of special interest to Georges Dumézil, according ...
'', to promote their works in all media. The architect Joseph Olbrich designed the domed Secession building in the new style, which became a showcase for the paintings of Gustav Klimt and other Secession artists.
Klimt became the best-known of the Secession painters, often erasing the border between fine art painting and decorative painting.
Koloman Moser was an extremely versatile artist in the style; his work including magazine illustrations, architecture, silverware, ceramics, porcelain, textiles, stained glass windows, and furniture.
File:Ernst Stöhr, Vampir, 1899.png, Vampire in ''Ver Sacrum
''Ver sacrum'' ("sacred spring") is a religious practice of ancient Italic peoples, especially the Sabelli (or Sabini) and their offshoot Samnites, concerning the dedication of colonies. It was of special interest to Georges Dumézil, according ...
'', no. 12, p. 8, by Ernst Stöhr (1899)
File:Dame in Gelb Max Kurzweil 1907.jpg, ''Woman in a Yellow Dress'' by Max Kurzweil
Maximilian Franz Viktor Zdenko Marie Kurzweil (12 October 1867, Bisenz – 9 May 1916, Vienna) was an Austrian painter and printmaker. He moved near Vienna in 1879.
Maximillian or Max Kurzweil studied at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna with ...
(1899)
File:Vetreria johann lötz witwe, coppia di vasi, 1900 ca. 01.jpg, Vase by Johann Loetz Witwe ()
File:Armchair, Der reiche Fischzug (The Rich Catch of Fish) LACMA M.2000.180.39 (2 of 2).jpg, Armchair by Koloman Moser ()
File:Alfred roller, XIV austellung... secession, vienna 1902, 02.jpg, Poster for the 14th Secession Exhibit, by Alfred Roller (1902)
File:The Kiss - Gustav Klimt - Google Cultural Institute.jpg, '' The Kiss'' by Gustav Klimt
Gustav Klimt (14 July 1862 – 6 February 1918) was an Austrian symbolist painter and a founding member of the Vienna Secession movement. His work helped define the Art Nouveau style in Europe. Klimt is known for his paintings, murals, sket ...
(1907–08)
File:Jugendstilmosaik Hotel Wiesler, Graz 1.jpg, ''The Spring'', glass mosaic by Leopold Forstner
Leopold Forstner (2 November 1878 in Bad Leonfelden, Upper Austria – 5 November 1936 in Stockerau) was an artist who was part of the Viennese Secession movement, working in the Jugendstil style, focusing particularly on the mosaic as a form.
Bi ...
in the Hotel Wiesler, Graz
Graz () is the capital of the Austrian Federal states of Austria, federal state of Styria and the List of cities and towns in Austria, second-largest city in Austria, after Vienna. On 1 January 2025, Graz had a population of 306,068 (343,461 inc ...
The most prominent architect of the
Vienna Secession
The Vienna Secession (; also known as the Union of Austrian Artists or ) is an art movement, closely related to Art Nouveau, that was formed in 1897 by a group of Austrian painters, graphic artists, sculptors and architects, including Josef Ho ...
was
Otto Wagner, he joined the movement soon after its inception to follow his students Hoffmann and Olbrich. His major projects included several stations of the urban rail network (the
Stadtbahn
(; German for 'city railway'; plural ) is a German word referring to various types of urban rail transport. One type of transport originated in the 19th century, firstly in Berlin and followed by Vienna, where rail routes were created that co ...
), the
Linke Wienzeile Buildings
The Linke Wienzeile Buildings are two apartment buildings in Vienna constructed by Otto Wagner in 1898-99 in the Vienna Secession style. They are both lavishly decorated with colorful tiles, sculpture and wrought iron. One house, at 40 Linke Wien ...
(consisting of Majolica House, the House of Medallions and the house at Köstlergasse). The Karlsplatz Station is now an exhibition hall of the
Vienna Museum. The
Kirche am Steinhof of Steinhof Psychiatric hospital (1904–1907) is a unique and finely crafted example of Secession religious architecture, with a traditional domed exterior but sleek, modern gold and white interior lit by abundance of modern stained glass.
In 1899
Joseph Maria Olbrich moved to
Darmstadt Artists' Colony, in 1903
Koloman Moser and
Josef Hoffmann
Josef Hoffmann (15 December 1870 – 7 May 1956) was an Austrians, Austrian-Sudeten Germans, Moravian architect and designer. He was among the founders of Vienna Secession and co-establisher of the Wiener Werkstätte. His most famous architect ...
founded the
Wiener Werkstätte
The Wiener Werkstätte ("Vienna Workshop"), established in 1903 by the graphic designer and painter Koloman Moser, the architect Josef Hoffmann and the patron Fritz Waerndorfer, was a productive association in Vienna, Austria that brought to ...
, a training school and workshop for designers and craftsmen of furniture, carpets, textiles and decorative objects. In 1905 Koloman Moser and
Gustav Klimt
Gustav Klimt (14 July 1862 – 6 February 1918) was an Austrian symbolist painter and a founding member of the Vienna Secession movement. His work helped define the Art Nouveau style in Europe. Klimt is known for his paintings, murals, sket ...
separated from Vienna Secession, later in 1907 Koloman Moser left
Wiener Werkstätte
The Wiener Werkstätte ("Vienna Workshop"), established in 1903 by the graphic designer and painter Koloman Moser, the architect Josef Hoffmann and the patron Fritz Waerndorfer, was a productive association in Vienna, Austria that brought to ...
as well, while its other founder Josef Hoffmann joined the
Deutscher Werkbund
The Deutscher Werkbund (; ) is a German association of artists, architects, designers and industrialists established in 1907. The ''Werkbund'' became an important element in the development of modern architecture and industrial design, parti ...
.
Gustav Klimt and Josef Hoffmann continued collaborating, they organized in 1908 in
Vienna
Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...
and built the
Stoclet Palace in
Brussels
Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) is a Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium#Regions, region of Belgium comprising #Municipalit ...
(1905–1911) that announced the coming of
modernist architecture
Modern architecture, also called modernist architecture, or the modern movement, is an architectural architectural movement, movement and architectural style, style that was prominent in the 20th century, between the earlier Art Deco Architectu ...
.
[Oudin, Bernard, ''Dictionnaire des Architectes'' (1994), pp. 33–34][Sembach, ''L'Art Nouveau'' (2013), pp. 203–213] It was designated as a
World Heritage Site
World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
by
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
in June 2009.
Hungarian ''Szecesszió''
File:Museum of Applied Arts. Main facade from south. BudapestDSCN3639.jpg, Museum of Applied Arts in Budapest
Budapest is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns of Hungary, most populous city of Hungary. It is the List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, tenth-largest city in the European Union by popul ...
by Ödön Lechner
Ödön Lechner (born János Ödön Lechner; 27 August 1845 – 10 June 1914) was a Hungarian architect, one of the prime representatives of the Hungarian Szecesszió style, which was related to Art Nouveau in the rest of Europe, including the ...
(1893–1896)
File:Földtani intézet - Budapest.jpg, Geological Museum of Budapest by Lechner (1898–99)
File:Cifrapalota Kecskemét Zsolnay.JPG, Façade detail of Cifrapalota in Kecskemét
Kecskemét ( ) is a city with county rights in central Hungary. It is the List of cities and towns of Hungary, eighth-largest city in the country, and the county seat of Bács-Kiskun County, Bács-Kiskun.
Kecskemét lies halfway between the ca ...
(1902)
File:Török bankhaz 03.JPG, Mosaic on the façade of building in Budapest by Miksa Róth
Miksa Róth (26 December 1865 – 14 June 1944) was a Hungarian mosaicist and stained glass artist responsible for making mosaic and stained glass prominent art forms in Hungarian art. In part, Róth was inspired by the work of Pre-Raphaeli ...
(1906)
File:Four Seasons Gresham Palace Hotel - Facade - Pest Side - Budapest - Hungary.jpg, Relief on the façade of Gresham Palace in Budapest by Géza Maróti (1906)
File:Black Eagle Palace, Oradea, Romania, 2020.jpg, Black Eagle Palace in Oradea, today in Romania, at that time part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, by Marcell Komor and Dezső Jakab (1907–08)
File:Timisoara, Casa Brück.jpg, Brück House in Timișoara
Timișoara (, , ; , also or ; ; ; see #Etymology, other names) is the capital city of Timiș County, Banat, and the main economic, social and cultural center in Western Romania. Located on the Bega (Tisza), Bega River, Timișoara is consider ...
, today in Romania (1911). Along with Oradea
Oradea (, , ; ; ) is a city in Romania, located in the Crișana region. It serves as the administrative county seat, seat of Bihor County and an economic, social, and cultural hub in northwestern Romania. The city lies between rolling hills on ...
, Timișoara is part of the Art Nouveau European Route
File:Gróf Palace in Szeged (2).JPG, Gróf Palace in Szeged
Szeged ( , ; see also #Etymology, other alternative names) is List of cities and towns of Hungary#Largest cities in Hungary, the third largest city of Hungary, the largest city and regional centre of the Southern Great Plain and the county seat ...
by Ferenc Raichle (1913)
The pioneer and prophet of the ('Secession' in Hungarian), the architect
Ödön Lechner
Ödön Lechner (born János Ödön Lechner; 27 August 1845 – 10 June 1914) was a Hungarian architect, one of the prime representatives of the Hungarian Szecesszió style, which was related to Art Nouveau in the rest of Europe, including the ...
, created buildings which marked a transition from historicism to modernism for Hungarian architecture.
His idea for a Hungarian architectural style was the use of
architectural ceramics and oriental motifs. In his works, he used pygorganite placed in production by 1886 by
Zsolnay Porcelain Manufactory.
This material was used in the construction of notable Hungarian buildings of other styles, e.g. the
Hungarian Parliament Building
The Hungarian Parliament Building ( , ), also known as the Parliament of Budapest after its location, is the seat of the National Assembly of Hungary, a notable landmark of Hungary, and a popular tourist destination in Budapest. It is situated o ...
and
Matthias Church
The Church of the Assumption of the Buda Castle (), more commonly known as the Matthias Church () and more rarely as the Coronation Church of Buda, is a Catholic church in Holy Trinity Square, Budapest, Hungary, in front of the Fisherman's Bastion ...
.
Works by Ödön Lechner include the
Museum of Applied Arts (1893–1896), other building with similar distinctive features are
Geological Museum
The Geological Museum (originally the Museum of Economic Geology then the Museum of Practical Geology) was a museum of geology in London. It started in 1835, making it one of the oldest public single science collections in the world. It transfe ...
(1896–1899) and The Postal Savings Bank building (1899–1902), all in
Budapest
Budapest is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns of Hungary, most populous city of Hungary. It is the List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, tenth-largest city in the European Union by popul ...
. However, due to the opposition of Hungarian architectural establishment to Lechner's success, he soon was unable to get new commissions comparable to his earlier buildings.
But Lechner was an inspiration and a master to the following generation of architects who played the main role in popularising the new style.
Within the process of
Magyarization
Magyarization ( , also Hungarianization; ), after "Magyar"—the Hungarian autonym—was an assimilation or acculturation process by which non-Hungarian nationals living in the Kingdom of Hungary, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, adop ...
numerous buildings were commissioned to his disciples in outskirts of the kingdom: e.g. and
Dezső Jakab were commissioned to build the
Synagogue
A synagogue, also called a shul or a temple, is a place of worship for Jews and Samaritans. It is a place for prayer (the main sanctuary and sometimes smaller chapels) where Jews attend religious services or special ceremonies such as wed ...
(1901–1903) and Town Hall (1908–1910) in Szabadka (now
Subotica
Subotica (, ; , , ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city in Central Europe and the administrative center of the North Bačka District in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. Formerly the largest city of Vojvodina region, contemporary Sub ...
,
Serbia
, image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg
, national_motto =
, image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg
, national_anthem = ()
, image_map =
, map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...
), County Prefecture (1905–1907) and
Palace of Culture
Palace of Culture (, , ''wénhuà gōng'', ) or House of Culture (Polish: ''dom kultury'') is a common name (generic term) for major Club (organization), club-houses (community centres) in the former Soviet Union and the rest of the Eastern bloc ...
(1911–1913) in Marosvásárhely (now
Târgu Mureș
Târgu Mureș (, ; ; German language, German: ''Neumarkt am Mieresch'') is the seat of Mureș County in the historical region of Transylvania, Romania. It is the list of cities and towns in Romania, 16th-largest city in Romania, with 116,033 ...
,
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...
). Later Lechner himself built the
Blue Church in Pozsony (present-day
Bratislava
Bratislava (German: ''Pressburg'', Hungarian: ''Pozsony'') is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the Slovakia, Slovak Republic and the fourth largest of all List of cities and towns on the river Danube, cities on the river Danube. ...
,
Slovakia
Slovakia, officially the Slovak Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the west, and the Czech Republic to the northwest. Slovakia's m ...
) in 1909–1913.
Another important architect was
Károly Kós
Károly Kós (, born Károly Kosch; 16 December 1883 – 25 August 1977) was a Hungarian architect, writer, illustrator, ethnologist and politician of Austria-Hungary and Romania.
Biography
Born as Károly Kosch in Temesvár, Austria-Hun ...
who was a follower of
John Ruskin
John Ruskin (8 February 1819 20 January 1900) was an English polymath a writer, lecturer, art historian, art critic, draughtsman and philanthropist of the Victorian era. He wrote on subjects as varied as art, architecture, Critique of politic ...
and
William Morris
William Morris (24 March 1834 – 3 October 1896) was an English textile designer, poet, artist, writer, and socialist activist associated with the British Arts and Crafts movement. He was a major contributor to the revival of traditiona ...
. Kós took the Finnish
National Romanticism movement as a model and the Transylvanian vernacular as the inspiration. His most notable buildings include the Roman Catholic Church in
Zebegény (1908–09), pavilions for the Budapest Municipal Zoo (1909–1912) and the Székely National Museum in Sepsiszentgyörgy (now
Sfântu Gheorghe, Romania, 1911–12).
File:Pax, received silver medal of the Paris World Exhibiton in 1900.jpg, ''Pax'', mosaic by Miksa Róth
Miksa Róth (26 December 1865 – 14 June 1944) was a Hungarian mosaicist and stained glass artist responsible for making mosaic and stained glass prominent art forms in Hungarian art. In part, Róth was inspired by the work of Pre-Raphaeli ...
, which received the silver medal at the Paris World Exhibition in 1900
File:Ödön faragó e jozsef sandor per cooperativa bùtorcsanok, studio, budapest 1901, 07.jpg, Cabinet by Ödön Faragó, from Budapest (1901)
File:Window with flower motives from the Villa Alpár.jpg, Window with flower motives from the Villa Alpár in Budapest, by Miksa Róth (1903)
The movement that promoted Szecesszió in arts was
Gödöllő
Gödöllő, officially the City of Gödöllő, is a city in Pest County, Budapest metropolitan area, Hungary, about northeast from the outskirts of Budapest. Its population is 34,396 according to the 2010 census and is growing rapidly. It can b ...
Art Colony, founded by
Aladár Körösfői-Kriesch, also a follower
John Ruskin
John Ruskin (8 February 1819 20 January 1900) was an English polymath a writer, lecturer, art historian, art critic, draughtsman and philanthropist of the Victorian era. He wrote on subjects as varied as art, architecture, Critique of politic ...
and
William Morris
William Morris (24 March 1834 – 3 October 1896) was an English textile designer, poet, artist, writer, and socialist activist associated with the British Arts and Crafts movement. He was a major contributor to the revival of traditiona ...
and a professor at the Royal School of Applied Arts in
Budapest
Budapest is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns of Hungary, most populous city of Hungary. It is the List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, tenth-largest city in the European Union by popul ...
in 1901. Its artists took part in many projects, including the
Franz Liszt Academy of Music
The Franz Liszt Academy of Music (, often abbreviated as ''Zeneakadémia'', "Liszt Academy") is a music university and a concert hall in Budapest, Hungary, founded on November 14, 1875. It is home to the Liszt Collection, which features several ...
in Budapest.
An associate to Gödöllő Art Colony,
Miksa Róth
Miksa Róth (26 December 1865 – 14 June 1944) was a Hungarian mosaicist and stained glass artist responsible for making mosaic and stained glass prominent art forms in Hungarian art. In part, Róth was inspired by the work of Pre-Raphaeli ...
was also involved in several dozen Szecesszió projects, including Budapest buildings including
Gresham Palace (stained glass, 1906) and (mosaics, 1906) and also created mosaics and stained glass for
Palace of Culture
Palace of Culture (, , ''wénhuà gōng'', ) or House of Culture (Polish: ''dom kultury'') is a common name (generic term) for major Club (organization), club-houses (community centres) in the former Soviet Union and the rest of the Eastern bloc ...
(1911–1913) in Marosvásárhely.
A notable furniture designer is who combined traditional popular architecture, oriental architecture and international Art Nouveau in a highly picturesque style. , another Hungarian designer, had a much more sober and functional style, made of oak with delicate traceries of ebony and brass.
Secession in Bohemia, Moravia and Slovakia
File:Secesní budova Hlavního nádraží.jpg, Praha hlavní nádraží
Praha hlavní nádraží is the largest railway station in Prague, Czech Republic. It opened in 1871 as Franz Josef Station, after Franz Joseph I of Austria. During the First Republic and from 1945 to 1948 the station was called Wilson Stati ...
railway station by Josef Fanta (1901–1909)
File:Skalica Spolkovy dom.jpg, Cultural House in Skalica
Skalica (, , Latin: ''Sakolcium'') is the largest town in Skalica District in western Slovakia in the Záhorie region. Located near the Czech Republic, Czech border, Skalica has a population of around 15,000.
Etymology
The name is derived from Slo ...
by Dušan Jurkovič (1905)
File:Divadlo (Prostějov- czech republic).jpg, National House in Prostějov
Prostějov (; ) is a city in the Olomouc Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 43,000 inhabitants. The city is historically known for its fashion industry. The historic city centre is well preserved and is protected as an urban monument zo ...
by Jan Kotěra
Jan Kotěra (18 December 1871 – 17 April 1923) was a Czech architect, artist and interior designer, and one of the key figures of modern architecture in Bohemia.
Biography
Kotěra was born in Brno, the largest city in Moravia, to a Czech fath ...
(1905–1907)
File:Jugendstil Prag Gemeindehaus 1.jpg, Municipal House in Prague
Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...
by Osvald Polívka and Antonín Balšánek (1905–1912)
File:The Municipal House (Obecni Dum) ceiling, Prague - 8906.jpg, Frescoes of Municipal House by Alphonse Mucha
Alfons Maria Mucha (; 24 July 1860 – 14 July 1939), known internationally as Alphonse Mucha, was a Czech painter, illustrator, and graphic artist. Living in Paris during the Art Nouveau period, he was widely known for his distinctly stylized ...
File:St Vitus Prague September 2016-22.jpg, Stained glass window of St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague by Mucha
File:Prague Praha 2014 Holmstad Praha - huset - house Art Nouveau jugend Narodni Trida 7 - 12.jpg, Ceramic relief of Viola Theater in Prague by Ladislav Šaloun
File:Prague - Nová radnice.jpg, New City Hall of Prague by Polívka (1908–1911)
The most notable Secession buildings in ''Prague'' are examples of
total art with distinctive architecture, sculpture and paintings.
The main railway station (1901–1909) was designed by
Josef Fanta and features paintings of
Václav Jansa and sculptures of
Ladislav Šaloun and
Stanislav Sucharda along with other artists. The
Municipal House (1904–1912) was designed by
Osvald Polívka and Antonín Balšánek, painted by famous Czech painter
Alphonse Mucha
Alfons Maria Mucha (; 24 July 1860 – 14 July 1939), known internationally as Alphonse Mucha, was a Czech painter, illustrator, and graphic artist. Living in Paris during the Art Nouveau period, he was widely known for his distinctly stylized ...
and features sculptures of
Josef Mařatka and
Ladislav Šaloun. Polívka, Mařatka, and Šaloun simultaneously cooperated in the construction of
New City Hall (1908–1911) along with
Stanislav Sucharda, and Mucha later painted
St. Vitus Cathedral's stained glass windows in his distinctive style.
The most important Czech architect of this period was
Jan Kotěra
Jan Kotěra (18 December 1871 – 17 April 1923) was a Czech architect, artist and interior designer, and one of the key figures of modern architecture in Bohemia.
Biography
Kotěra was born in Brno, the largest city in Moravia, to a Czech fath ...
, who studied in Vienna under Otto Wagner. His best-known works are the Peterka House at 12 Wenceslas Square in Prague (1899–1900), the
National House in
Prostějov
Prostějov (; ) is a city in the Olomouc Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 43,000 inhabitants. The city is historically known for its fashion industry. The historic city centre is well preserved and is protected as an urban monument zo ...
(1905–1907) and the
Museum of Eastern Bohemia in
Hradec Králové
Hradec Králové (; ) is a city of the Czech Republic. It has about 94,000 inhabitants. It is the capital of the Hradec Králové Region. The historic centre of Hradec Králové is well preserved and is protected as an Cultural monument (Czech R ...
(1909–1912). Many important Vienesse architects were born in
Moravia
Moravia ( ; ) is a historical region in the eastern Czech Republic, roughly encompassing its territory within the Danube River's drainage basin. It is one of three historical Czech lands, with Bohemia and Czech Silesia.
The medieval and early ...
or
Austrian Silesia
Austrian Silesia, officially the Duchy of Upper and Lower Silesia, was an autonomous region of the Kingdom of Bohemia and the Habsburg monarchy (from 1804 the Austrian Empire, and from 1867 the Cisleithanian portion of Austria-Hungary). It is la ...
, like
Josef Hoffmann
Josef Hoffmann (15 December 1870 – 7 May 1956) was an Austrians, Austrian-Sudeten Germans, Moravian architect and designer. He was among the founders of Vienna Secession and co-establisher of the Wiener Werkstätte. His most famous architect ...
,
Hubert Gessner,
Joseph Maria Olbrich and
Leopold Bauer.
The style of combining Hungarian Szecesszió and national architectural elements was typical for a
Slovak architect
Dušan Jurkovič. His most original works are the Cultural House in Szakolca (now
Skalica
Skalica (, , Latin: ''Sakolcium'') is the largest town in Skalica District in western Slovakia in the Záhorie region. Located near the Czech Republic, Czech border, Skalica has a population of around 15,000.
Etymology
The name is derived from Slo ...
in
Slovakia
Slovakia, officially the Slovak Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the west, and the Czech Republic to the northwest. Slovakia's m ...
, 1905), the buildings of spa in
Luhačovice
Luhačovice (; ) is a spa town in Zlín District in the Zlín Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 5,000 inhabitants. It is known for the largest spa in Moravia and for architecturally valuable buildings designed by the architect Dušan Jurko ...
(now Czech Republic) in 1901–1903 and 35 war cemeteries near
Nowy Żmigród in
Galicia (now Poland), most of them heavily influenced by local Lemko (
Rusyn) folk art and carpentry (1915–1917).
Secession in Galicia
File:Palace of Art, façade, 1898 design. Franciszek Mączyński and Jacek Malczewski, 4 Szczepański Square, Old Town, Kraków, Poland.jpg, Palace of Art in Kraków
, officially the Royal Capital City of Kraków, is the List of cities and towns in Poland, second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city has a population of 804,237 ...
by Franciszek Mączyński
Franciszek Mączyński (21 September 1874 in Wadowice – 28 June 1947 in Kraków) was a Polish Art Nouveau architect. Prominent by 1910, his commissions include several major churches, and turn-of-the-century civic and cultural institutions d ...
(1898–1901) – southern façade
File:Palace of Art, 4,Szczepanski square,secession building, Krakow Old Town.jpg, Palace of Art in Kraków by Mączyński (1898–1901) – eastern façade
File:House under the Globe in Kraków, 2022.jpg, House Under the Globe in Kraków by Mączyński and Tadeusz Stryjeński (1904–05)
File:Kraków ul. Długa 1. Dom Izby Przemysłowo-Handlowej A 318 w2.jpg, Interior of the House Under the Globe in Kraków by Józef Mehoffer
File:Головний залізничний вокзал (Львів) P1900308.jpg, Lviv railway station by Władysław Sadłowski (1899–1904)
File:Bielsko-Biała, Frog House.jpg, Frog House in Bielsko-Biała
Bielsko-Biała (; ; , ; ) is a city in southern Poland, with a population of approximately 166,765 as of December 2022, making it the List of cities and towns in Poland#Largest cities and towns by population, 22nd largest city in Poland, and an a ...
by Emanuel Rost (1903)
File:Bielsko-Biała - Cathedral of St. Nicholas (02).jpg, Saint Nicholas' Cathedral in Bielsko-Biała by Leopold Bauer (1909–10)
File:Jozef Mehoffer - Witraz - MNK IV-Sz-2346 (20635).jpg, ''Vita somnium breve'', stained glass by Mehoffer (1895), in the National Museum in Kraków
File:Krakow Medical Society house, Apollo-stained glass window design by Stanisław Wyspiański, 4 Radziwillowska street, Krakow, Poland.jpg, '' Apollo (System Copernicus)'', stained glass by Stanisław Wyspiański
Stanisław Mateusz Ignacy Wyspiański (; 15 January 1869 – 28 November 1907) was a Polish playwright, painter, poet, and interior and furniture designer. A patriotic writer, he created symbolic national dramas accordant with the artisti ...
, House of the Medical Society in Kraków (1905)
File:Kazimierz Stabrowski, Paw - portret Zofii z Jakimowiczów Borucińskiej.jpg, ''Peacock. Portrait of Zofia Borucińska'' by Kazimierz Stabrowski (1908)
File:Kazimierz Sichulski - The Hutsul Madonna triptych, 1909.jpg, ''The Hutsul Madonna'' triptych
A triptych ( ) is a work of art (usually a panel painting) that is divided into three sections, or three carved panels that are hinged together and can be folded shut or displayed open. It is therefore a type of polyptych, the term for all m ...
by Kazimierz Sichulski (1909), in the Österreichische Galerie Belvedere, Vienna
Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...
File:Pollera Hotel, stained glass window I, ca. 1900 design. by Stanisław Wyspiański, 30 Szpitalna street, Old Town, Kraków, Poland.jpg, "Iris" stained glass window, Kraków
, officially the Royal Capital City of Kraków, is the List of cities and towns in Poland, second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city has a population of 804,237 ...
, Pollera Hotel, 30 Szpitalna Street ()
The most important centres of Secession in
Galicia were
Kraków
, officially the Royal Capital City of Kraków, is the List of cities and towns in Poland, second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city has a population of 804,237 ...
,
Lviv
Lviv ( or ; ; ; see #Names and symbols, below for other names) is the largest city in western Ukraine, as well as the List of cities in Ukraine, fifth-largest city in Ukraine, with a population of It serves as the administrative centre of ...
and
Bielsko-Biała
Bielsko-Biała (; ; , ; ) is a city in southern Poland, with a population of approximately 166,765 as of December 2022, making it the List of cities and towns in Poland#Largest cities and towns by population, 22nd largest city in Poland, and an a ...
. The most important example of the style in Kraków is the
Palace of Art (1898–1901), designed by
Franciszek Mączyński
Franciszek Mączyński (21 September 1874 in Wadowice – 28 June 1947 in Kraków) was a Polish Art Nouveau architect. Prominent by 1910, his commissions include several major churches, and turn-of-the-century civic and cultural institutions d ...
under the influence of the
Secession Hall in Vienna. Other important works Mączyński designed in Kraków together with
Tadeusz Stryjeński: the
House Under the Globe (1904–1905) and the
Old Theater (1903–1906). The most important interior designers were
Stanisław Wyspiański
Stanisław Mateusz Ignacy Wyspiański (; 15 January 1869 – 28 November 1907) was a Polish playwright, painter, poet, and interior and furniture designer. A patriotic writer, he created symbolic national dramas accordant with the artisti ...
and
Józef Mehoffer, who designed many stained glass windows and building interiors. The most important work of the former are the stained glasses in the
Franciscan Church and in the House of the Krakow Medical Society (1905) and of the latter in the interior of the
House Under the Globe.
In Lviv the most important architect was
Władysław Sadłowski, who studied in Vienna and was influenced by
Otto Wagner. He designed the
Lviv railway station (1899–1904), the
Lviv's Philharmonic (1905–1908), and the
Industrial School (1907–1908). Other important architected, also inspired by Wagner, was
Ivan Levynskyi.
One of the most famous buildings in Bielsko-Biała is the so-called
Frog House by Emanuel Rost (1903). Other important examples of Secession were designed by Vienesse architects:
Max Fabiani
Maximilian Fabiani, commonly known as Max Fabiani (, ) (29 April 1865 – 12 August 1962) was an Italians, Italian architect, born in the village of Kobdilj near Štanjel on the Karst Plateau, County of Gorizia and Gradisca, in present-day Sl ...
, the author of the house at 1 Barlickiego Street (1900) as well as
Leopold Bauer, who designed the house at 51 Stojałowskiego Street (1903) and the rebuilding of the
Saint Nicholas' Cathedral (1909–10).
Secession in Slovenia, Bosnia, Croatia and Trieste
File:Sarajevo - Art Nouveau building.JPG, Ješua D. Salom Mansion in Sarajevo
Sarajevo ( ), ; ''see Names of European cities in different languages (Q–T)#S, names in other languages'' is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 2 ...
by Josip Vancaš (1901)
File:Ljubljana Grand Hotel Union on Miklosiceva street.jpg, Grand Hotel Union
The Grand Hotel Union () is a star (classification), four-star hotel near the centre of the city of Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia.
Built about a block from the city's central Prešeren Square between 1903 and 1905, it is notable for havin ...
in Ljubljana
{{Infobox settlement
, name = Ljubljana
, official_name =
, settlement_type = Capital city
, image_skyline = {{multiple image
, border = infobox
, perrow = 1/2/2/1
, total_widt ...
by Vancaš (1902–03)
File:Alojz Bastl- Vjekoslav Bastl- Kuća Kallina 1903-4. Masarykova 21-23 - Gundulićeva 23.jpg, Kallina House in Zagreb
Zagreb ( ) is the capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Croatia#List of cities and towns, largest city of Croatia. It is in the Northern Croatia, north of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the ...
by Vjekoslav Bastl (1903–04)
File:Ljubljana BW 2014-10-09 12-22-15.jpg, Hauptmann Building in Ljubljana by Ciril Metod Koch (1904)
File:Piazza della Borsa 7 (IMG 20211010 081811).jpg, Bartoli House in Trieste
Trieste ( , ; ) is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is the capital and largest city of the Regions of Italy#Autonomous regions with special statute, autonomous region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, as well as of the Province of Trieste, ...
by Max Fabiani
Maximilian Fabiani, commonly known as Max Fabiani (, ) (29 April 1865 – 12 August 1962) was an Italians, Italian architect, born in the village of Kobdilj near Štanjel on the Karst Plateau, County of Gorizia and Gradisca, in present-day Sl ...
(1906)
File:Sarajevo Central Post Office.JPG, Central Post Office in Sarajevo by Vancaš (1907–1913)
File:Archivo Nacional, Zagreb, Croacia, 2014-04-13, DD 01.JPG, Croatian State Archives
The Croatian State Archives () are the national archives of Croatia located in its capital, Zagreb. The history of the state archives can be traced back to the 17th century. There are also regional state archives located in Bjelovar, Dubrovnik ...
in Zagreb by Rudolf Lubinski (1911–1913)
The most prolific ''Slovenian'' Secession architect was
Ciril Metod Koch.
He studied at
Otto Wagner's classes in Vienna and worked in the Laybach (now
Ljubljana
{{Infobox settlement
, name = Ljubljana
, official_name =
, settlement_type = Capital city
, image_skyline = {{multiple image
, border = infobox
, perrow = 1/2/2/1
, total_widt ...
,
Slovenia
Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia, is a country in Central Europe. It borders Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the south and southeast, and a short (46.6 km) coastline within the Adriati ...
) City Council from 1894 to 1923. After the earthquake in Laybach in 1895, he designed many secular buildings in Secession style that he adopted from 1900 to 1910:
Pogačnik House (1901), Čuden Building (1901), The Farmers Loan Bank (1906–07), renovated Hauptmann Building in Secession style in 1904. The highlight of his career was the Loan Bank in Radmannsdorf (now
Radovljica
Radovljica (; ) is a List of cities and towns in Slovenia, town in the Upper Carniola region of northern Slovenia. It is the administrative seat of the Municipality of Radovljica.
Geography
The town is located on the southern slope of the Karawan ...
) in 1906.
Other important Slovene architect, who was active also in Bosnia, was
Josip Vancaš, the authot of such works like
Grand Hotel Union
The Grand Hotel Union () is a star (classification), four-star hotel near the centre of the city of Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia.
Built about a block from the city's central Prešeren Square between 1903 and 1905, it is notable for havin ...
(1902–1903) or City Savings Bank in Ljubljana (1902–1903) as well as the
Ješua D. Salom Mansion (1901) and the Central Post Office in Sarajevo (1907–1913). Also
Jože Plečnik
Jože Plečnik () (23 January 1872 – 7 January 1957) was a Slovenian architect who had a major impact on the modern architecture of Vienna, Prague and of Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, most notably by designing the iconic Triple Bridge a ...
and
Max Fabiani
Maximilian Fabiani, commonly known as Max Fabiani (, ) (29 April 1865 – 12 August 1962) was an Italians, Italian architect, born in the village of Kobdilj near Štanjel on the Karst Plateau, County of Gorizia and Gradisca, in present-day Sl ...
, both important
Vienna Secession
The Vienna Secession (; also known as the Union of Austrian Artists or ) is an art movement, closely related to Art Nouveau, that was formed in 1897 by a group of Austrian painters, graphic artists, sculptors and architects, including Josef Ho ...
architects, were born in Slovenia. The latter designed some buildings in Slovenia and Trieste, like the Bartoli House in
Trieste
Trieste ( , ; ) is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is the capital and largest city of the Regions of Italy#Autonomous regions with special statute, autonomous region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, as well as of the Province of Trieste, ...
(1906).
In Croatia, the most important examples of Secession include the
Kallina House in Zagreb by
Vjekoslav Bastl (1903–1904) and the
Croatian State Archives
The Croatian State Archives () are the national archives of Croatia located in its capital, Zagreb. The history of the state archives can be traced back to the 17th century. There are also regional state archives located in Bjelovar, Dubrovnik ...
in Zagreb by
Rudolf Lubinski (1911–1913).
Arta 1900 or Art Nouveau in Romania
File:Belle Époque postcard showing the Art Nouveau headquarter of the Minerva publisher on Bulevardul Regina Elisabeta, close to the intersection with Calea Victoriei.jpg, Minerva publisher headquarter on Bulevardul Regina Elisabeta in Bucharest
Bucharest ( , ; ) is the capital and largest city of Romania. The metropolis stands on the River Dâmbovița (river), Dâmbovița in south-eastern Romania. Its population is officially estimated at 1.76 million residents within a greater Buc ...
, unknown architect (, destroyed by WW2 bombardments)
File:1 Strada Constantin F. Robescu, Bucharest (08).jpg, Frieze
In classical architecture, the frieze is the wide central section of an entablature and may be plain in the Ionic order, Ionic or Corinthian order, Corinthian orders, or decorated with bas-reliefs. Patera (architecture), Paterae are also ...
of Strada Constantin F. Robescu no. 1 in Bucharest, unknown architect ()
File:7 Piața Mihail Kogălniceanu, Bucharest (01).jpg, Door of Piața Mihail Kogălniceanu no. 7 in Bucharest, unknown architect ()
File:Old photo of the Romulus Porescu House in Bucharest (01).jpg, Mixed with Beaux-Arts architecture
Beaux-Arts architecture ( , ) was the academic architectural style taught at the in Paris, particularly from the 1830s to the end of the 19th century. It drew upon the principles of French neoclassicism, but also incorporated Renaissance and ...
- Romulus Porescu House (Strada Doctor Paleologu no. 12) in Bucharest by Dimitrie Maimarolu (1905)
File:Cazinoul din Constanta la rasarit HDR.jpg, Constanța Casino
The Constanța Casino () is a casino located in Constanța, Romania. Designated by the Ministry of Culture and National Patrimony (Romania), Romanian Ministry of Culture and National Patrimony as a Monument istoric, historic monument, the casino ...
in Constanța
Constanța (, , ) is a city in the Dobruja Historical regions of Romania, historical region of Romania. A port city, it is the capital of Constanța County and the country's Cities in Romania, fourth largest city and principal port on the Black ...
by Daniel Renard and Petre Antonescu (1905–1910)
File:72-74 Strada Lipscani, Bucharest (01).jpg, Mixed with Beaux-Arts architecture - Former Al. Assan shop ( Strada Lipscani no. 72–74) in Bucharest, unknown architect (before 1906)
File:9 Strada Biserica Amzei, Bucharest (01).jpg, Mixed with Beaux-Arts architecture - Mița the Cyclist House in Bucharest by Nicolae C. Mihăescu (1908), mix of Beaux Arts and Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau appeared in Romania during the same years as in Western Europe (early 1890s until the outbreak of World War I in 1914), but here few of the buildings are in this style, the
Beaux-Arts style being predominant. The most famous is the
Constanța Casino
The Constanța Casino () is a casino located in Constanța, Romania. Designated by the Ministry of Culture and National Patrimony (Romania), Romanian Ministry of Culture and National Patrimony as a Monument istoric, historic monument, the casino ...
. Most of the Romanian examples of Art Nouveau architecture are actually mixes of Beaux Arts and Art Nouveau, like the Romulus Porescu House or house no. 61 on Strada Vasile Lascăr, both in Bucharest. This is similar to what was happening in France, where eclecticism was more popular, pure Art Nouveau buildings and structures being relatively rare. Despite most houses from the reign of Carol I being Beaux-Arts, some of them have Art Nouveau stoves inside, since the style of the exterior did not always dictate that of the stove or the entire interior.
Stefan Luchian - Tanara - desen pentru coperta revistei Ileana.jpg, ''Young woman'' by Ștefan Luchian, drawing for the cover of ''Ileana'' magazine (1900)
Stefan luchian, pannello decorativo con primavera, 1901.JPG, ''Spring'', decorative panel by Luchian (1901)
Allegorical Scene (Woman with Lyre - Allegory of Music), by Nicolae Vermont, 1903.jpg, ''Woman with Lyre'' (Allegory of Music) by Nicolae Vermont (1903)
Elena Alexandrina Bednarik - Zâna apelor.jpg, ''The Water Fairy'' by Elena Alexandrina Bednarik (1908)
File:Art Nouveau polychrome tiled stove in the Mița the Cyclist House, Bucharest (04).jpg, Stove in the Mița the Cyclist House (Strada Biserica Amzei no. 9), Bucharest, possibly designed by Nicolae C. Mihăescu (1908)
One of the most notable Art Nouveau painters from Romania was
Ștefan Luchian, who quickly took over the innovative and decorative directions of Art Nouveau for a short period of time. This period coincided with the founding of the Ileana Society in 1897, of which he was a founding member, a society that organized an exhibition at the Union Hotel titled ''The Exhibition of Independent Artists'' (1898) and published the ''Ileana Magazine''.
Transylvania
Transylvania ( or ; ; or ; Transylvanian Saxon dialect, Transylvanian Saxon: ''Siweberjen'') is a List of historical regions of Central Europe, historical and cultural region in Central Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and ...
has examples of both Art Nouveau and Romanian Revival buildings, the former being from the Austro-Hungarian era. Most of them can be found in
Oradea
Oradea (, , ; ; ) is a city in Romania, located in the Crișana region. It serves as the administrative county seat, seat of Bihor County and an economic, social, and cultural hub in northwestern Romania. The city lies between rolling hills on ...
, nicknamed the "Art Nouveau capital of Romania", but also in
Timișoara
Timișoara (, , ; , also or ; ; ; see #Etymology, other names) is the capital city of Timiș County, Banat, and the main economic, social and cultural center in Western Romania. Located on the Bega (Tisza), Bega River, Timișoara is consider ...
,
Târgu Mureș
Târgu Mureș (, ; ; German language, German: ''Neumarkt am Mieresch'') is the seat of Mureș County in the historical region of Transylvania, Romania. It is the list of cities and towns in Romania, 16th-largest city in Romania, with 116,033 ...
and
Sibiu
Sibiu ( , , , Hungarian: ''Nagyszeben'', , Transylvanian Saxon: ''Härmeschtat'' or ''Hermestatt'') is a city in central Romania, situated in the historical region of Transylvania. Located some north-west of Bucharest, the city straddles th ...
.
''Stile Liberty'' in Italy
File:Villino Florio.jpg, Villino Florio in Palermo
Palermo ( ; ; , locally also or ) is a city in southern Italy, the capital (political), capital of both the autonomous area, autonomous region of Sicily and the Metropolitan City of Palermo, the city's surrounding metropolitan province. The ...
by Ernesto Basile (1899–1902)
File:20161207 Palazzo Castiglioni.jpg, Palazzo Castiglioni in Milan
Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...
by Giuseppe Sommaruga (1901–1903)
File:Leonardo Bistolfi - Prima Esposizione Internazionale d’Arte Decorativa Moderna, Torino 1902.jpg, Poster for the 1902 Turin Exposition by Leonardo Bistolfi
File:Cobra Chair and Writing Desk..jpg, ''Cobra'' chair and desk by Carlo Bugatti (1902), in the Brooklyn Museum
The Brooklyn Museum is an art museum in the New York City borough (New York City), borough of Brooklyn. At , the museum is New York City's second largest and contains an art collection with around 500,000 objects. Located near the Prospect Heig ...
, New York City
File:Malpighi12 cancello1.JPG, Entrance of Casa Guazzoni in Milan by Giovanni Battista Bossi (1904–1906)
Art Nouveau in Italy was known as , , and especially .
Liberty style
Liberty style ( ) was the Italian variant of Art Nouveau, which flourished between about 1890 and 1914. It was also sometimes known as ("floral style"), ("new art"), or ("modern style" not to be confused with the Spanish variant of Art Nouveau ...
took its name from
Arthur Lasenby Liberty and the store he founded in 1874 in London,
Liberty
Liberty is the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one's way of life, behavior, or political views. The concept of liberty can vary depending on perspective and context. In the Constitutional ...
department store, which specialised in importing ornaments, textiles and art objects from Japan and the Far East, and whose colourful textiles which were particularly popular in Italy. Notable Italian designers in the style included
Galileo Chini, whose ceramics were often inspired both by
majolica
In different periods of time and in different countries, the term ''majolica'' has been used for two distinct types of pottery.
Firstly, from the mid-15th century onwards, ''maiolica'' was a type of pottery reaching Italy from Spain, Majorca a ...
patterns. He was later known as a painter and a theatrical scenery designer; he designed the sets for two celebrated Puccini operas ''
Gianni Schicchi'' and ''
Turandot
''Turandot'' ( ; see #Origin and pronunciation of the name, below) is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini to a libretto in Italian by Giuseppe Adami and Renato Simoni. Puccini left the opera unfinished at the time of his death in 1924; it ...
''.
Liberty style architecture varied greatly, and often followed historical styles, particularly the Baroque. Façades were often drenched with decoration and sculpture. Examples of the Liberty style include the Villino Florio (1899–1902) by
Ernesto Basile in
Palermo
Palermo ( ; ; , locally also or ) is a city in southern Italy, the capital (political), capital of both the autonomous area, autonomous region of Sicily and the Metropolitan City of Palermo, the city's surrounding metropolitan province. The ...
; the
Palazzo Castiglioni in
Milan
Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...
by
Giuseppe Sommaruga (1901–1903); Milan, and the
Casa Guazzoni (1904–05) in Milan by Giovanni Battista Bossi (1904–06).
Colorful frescoes, painted or in ceramics, and sculpture, both in the interior and exterior, were a popular feature of Liberty style. They drew upon both classical and floral themes. as in the baths of Acque della Salute, and in the Casa Guazzoni in Milan.
The most important figure in
Liberty style
Liberty style ( ) was the Italian variant of Art Nouveau, which flourished between about 1890 and 1914. It was also sometimes known as ("floral style"), ("new art"), or ("modern style" not to be confused with the Spanish variant of Art Nouveau ...
design was
Carlo Bugatti, the son of an architect and decorator, father of
Rembrandt Bugatti, Liberty sculptor, and of
Ettore Bugatti, famous automobile designer. He studied at the
Milanese Academy of Brera, and later the in Paris. His work was distinguished by its exoticism and eccentricity, included silverware, textiles, ceramics, and musical instruments, but he is best remembered for his innovative furniture designs, shown first in the 1888 Milan Fine Arts Fair. His furniture often featured a keyhole design, and had unusual coverings, including parchment and silk, and inlays of bone and ivory. It also sometimes had surprising organic shapes, copied after snails and cobras.
Art Nouveau and Secession in Serbia
File:Pančevo Banka2.JPG, Pučka Bank in Pančevo
Pančevo (Serbian Cyrillic: Панчево, ; ; ; ; ) is a list of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the South Banat District in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. It is located on the shores of rivers Timiș (ri ...
by Albert Kálmán Kőrössy and Ullmann Gyula (1868)
File:Zgrada Ministarstva prosvete u Beogradu - 0035.JPG, House of Vuk's Foundation in Belgrade
Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
by Aleksandar Bugarski (1879)
File:Jodna banja u Novom Sadu 2022.jpg, Iodine Spa in Novi Sad
Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; #Name, see below for other names) is the List of cities in Serbia, second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the Pannoni ...
(1897)
File:Wiki.Vojvodina VII Subotica 4599 03.jpg, Subotica Synagogue
The Subotica Synagogue, officially the Jakab and Komor Square Synagogue in Subotica (; ), is a former Neolog Jewish congregation and synagogue, located in Subotica, Serbia.
Completed in 1903 in the Hungarian Art Nouveau style, the synagogue ...
by Marcell Komor and Dezső Jakab (1901)
File:Centar I, Subotica, Serbia - panoramio (3).jpg, Raichle Palace in Subotica
Subotica (, ; , , ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city in Central Europe and the administrative center of the North Bačka District in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. Formerly the largest city of Vojvodina region, contemporary Sub ...
(1904)
File:Small Bridge in Zrenjanin, Serbia..jpg, Karađorđević Bridge (previously named Franz Josef Bridge) in Zrenjanin
Zrenjanin ( sr-Cyrl, Зрењанин, ; ; ; ; ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the Central Banat District in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. The city urban area has a population of 67,129 inh ...
(1904)
File:Sinagoga u Novom Sadu.JPG, Novi Sad Synagogue by Lipót Baumhorn
Lipót Baumhorn (, , 28 December 1860, Kisbér – 8 July 1932, Kisbér) was a Hungarian people, Hungarian architect of Jewish heritage, the most influential Hungarian synagogue architect in the first half of the 20th century. He drew blueprints ...
(1905)
File:Beograd Kuca trgovca Stamenkovica Kralja Petra 41.jpg, Building of Merchant Stamenković in Belgrade by Nikola Nestorović and Andra Stevanović (1907)
File:Hotel Moskva (Belgrade).jpg, Hotel Moskva in Belgrade by Jovan Ilkić (1908)
File:Novisad7.jpg, Menrat's Palace in Novi Sad by Lipót Baumhorn
Lipót Baumhorn (, , 28 December 1860, Kisbér – 8 July 1932, Kisbér) was a Hungarian people, Hungarian architect of Jewish heritage, the most influential Hungarian synagogue architect in the first half of the 20th century. He drew blueprints ...
(1908)
File:Centar I, Subotica, Serbia - panoramio (4).jpg, Subotica City Hall by Dezső Jakab (1910)
File:House of Mika Alas in 2020 (2).jpg, Mika Alas's House in Belgrade by Petar Bajalović (1910)
Due to the close proximity to Austria–Hungary and
Vojvodina
Vojvodina ( ; sr-Cyrl, Војводина, ), officially the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, is an Autonomous administrative division, autonomous province that occupies the northernmost part of Serbia, located in Central Europe. It lies withi ...
being part of the empire until 1918, both the Vienna Secession and Hungarian Szecesszió were prevalent movements in what is today's northern Serbia, as well as the Capital of
Belgrade
Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
. Famous Austrian and Hungarian architects would design many buildings in
Subotica
Subotica (, ; , , ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city in Central Europe and the administrative center of the North Bačka District in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. Formerly the largest city of Vojvodina region, contemporary Sub ...
,
Novi Sad
Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; #Name, see below for other names) is the List of cities in Serbia, second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the Pannoni ...
,
Palić
Palić ( sr-Cyrl, Палић; ; ) is a town located in the city of Subotica, North Bačka District, autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. It is also located from the border between Serbia and Hungary. The town has a Hungarian ethnic majority ...
,
Zrenjanin
Zrenjanin ( sr-Cyrl, Зрењанин, ; ; ; ; ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the Central Banat District in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. The city urban area has a population of 67,129 inh ...
,
Vrbas,
Senta
Senta ( sr-cyrl, Сента, ; Hungarian language, Hungarian: ''Zenta'', ; Romanian language, Romanian: ''Zenta'') is a town and municipality located in Vojvodina, Serbia. It is situated on the bank of the Tisza, Tisa river in the geographical ...
, and
Kikinda
Kikinda ( sr-Cyrl, Кикинда, ; ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the North Banat District in Serbia. The city's urban area has 32,084 inhabitants, while the city administrative area has 49,326 inhabit ...
. Art Nouveau heritage in
Belgrade
Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
,
Pančevo
Pančevo (Serbian Cyrillic: Панчево, ; ; ; ; ) is a list of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the South Banat District in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. It is located on the shores of rivers Timiș (ri ...
,
Aranđelovac
Aranđelovac ( sr-cyr, Аранђеловац, ) is a town and a municipality located in the Šumadija District of central Serbia. , the municipality has a population of 41,297 inhabitants, while the town has 22,881 inhabitants.
It is situated ben ...
, and
Vrnjačka Banja
Vrnjačka Banja ( sr-cyr, Врњачка Бања) is a town and municipality located in the Raška District of central Serbia. The population of the town is 9,252 inhabitants, while the population of the municipality is 25,065 inhabitants (2022 ce ...
are a mixture of French, German, Austrian, Hungarian, and local Serbian movements. From the curvy floral beauty of the Subotica's Synagogue to the Morava-style inspired rosettes on Belgrade's telegraph building, Art Nouveau architecture takes various shapes in present-day Serbia.
In the early 1900s, north of the Sava and the Danube, resurgent Hungarian national sentiment infused the buildings in
Subotica
Subotica (, ; , , ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city in Central Europe and the administrative center of the North Bačka District in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. Formerly the largest city of Vojvodina region, contemporary Sub ...
and
Senta
Senta ( sr-cyrl, Сента, ; Hungarian language, Hungarian: ''Zenta'', ; Romanian language, Romanian: ''Zenta'') is a town and municipality located in Vojvodina, Serbia. It is situated on the bank of the Tisza, Tisa river in the geographical ...
with local floral ethnic motifs, while in the tiny Kingdom of Serbia, national romantics like Branko Tanezević and Dragutin Inkiostiri-Medenjak (both born in the Austro-Hungarian Empire), translated Serbia's traditional motifs into marvellous buildings. Other architects, like Milan Antonović and Nikola Nestorović brought the then-fashionable sinuous lines and natural motifs to the homes and businesses of their wealthy patrons, so they could show off their worldliness and keeping up with the trends in Paris, Munich and Vienna.
''Modernismo'' and ''Modernisme'' in Spain
File:El Capricho Gaudí 02.jpg, El Capricho de Gaudí in Comillas, Cantabria
Cantabria (, ; ) is an autonomous community and Provinces of Spain, province in northern Spain with Santander, Cantabria, Santander as its capital city. It is called a , a Nationalities and regions of Spain, historic community, in its current ...
, by Antoni Gaudí
Antoni Gaudí i Cornet ( , ; ; 25 June 1852 – 10 June 1926) was a Catalans, Catalan architect and designer from Spain, widely known as the greatest exponent of Catalan ''Modernisme''. Gaudí's works have a style, with most located in Barc ...
(1883–1885)
File:Σαγράδα Φαμίλια 2941.jpg, Sagrada Família
The Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família, otherwise known as Sagrada Família, is a church under construction in the Eixample district of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It is the largest unfinished Catholic church in the world. Desi ...
basilica in Barcelona
Barcelona ( ; ; ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...
by Gaudí (1883–)
File:17-12-03-Hospital de Sant Pau (BCN) Pavelló de Sant Rafael-RalfR-DSCF0580.jpg, Hospital de Sant Pau by Lluis Domenech i Montaner (1901–1930)
File:Gaudi Casa Batllo 02.jpg, Trencadís
''Trencadís'' (), also known as pique assiette, broken tile mosaics, bits and pieces, memoryware, and shardware, is a type of mosaic made from cemented-together tile shards and broken chinaware. It is commonly associated with Antoni Gaudi (see b ...
façade of Casa Batlló
() is a building in the center of Barcelona, Spain. It was designed by Antoni Gaudí, and is considered one of his masterpieces. A remodel of a previously built house, it was redesigned in 1904 by Gaudí (but the actual construction works hadn't ...
in Barcelona by Gaudí and Josep Maria Jujol (1904–1906)
File:Casa Milà, general view.jpg, Casa Milà
Casa Milà (, ), popularly known as ''La Pedrera'' (, ; "the stone quarry") in reference to its unconventional rough-hewn appearance, is a ''Modernisme, Modernista'' building in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It was the last private residence desi ...
in Barcelona by Gaudí (1906–1912)[Chronology](_blank)
- Official website of Casa Milà
File:PiC-casaTerrades-RI 51 0004201-0002.jpg, Casa de les Punxes in Barcelona by Josep Puig i Cadafalch
Josep Puig i Cadafalch (; 17 October 1867 in Mataró – 21 December 1956 in Barcelona) was a Spanish architect who designed many significant buildings in Barcelona, and a politician who had a significant role in the development of Catalan regio ...
(1905)
File:Casa Gallardo.jpg, Casa Gallardo in Madrid
Madrid ( ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in Spain, most populous municipality of Spain. It has almost 3.5 million inhabitants and a Madrid metropolitan area, metropolitan area population of approximately 7 million. It i ...
by Federico Arias Rey (1911–1914)
File:Santuario Novelda.jpg, in Novelda
Novelda (, ; ) is a town located in the province of Alicante, Spain. , it has a total population of 27,135 inhabitants.
Novelda has important quarries and mines of marble, limestone, silica, clay and gypsum. It is a major centre of the marble in ...
, Valencian Community
The Valencian Community is an Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Spain. It is the fourth most populous Spanish Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community after Andalusia, Catalonia and the Community of Madrid wit ...
(1918–1946)
A highly original variant of the style emerged in
Barcelona
Barcelona ( ; ; ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...
,
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationalities and regions of Spain, nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia of 2006, Statute of Autonomy. Most of its territory (except the Val d'Aran) is situate ...
, at about the same time that the Art Nouveau style appeared in Belgium and France. It was called in Catalan and ''Modernismo'' in Spanish. Its most famous creator was
Antoni Gaudí
Antoni Gaudí i Cornet ( , ; ; 25 June 1852 – 10 June 1926) was a Catalans, Catalan architect and designer from Spain, widely known as the greatest exponent of Catalan ''Modernisme''. Gaudí's works have a style, with most located in Barc ...
. Gaudí used floral and organic forms in a very novel way in ''
Palau Güell'' (1886–1890). According to UNESCO, "the architecture of the park combined elements from the Arts and Crafts movement, Symbolism, Expressionism, and Rationalism, and presaged and influenced many forms and techniques of 20th-century Modernism."
He integrated crafts as
ceramic
A ceramic is any of the various hard, brittle, heat-resistant, and corrosion-resistant materials made by shaping and then firing an inorganic, nonmetallic material, such as clay, at a high temperature. Common examples are earthenware, porcela ...
s,
stained glass
Stained glass refers to coloured glass as a material or art and architectural works created from it. Although it is traditionally made in flat panels and used as windows, the creations of modern stained glass artists also include three-dimensio ...
,
wrought iron
Wrought iron is an iron alloy with a very low carbon content (less than 0.05%) in contrast to that of cast iron (2.1% to 4.5%), or 0.25 for low carbon "mild" steel. Wrought iron is manufactured by heating and melting high carbon cast iron in an ...
work
forging
Forging is a manufacturing process involving the shaping of metal using localized compression (physics), compressive forces. The blows are delivered with a hammer (often a power hammer) or a die (manufacturing), die. Forging is often classif ...
and
carpentry
Carpentry is a skilled trade and a craft in which the primary work performed is the cutting, shaping and installation of building materials during the construction of buildings, Shipbuilding, ships, timber bridges, concrete formwork, etc. C ...
into his architecture. In his
Güell Pavilions (1884–1887) and then
Parc Güell (1900–1914) he also used a new technique called ''
trencadís
''Trencadís'' (), also known as pique assiette, broken tile mosaics, bits and pieces, memoryware, and shardware, is a type of mosaic made from cemented-together tile shards and broken chinaware. It is commonly associated with Antoni Gaudi (see b ...
'', which used waste ceramic pieces. His designs from about 1903, the ''
Casa Batlló
() is a building in the center of Barcelona, Spain. It was designed by Antoni Gaudí, and is considered one of his masterpieces. A remodel of a previously built house, it was redesigned in 1904 by Gaudí (but the actual construction works hadn't ...
'' (1904–1906) and ''
Casa Milà
Casa Milà (, ), popularly known as ''La Pedrera'' (, ; "the stone quarry") in reference to its unconventional rough-hewn appearance, is a ''Modernisme, Modernista'' building in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It was the last private residence desi ...
'' (1906–1912),
are most closely related to the stylistic elements of Art Nouveau.
[Duncan (1994), p. 52.] Later structures such as ''
Sagrada Família
The Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família, otherwise known as Sagrada Família, is a church under construction in the Eixample district of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It is the largest unfinished Catholic church in the world. Desi ...
'' combined Art Nouveau elements with revivalist
Neo-Gothic
Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic or neo-Gothic) is an architectural movement that after a gradual build-up beginning in the second half of the 17th century became a widespread movement in the first half of the 19th century ...
.
Casa Batlló
() is a building in the center of Barcelona, Spain. It was designed by Antoni Gaudí, and is considered one of his masterpieces. A remodel of a previously built house, it was redesigned in 1904 by Gaudí (but the actual construction works hadn't ...
,
Casa Milà
Casa Milà (, ), popularly known as ''La Pedrera'' (, ; "the stone quarry") in reference to its unconventional rough-hewn appearance, is a ''Modernisme, Modernista'' building in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It was the last private residence desi ...
,
Güell Pavilions, and
Parc Güell were results of his collaboration with
Josep Maria Jujol, who himself created houses in
Sant Joan Despí (1913–1926), several churches near
Tarragona
Tarragona (, ; ) is a coastal city and municipality in Catalonia (Spain). It is the capital and largest town of Tarragonès county, the Camp de Tarragona region and the province of Tarragona. Geographically, it is located on the Costa Daurada ar ...
(1918 and 1926) and the sinuous Casa Planells (1924) in
Barcelona
Barcelona ( ; ; ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...
.
Besides the dominating presence of Gaudí,
Lluís Domènech i Montaner
Lluís Domènech i Montaner (; 21 December 1850 – 27 December 1923) was a Catalan architect who was very much involved in and influential for the Catalan '' Modernisme català'', the Art Nouveau/ Jugendstil movement. He was also a Catalan pol ...
also used Art Nouveau in Barcelona in buildings such as the
Castell dels Tres Dragons (1888),
Casa Lleó Morera,
Palau de la Música Catalana
Palau de la Música Catalana (, ) is a concert hall in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Designed in the Catalan ''modernisme, modernista'' style by the architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner, it was built between 1905 and 1908 for Orfeó Català, a ...
(1905) and
Hospital de Sant Pau (1901–1930).
The two latter buildings have been listed by
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
as
World Cultural Heritage.
Another major modernista was
Josep Puig i Cadafalch
Josep Puig i Cadafalch (; 17 October 1867 in Mataró – 21 December 1956 in Barcelona) was a Spanish architect who designed many significant buildings in Barcelona, and a politician who had a significant role in the development of Catalan regio ...
, who designed the
Casa Martí and its café, the Casimir Casaramona textile factory (now the
CaixaFòrum art museum), Casa Macaya,
Casa Amatller, the Palau del Baró de Quadras (housing Casa Àsia for 10 years until 2013) and the ('House of Spikes').
A
distinctive Art Nouveau movement was also in the
Valencian Community
The Valencian Community is an Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Spain. It is the fourth most populous Spanish Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community after Andalusia, Catalonia and the Community of Madrid wit ...
. Some of the notable architects were Demetrio Ribes Marco,
Vicente Pascual Pastor,
Timoteo Briet Montaud, and
José María Manuel Cortina Pérez. Valencian Art Nouveau defining characteristics are a notable use of ceramics in decoration, both in the façade and in ornamentation, and also the use of Valencian regional motives.
Another remarkable variant is the
Madrilenian Art Nouveau or , with such notable buildings as the
Longoria Palace, the
Casino de Madrid or the
Cementerio de la Almudena
The ''Cementerio de Nuestra Señora de La Almudena'' (), former ''Necrópolis del Este'' (East cemetery) is a cemetery in Madrid, Spain. It is the largest in Western Europe. The number of bodies buried is estimated at five million since it was th ...
, among others. Renowned modernistas from Madrid were architects
José López Sallaberry,
Fernando Arbós y Tremanti and .
File:Ramon Casas - Ramon Casas and Pere Romeu on a Tandem - Google Art Project.jpg, Ramon Casas and Pere Romeu on a Tandem by Ramon Casas
Ramon Casas i Carbó (; 4 January 1866 – 29 February 1932) was a Spanish artist. Living through a turbulent time in the history of his native Barcelona, Catalonia, he was known as a portraitist, sketching and painting the intellectual, ec ...
(1897)
File:El Petó Perdut. Lambert Escaler i Milà.JPG, Sculpture of polychrome terracota by (1902)
File:140 La sardana, plafó de marqueteria de Gaspar Homar.jpg, Furniture by (1903)
File:Gaudi-prie-dieu.jpg, Prie Dieu, or prayer desk, designed by Antoni Gaudí
Antoni Gaudí i Cornet ( , ; ; 25 June 1852 – 10 June 1926) was a Catalans, Catalan architect and designer from Spain, widely known as the greatest exponent of Catalan ''Modernisme''. Gaudí's works have a style, with most located in Barc ...
for Casa Batlló
() is a building in the center of Barcelona, Spain. It was designed by Antoni Gaudí, and is considered one of his masterpieces. A remodel of a previously built house, it was redesigned in 1904 by Gaudí (but the actual construction works hadn't ...
(1904–1906)
File:Palau de la Música Catalana-1.jpg, Stained glass ceiling of Palau de la Música Catalana
Palau de la Música Catalana (, ) is a concert hall in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Designed in the Catalan ''modernisme, modernista'' style by the architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner, it was built between 1905 and 1908 for Orfeó Català, a ...
by Antoni Rigalt (1905–1908)
File:Detall dels vitralls del palau de l'Exposició de València.jpg, Window of the Palace of the Valencian Regional Exposition, in Valencia
Valencia ( , ), formally València (), is the capital of the Province of Valencia, province and Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Valencian Community, the same name in Spain. It is located on the banks of the Turia (r ...
(1908)
The movement left a wide art heritage including drawings, paintings, sculptures, glass and metal work, mosaics, ceramics, and furniture. A part of it can be found in
Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya
The (; ), abbreviated as MNAC (), is a museum of Catalonia, Catalan visual art located in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Situated on Montjuïc hill at the end of Avinguda de la Reina Maria Cristina, near Plaça d'Espanya, Barcelona, Pl Espanya, th ...
.
Inspired by a Paris café called
Le Chat Noir
(; French for "The Black Cat") was a 19th century entertainment establishment in the Montmartre district of Paris. It was opened on 18 November 1881 at 84 Boulevard de Rochechouart by impresario Rodolphe Salis, and closed in 1897 not long ...
, where he had previously worked, decided to open a café in Barcelona that was named (Four Cats in Catalan). The café became a central meeting point for Barcelona's most prominent figures of ''Modernisme'', such as
Pablo Picasso
Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santísima Trinidad Ruiz y Picasso (25 October 1881 – 8 April 1973) was a Spanish painter, sculptor, printmaker, Ceramic art, ceramicist, and Scenic ...
and
Ramon Casas i Carbó who helped to promote the movement by his posters and postcards. For the café he created a picture called
Ramon Casas and Pere Romeu on a Tandem that was replaced with his another composition entitled
Ramon Casas and Pere Romeu in an Automobile in 1901, symbolizing the new century.
Antoni Gaudí
Antoni Gaudí i Cornet ( , ; ; 25 June 1852 – 10 June 1926) was a Catalans, Catalan architect and designer from Spain, widely known as the greatest exponent of Catalan ''Modernisme''. Gaudí's works have a style, with most located in Barc ...
designed furniture for many of the houses he built; one example is an armchair called the
for the Battle House. He influenced another notable Catalan furniture designer, (1870–1953) who often combined marquetry and mosaics with his furnishings.
''Arte Nova'' in Portugal
File:PRO ARTE (23943640572).jpg, Museum-Residence Dr. Anastácio Gonçalves in Lisbon
Lisbon ( ; ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 567,131, as of 2023, within its administrative limits and 3,028,000 within the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, metropolis, as of 2025. Lisbon is mainlan ...
(1904–05)
File:A Livraria Lello e Irmão-A ponte de encanto.jpg, Livraria Lello bookstore in Porto
Porto (), also known in English language, English as Oporto, is the List of cities in Portugal, second largest city in Portugal, after Lisbon. It is the capital of the Porto District and one of the Iberian Peninsula's major urban areas. Porto c ...
(1906)
File:Aveiro Casa do Major Pessoa 856.jpg, Façade of Major Pessoa Residence in Aveiro (1907–1909)
File:Porta Assimétrica Casa do Major Pessoa.jpg, Atrium of Major Pessoa Residence
File:Avenida Almirante Reis n 2 (fachada L Intendente) 7146.jpg, Details of Almirante Reis, 2-2K building in Lisbon (1908)
File:Azulejo Casa da Cooperativa Agrícola em Aveiro.jpg, Ceramic tile of Cooperativa Agrícola in Aveiro (1913)
The Art Nouveau variant in
Aveiro (Portugal) was called ''Arte Nova'', and its principal characteristic feature was ostentation: the style was used by bourgeoisie who wanted to express their wealth on the façades while leaving the interiors conservative.
Another distinctive feature of Arte Nova was the use of locally produced tiles with Art Nouveau motifs.
The most influential artist of Arte Nova was Francisco Augusto da Silva Rocha.
Though he was not trained as an architect, he designed many buildings in Aveiro and in other cities in Portugal.
One of them, the Major Pessoa residence, has both an Art Nouveau façade and interior, and now hosts the Museum of Arte Nova.
There are other examples of Arte Nova in other cities of Portugal. Some of them are the
Museum-Residence Dr. Anastácio Gonçalves by (1904–1905) in
Lisbon
Lisbon ( ; ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 567,131, as of 2023, within its administrative limits and 3,028,000 within the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, metropolis, as of 2025. Lisbon is mainlan ...
,
Café Majestic
Café Majestic is an historic Coffeehouse, café, located at Rua de Santa Catarina, in Porto, Portugal.
The building is from the Art Nouveau period, reminiscent of Parisian café, Parisian cafés at the time.
History
The cafe originally ope ...
by (1921) and
Livraria Lello bookstore by (1906), both in
Porto
Porto (), also known in English language, English as Oporto, is the List of cities in Portugal, second largest city in Portugal, after Lisbon. It is the capital of the Porto District and one of the Iberian Peninsula's major urban areas. Porto c ...
.
''Jugendstil'' in the Nordic countries
Finland
File:Lart nouveau à Helsinki limmeuble Pohjola (7624127520).jpg, Main entrance of the Pohjola Insurance building in Helsinki
Helsinki () is the Capital city, capital and most populous List of cities and towns in Finland, city in Finland. It is on the shore of the Gulf of Finland and is the seat of southern Finland's Uusimaa region. About people live in the municipali ...
, sculptures by Hilda Flodin (1899–1901)
File:Tampere Cathedral.jpg, Tampere Cathedral
Tampere Cathedral (, ; originally known as St. John's Church) is a Lutheran church in Tampere, Finland, and the seat of the Diocese of Tampere. The building was designed in the National Romantic style by Lars Sonck, and built between 1902 and 190 ...
in the Finnish National Romantic Style
The National Romantic style was a Nordic architectural style that was part of the National Romantic movement during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It is often considered to be a form of Art Nouveau.
The National Romantic style spread ...
by Lars Sonck
Lars Eliel Sonck (10 August 1870 – 14 March 1956) was a Finnish architect. He was a prominent figure in early 20th-century Finnish architecture, known for his role in developing the National Romantic and later Nordic Classicism movements in ...
(1902–1907)
File:Gallen-Kallela - Tuonelan joella.JPG, ''By the River of Tuonela'' in the Finnish National Romantic Style
The National Romantic style was a Nordic architectural style that was part of the National Romantic movement during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It is often considered to be a form of Art Nouveau.
The National Romantic style spread ...
by Akseli Gallen-Kallela
Akseli Gallen-Kallela (born Axel Waldemar Gallén; 26 April 1865 – 7 March 1931) was a Finnish painter who is best known for his illustrations of the ''Kalevala'', the Finnish national epic poetry, epic. His work is considered a very importa ...
(1903)
File:Eliel saarinen, sedia con braccioli, helsinki 1907-08 ca.JPG, Chair by Eliel Saarinen
Gottlieb Eliel Saarinen (, ; August 20, 1873 – July 1, 1950) was a Finnish and American Architecture, architect known for his work with Art Nouveau buildings in the early years of the 20th century. He was also the father of famed architect Ee ...
(1907–1908)
File:Estación central de FF.CC. de Helsinki, Finlandia, 2012-08-14, DD 04.JPG, Statues at Helsinki Central railway station
Helsinki Central Station (, ) (List of IATA-indexed railway stations, HEC) is the main station for commuter rail and long-distance trains departing from Helsinki, Finland. About 200,000 people "pass through the station" every day, half of whom ar ...
by Emil Wikström (1919)
Art Nouveau was popular in the
Nordic countries
The Nordic countries (also known as the Nordics or ''Norden''; ) are a geographical and cultural region in Northern Europe, as well as the Arctic Ocean, Arctic and Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic oceans. It includes the sovereign states of Denm ...
, where it was usually known as
Jugendstil
(; "Youth Style") was an artistic movement, particularly in the decorative arts, that was influential primarily in Germany, Austria and elsewhere in Europe to a lesser extent from about 1895 until about 1910. It was the German and Austrian cou ...
, and was often combined with the
National Romantic Style
The National Romantic style was a Nordic architectural style that was part of the National Romantic movement during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It is often considered to be a form of Art Nouveau.
The National Romantic style spread ...
of each country. The Nordic country with the largest number of Jugendstil buildings is the
Grand Duchy of Finland
The Grand Duchy of Finland was the predecessor state of modern Finland. It existed from 1809 to 1917 as an Autonomous region, autonomous state within the Russian Empire.
Originating in the 16th century as a titular grand duchy held by the Monarc ...
, then a part of
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...
. The Jugendstil period coincided with
Golden Age of Finnish Art and national awakening. After
Paris Exposition in 1900 the leading Finnish artist was
Akseli Gallen-Kallela
Akseli Gallen-Kallela (born Axel Waldemar Gallén; 26 April 1865 – 7 March 1931) was a Finnish painter who is best known for his illustrations of the ''Kalevala'', the Finnish national epic poetry, epic. His work is considered a very importa ...
. He is known for his illustrations of the
Kalevala
The ''Kalevala'' () is a 19th-century compilation of epic poetry, compiled by Elias Lönnrot from Karelian and Finnish oral folklore and mythology, telling a story about the Creation of the Earth, describing the controversies and retaliatory ...
, the Finnish national epic, as well as for painting numerous Judendstil buildings in the Duchy.
The architects of the Finnish pavilion at the Exposition were
Herman Gesellius,
Armas Lindgren, and
Eliel Saarinen
Gottlieb Eliel Saarinen (, ; August 20, 1873 – July 1, 1950) was a Finnish and American Architecture, architect known for his work with Art Nouveau buildings in the early years of the 20th century. He was also the father of famed architect Ee ...
. They worked together from 1896 to 1905 and created many notable buildings in
Helsinki
Helsinki () is the Capital city, capital and most populous List of cities and towns in Finland, city in Finland. It is on the shore of the Gulf of Finland and is the seat of southern Finland's Uusimaa region. About people live in the municipali ...
including
Pohjola Insurance building (1899–1901) and
National Museum of Finland (1905–1910) as well as their joint residence
Hvitträsk in
Kirkkonummi
Kirkkonummi (; , , Sweden ) is a municipality in Finland, located in the southern coast of the country. Kirkkonummi is situated in the western part of the Uusimaa region. The population of Kirkkonummi is approximately . It is the most populous Mu ...
(1902). Architects were inspired by Nordic legends and nature, rough granite façade thus became a symbol for belonging to the Finnish nation.
After the firm dissolved, Saarinen designed the
Helsinki Railway Station (1905–1914) in clearer forms, influenced by American architecture.
The sculptor who worked with Saarinen in construction of National Museum of Finland and Helsinki Railway Station was
Emil Wikström.
Another architect who created several notable works in Finland was
Lars Sonck
Lars Eliel Sonck (10 August 1870 – 14 March 1956) was a Finnish architect. He was a prominent figure in early 20th-century Finnish architecture, known for his role in developing the National Romantic and later Nordic Classicism movements in ...
. His major Jugendstil works include
Tampere Cathedral
Tampere Cathedral (, ; originally known as St. John's Church) is a Lutheran church in Tampere, Finland, and the seat of the Diocese of Tampere. The building was designed in the National Romantic style by Lars Sonck, and built between 1902 and 190 ...
(1902–1907),
Ainola, the home of
Jean Sibelius
Jean Sibelius (; ; born Johan Julius Christian Sibelius; 8 December 186520 September 1957) was a Finnish composer of the late Romantic music, Romantic and 20th-century classical music, early modern periods. He is widely regarded as his countr ...
(1903), Headquarters of the Helsinki Telephone Association (1903–1907) and
Kallio Church in Helsinki (1908–1912). Also,
Magnus Schjerfbeck, brother of
Helene Schjerfbeck, made
tuberculosis
Tuberculosis (TB), also known colloquially as the "white death", or historically as consumption, is a contagious disease usually caused by ''Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can al ...
sanatorium
A sanatorium (from Latin '' sānāre'' 'to heal'), also sanitarium or sanitorium, is a historic name for a specialised hospital for the treatment of specific diseases, related ailments, and convalescence.
Sanatoriums are often in a health ...
known as
Nummela Sanatorium in 1903 using the Jugendstil style.
Norway
File:Lars kinsarvik, poltroncina, norvegia ante 1900, 02.JPG, Viking-Art Nouveau chair by Lars Kinsarvik (1900)
File:Jugendstilsenteret.jpg, Art Nouveau Centre in Ålesund
Ålesund () is a List of towns and cities in Norway, town in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The town is the administrative centre of Ålesund Municipality. The centre of the town of Ålesund lies on the islands of Hessa, Aspøya, Ålesund, Asp� ...
(1905–1907)
File:Norges kongesagaer-Tittelblad 1914-utgave-G. Munthe.jpg, Graphic design by Gerhard Munthe
Gerhard Peter Frantz Munthe (19 July 1849 in Elverum (town), Elverum, Hedmark – 15 January 1929 in Lysaker, Bærum Municipality, Bærum) was a Norwegian painter and illustrator.
Background
Munthe was born in Elverum (town), Elverum to physicia ...
(1914)
File:JS Spisestue.jpg, Interior of Art Nouveau Centre in Ålesund
File:Ornaments from a door (8474785119).jpg, Ornaments of a door in Art Nouveau Centre in Ålesund
Norway also was aspiring independence (from Sweden) and local Art Nouveau was connected with a revival inspired by
Viking
Vikings were seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway, and Sweden),
who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded, and settled throughout parts of Europe.Roesdahl, pp. 9� ...
folk art and crafts. Notable designers included Lars Kisarvik, who designed chairs with traditional Viking and
Celtic
Celtic, Celtics or Keltic may refer to:
Language and ethnicity
*pertaining to Celts, a collection of Indo-European peoples in Europe and Anatolia
**Celts (modern)
*Celtic languages
**Proto-Celtic language
*Celtic music
*Celtic nations
Sports Foot ...
patterns, and
Gerhard Munthe
Gerhard Peter Frantz Munthe (19 July 1849 in Elverum (town), Elverum, Hedmark – 15 January 1929 in Lysaker, Bærum Municipality, Bærum) was a Norwegian painter and illustrator.
Background
Munthe was born in Elverum (town), Elverum to physicia ...
, who designed a chair with a stylised dragon-head emblem from ancient Viking ships, as well as a wide variety of posters, paintings and graphics.
The Norwegian
town of Ålesund is regarded as the main centre of Art Nouveau in Scandinavia because it was completely reconstructed after a fire of 23 January 1904.
About 350 buildings were built between 1904 and 1907 under an urban plan designed by the engineer Frederik Næsser. The merger of unity and variety gave birth to a style known as Ål Stil. Buildings of the style have linear decor and echoes of both Jugendstil and vernacular elements, e.g. towers of
stave churches or the crested roofs.
One of the buildings, Swan Pharmacy, now hosts the
Art Nouveau Centre.
Sweden and Denmark
Vase with blackberry, painting by Per Algot Eriksson, Porzellanfabrik Rorstrand, Stockholm, silver by E. Lefebvre, Paris, porcelain and silver - Bröhan Museum, Berlin - DSC04069.JPG, Vase with blackberry, painting by Per Algot Eriksson, and silver by E. Lefebvre, in the Bröhan Museum, Berlin
Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...
File:Mocha Cup and Saucer from the 'Iris' Service LACMA AC1998.265.25.1-.2.jpg, Cup and saucer from the 'iris' service (1897), in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) is an art museum located on Wilshire Boulevard in the Miracle Mile vicinity of Los Angeles. LACMA is on Museum Row, adjacent to the La Brea Tar Pits (George C. Page Museum).
LACMA was founded in 1961 ...
File: Inkwell and stamp box, by Jens Dahl-Jensen, Copenhagen, c. 1900, Bing and Grondahl porcelain - Hessisches Landesmuseum Darmstadt - Darmstadt, Germany - DSC00749.jpg, Inkwell and stamp box, by Jens Dahl-Jensen (), in the Hessisches Landesmuseum Darmstadt, Germany
File:Erhvervsarkivet-Læsesalen.jpg, Great Hall of City Library of Aarhus
Aarhus (, , ; officially spelled Århus from 1948 until 1 January 2011) is the second-largest city in Denmark and the seat of Aarhus municipality, Aarhus Municipality. It is located on the eastern shore of Jutland in the Kattegat sea and app ...
by Karl Hansen Reistrup
File:Engelbrektskyrkan, altare.jpg, Altar of Engelbrektskyrkan in Stockholm
Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...
(1914)
File:Baltiska_1914b.jpg, Poster for the Baltic Exhibition
The Baltic Exhibition () was held in Malmö, Sweden from 15 May to 4 October 1914. (The official closing date, September 30, was later extended by four days, as permitted in the general rules.)
A Swedish world's fair
The event showcased the indust ...
in Malmö
Malmö is the List of urban areas in Sweden by population, third-largest city in Sweden, after Stockholm and Gothenburg, and the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, sixth-largest city in Nordic countries, the Nordic region. Located on ...
(1914)
Jugendstil masterpieces of other Nordic countries include
Engelbrektskyrkan (1914) and
Royal Dramatic Theatre
The Royal Dramatic Theatre (, colloquially ''Dramaten'') is Sweden's national stage for "spoken drama", founded in 1788. Around one thousand shows are put on annually on the theatre's five running stages.
The theatre has been at its present lo ...
(1901–1908) in
Stockholm
Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...
, Sweden and former City Library (now
Danish National Business Archives) in
Aarhus
Aarhus (, , ; officially spelled Århus from 1948 until 1 January 2011) is the second-largest city in Denmark and the seat of Aarhus municipality, Aarhus Municipality. It is located on the eastern shore of Jutland in the Kattegat sea and app ...
, Denmark (1898–1901). The architect of the latter is
Hack Kampmann, then a proponent of
National Romantic Style
The National Romantic style was a Nordic architectural style that was part of the National Romantic movement during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It is often considered to be a form of Art Nouveau.
The National Romantic style spread ...
who also created
Custom House
A custom house or customs house was traditionally a building housing the offices for a jurisdictional government whose officials oversaw the functions associated with importing and exporting goods into and out of a country, such as collecting ...
,
Theatre
Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors to present experiences of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a Stage (theatre), stage. The performe ...
and
Villa Kampen in
Aarhus
Aarhus (, , ; officially spelled Århus from 1948 until 1 January 2011) is the second-largest city in Denmark and the seat of Aarhus municipality, Aarhus Municipality. It is located on the eastern shore of Jutland in the Kattegat sea and app ...
. Denmark's most notable Art Nouveau designer was the silversmith
Georg Jensen
Georg Arthur Jensen (31 August 1866 in Rådvad – 2 October 1935 in Copenhagen) was a Danish silversmith and founder of Georg Jensen A/S (also known as Georg Jensen Sølvsmedie).
Early life
Born in 1866, Jensen was the son of a knife gri ...
. The
Baltic Exhibition
The Baltic Exhibition () was held in Malmö, Sweden from 15 May to 4 October 1914. (The official closing date, September 30, was later extended by four days, as permitted in the general rules.)
A Swedish world's fair
The event showcased the indust ...
in Malmö 1914 can be seen as the last major manifestation of the Jugendstil in Sweden.
''Modern'' in Russia
File:Fabergé egg Rome 03.JPG, An Art Nouveau Fabergé egg (1898)
File:Firebird.jpg, Illustration of the ''Firebird
Firebird and fire bird may refer to:
Mythical birds
* Phoenix (mythology), sacred firebird found in the mythologies of many cultures
** Fenghuang, sometimes called Chinese phoenix
* Vermilion bird, one of the four symbols of the Chinese constella ...
'' by Ivan Bilibin
Ivan Yakovlevich Bilibin (, ; – 7 February 1942) was a Russian illustrator and stage designer who took part in the '' Mir iskusstva'' ("World of Art"), contributed to the Ballets Russes, co-founded the Union of Russian Artists, and from 1937 ...
(1899)
File:Sergueï vassilievitch malioutine per manifatture di talachkino, coppia di sedie, smolensk 1900 ca.JPG, Chairs by Sergey Malyutin
Sergey Vasilyevich Malyutin (; 4 October 1859 – 6 December 1937) was a Russian painter of fine crafts, (scenic) designer, illustrator and architect; initially associated with the Arts and Crafts Movement. (), Talashkino Art Colony
File:Bogatyr fireplace (M.Vrubel, GTG) by shakko.jpg, Ceramic fireplace on Russian folklore theme by Mikhail Vrubel (1908)
File:Scheherazade (Rimsky-Korsakov) 02 by L. Bakst 2.jpg, Set for Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov. At the time, his name was spelled , which he romanized as Nicolas Rimsky-Korsakow; the BGN/PCGN transliteration of Russian is used for his name here; ALA-LC system: , ISO 9 system: .. (18 March 1844 – 2 ...
's ballet '' Sheherazade'' by Léon Bakst (1910)
File:Bakst Nizhinsky.jpg, Program design for ''Afternoon of a Faun'' by Bakst for Ballets Russes
The Ballets Russes () was an itinerant ballet company begun in Paris that performed between 1909 and 1929 throughout Europe and on tours to North and South America. The company never performed in Russia, where the Russian Revolution, Revolution ...
(1912)
('Modern') was a very colourful Russian variation of Art Nouveau which appeared in Moscow and
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and later Leningrad, is the List of cities and towns in Russia by population, second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the Neva, River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland ...
in 1898 with the publication of a new art journal, (''
Mir Iskusstva
''Mir iskusstva'' ( rus, «Мир искусства», p=ˈmʲir ɪˈskustvə, ''World of Art'') was both a Russian magazine and the artistic movement it fostered, playing a significant role in shaping the Russian avant-garde. The movement was d ...
'', 'The World of Art'), by Russian artists
Alexandre Benois and
Léon Bakst, and chief editor
Sergei Diaghilev
Sergei Pavlovich Diaghilev ( ; rus, Серге́й Па́влович Дя́гилев, , sʲɪrˈɡʲej ˈpavləvʲɪdʑ ˈdʲæɡʲɪlʲɪf; 19 August 1929), also known as Serge Diaghilev, was a Russian art critic, patron, ballet impresario an ...
. The magazine organized exhibitions of leading Russian artists, including
Mikhail Vrubel,
Konstantin Somov
Konstantin Andreyevich Somov (; – 6 May 1939) was a Russian artist associated with the ''Mir iskusstva'' ("World of Art") movement that began in the last decade of the 19th century. After the Russian Revolution, he eventually emigrated to Pa ...
,
Isaac Levitan, and the book illustrator
Ivan Bilibin
Ivan Yakovlevich Bilibin (, ; – 7 February 1942) was a Russian illustrator and stage designer who took part in the '' Mir iskusstva'' ("World of Art"), contributed to the Ballets Russes, co-founded the Union of Russian Artists, and from 1937 ...
. The World of Art style made less use of the vegetal and floral forms of French Art Nouveau; it drew heavily upon the bright colours and exotic designs of Russian folklore and fairy tales. The most influential contribution of the ''Mir Iskusstva'' was the creation of a new ballet company, the , headed by Diaghilev, with costumes and sets designed by Bakst and Benois. The new ballet company premiered in Paris in 1909, and performed there every year through 1913. The exotic and colourful sets designed by Benois and Bakst had a major impact on French art and design. The costume and set designs were reproduced in the leading Paris magazines, , and , and the Russian style became known in Paris as . The company was stranded in Paris first by the outbreak of World War I, and then by the
Russian Revolution
The Russian Revolution was a period of Political revolution (Trotskyism), political and social revolution, social change in Russian Empire, Russia, starting in 1917. This period saw Russia Dissolution of the Russian Empire, abolish its mona ...
in 1917, and ironically never performed in Russia.
Of Russian architects, the most prominent in the pure Art Nouveau style was
Fyodor Schechtel. The most famous example is the
Ryabushinsky House in Moscow. It was built by a Russian businessman and newspaper owner, and then, after the
Russian Revolution
The Russian Revolution was a period of Political revolution (Trotskyism), political and social revolution, social change in Russian Empire, Russia, starting in 1917. This period saw Russia Dissolution of the Russian Empire, abolish its mona ...
, became the residence of the writer
Maxim Gorky
Alexei Maximovich Peshkov (; – 18 June 1936), popularly known as Maxim Gorky (; ), was a Russian and Soviet writer and proponent of socialism. He was nominated five times for the Nobel Prize in Literature. Before his success as an aut ...
, and is now the
Gorky Museum. Its main staircase, made of a polished aggregate of concrete, marble and granite, has flowing, curling lines like the waves of the sea, and is illuminated by a lamp in the form of a floating jellyfish. The interior also features doors, windows and ceiling decorated with colorful frescoes of mosaic. Schechtel, who is also considered a major figure in
Russian symbolism, designed several other landmark buildings in Moscow, including the rebuilding of the
Moscow Yaroslavsky railway station, in a more traditional Moscow revival style.
File:Wiki Metropol Hotel Moscow Artwork 2.jpg, Façade of the Hotel Metropol in Moscow
Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...
with mosaics by Mikhail Vrubel (1899–1907)
File:Особняк Рябушинского02.JPG, Ryabushinsky House in Moscow by Fyodor Schechtel (1900)
File:Moscow. Ryabushinsky House. Interiors. Main stairs - 028.JPG, Main staircase of Ryabushinsky House in Moscow by Schechtel (1900)
File:Teremok (Talashkino; 2013-11-10) 02.JPG, Teremok House in Talashkino, a Russian Revival
The Russian Revival style comprises a number of different movements within Russian architecture that arose in the second quarter of the 19th century and was an eclectic melding of Byzantine elements ( Neo-Byzantine architecture in the Russian E ...
work by Sergey Malyutin
Sergey Vasilyevich Malyutin (; 4 October 1859 – 6 December 1937) was a Russian painter of fine crafts, (scenic) designer, illustrator and architect; initially associated with the Arts and Crafts Movement. (1901–02)
File:Церковь во имя Святого Духа (1903-1906).jpg, Holy Spirit Church in Talashkino by Malyutin (1903–1906)
File:Singer House SPB 01.jpg, Singer House
Singer House (), also widely known as the House of the Book (), is a historic building in Saint Petersburg, Russia. It is located at the intersection of Nevsky Prospekt and the Griboyedov Canal, directly opposite the Kazan Cathedral, St. Petersbu ...
in Saint-Petersburg
Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and later Leningrad, is the List of cities and towns in Russia by population, second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the Neva, River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland ...
by Pavel Suzor (1904)
File:Singer House Saint Petersburg bronze decoration detail.jpg, Cartouche
upalt=A stone face carved with coloured hieroglyphics. Two cartouches - ovoid shapes with hieroglyphics inside - are visible at the bottom., Birth and throne cartouches of Pharaoh KV17.html" ;"title="Seti I, from KV17">Seti I, from KV17 at the ...
with a mascaron, on the façade of the Singer House
File:Moscow 05-2012 PertsovaHouse.jpg, Pertsova House in Moscow by Malyutin (1905–1907)
File:Belmond Grand Hotel Europe Saint Petersburg Dining room stained glass.jpg, Dining room of the Grand Hotel Europe
The Grand Hotel Europe () is a historic Hotel rating, five-star luxury hotel on Nevsky Prospect in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
History
The Grand Hotel d'Europe was built from 1873 to 1875, to designs by Swiss/Russian architect Ludwig Fontana. I ...
in Saint Petersburg (1910)
Other Russian architects of the period created
Russian Revival architecture, which drew from historic
Russian architecture
The architecture of Russia refers to the architecture of modern Russia as well as the architecture of both the original Kievan Rus', the Russian principalities, and Imperial Russia. Due to the geographical size of modern and Imperial Russia, i ...
. These buildings were created mostly in wood, and referred to the
Architecture of Kievan Rus'
The architecture of Kievan Rus' comes from the medieval state of Kievan Rus' which incorporated parts of what is now modern Ukraine, Russia, and Belarus, and was centered on Kiev and Novgorod. Its architecture is the earliest period of Russian an ...
. One example is the Teremok House in
Talashkino (1901–1902) by
Sergey Malyutin
Sergey Vasilyevich Malyutin (; 4 October 1859 – 6 December 1937) was a Russian painter of fine crafts, (scenic) designer, illustrator and architect; initially associated with the Arts and Crafts Movement. , and Pertsova House (also known as Pertsov House) in Moscow (1905–1907). He also was a member of
Mir iskusstva
''Mir iskusstva'' ( rus, «Мир искусства», p=ˈmʲir ɪˈskustvə, ''World of Art'') was both a Russian magazine and the artistic movement it fostered, playing a significant role in shaping the Russian avant-garde. The movement was d ...
movement. The
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and later Leningrad, is the List of cities and towns in Russia by population, second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the Neva, River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland ...
architect
Nikolai Vasilyev built in a range of styles before emigrating in 1923. This building is most notable for stone carvings made by Sergei Vashkov inspired by the carvings of
Cathedral of Saint Demetrius in
Vladimir and
Saint George Cathedral in Yuryev-Polsky of the 12th and 13th centuries. Another example of this Russian Revival architecture is the
Marfo-Mariinsky Convent (1908–1912), an updated Russian Orthodox Church by
Alexey Shchusev, who later, ironically, designed
Lenin's Mausoleum
Lenin's Mausoleum, also known as Lenin's Tomb, is a mausoleum located at Red Square in Moscow, Russia. It serves as the resting place of Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin, whose preserved body has been on public display since shortly after his death ...
in Moscow.
Several art colonies in Russia in this period were built in the
Russian Revival
The Russian Revival style comprises a number of different movements within Russian architecture that arose in the second quarter of the 19th century and was an eclectic melding of Byzantine elements ( Neo-Byzantine architecture in the Russian E ...
style. The two best-known colonies were
Abramtsevo, funded by
Savva Mamontov, and
Talashkino,
Smolensk Governorate
Smolensk Governorate () was an administrative-territorial unit ('' guberniya'') of the Tsardom of Russia, the Russian Empire, and the Russian SFSR. It existed, with interruptions, between 1708 and 1929.
Smolensk Governorate, together with seven o ...
, funded by
Princess Maria Tenisheva.
Ukrainian ''Modern'' architecture
File:Будинок земства P1230868 пл. Конституції, 2.jpg, Zemstvo Building in Poltava
Poltava (, ; , ) is a city located on the Vorskla, Vorskla River in Central Ukraine, Central Ukraine. It serves as the administrative center of Poltava Oblast as well as Poltava Raion within the oblast. It also hosts the administration of Po ...
by Vasyl Krychevskyi (1903–1908)
File:1. Львів поліклініка — Будинок.JPG, Dnister credit society building in Lviv
Lviv ( or ; ; ; see #Names and symbols, below for other names) is the largest city in western Ukraine, as well as the List of cities in Ukraine, fifth-largest city in Ukraine, with a population of It serves as the administrative centre of ...
by Ivan Levynskyi (1905–06)
File:Київ, Паньківська вул., 8.jpg, Building on Pankivska Street, 8 in Kyiv
Kyiv, also Kiev, is the capital and most populous List of cities in Ukraine, city of Ukraine. Located in the north-central part of the country, it straddles both sides of the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2022, its population was 2, ...
by Mykola Shekhonin (1909–1914)
File:Albashy station.jpg, Albashy railway station in Krasnodar Krai
Krasnodar Krai (, ) is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject of Russia (a krai), located in the North Caucasus region in Southern Russia and is administratively a part of the Southern Federal District. Its administrative center is the t ...
, Southern Russia (historic Kuban
Kuban ( Russian and Ukrainian: Кубань; ) is a historical and geographical region in the North Caucasus region of southern Russia surrounding the Kuban River, on the Black Sea between the Don Steppe, the Volga Delta and separated fr ...
region) by Serhiy Tymoshenko (1910)
File:BudynokHrennikova01.jpg, Khrennikov House (now Hotel Ukraine) in Dnipro
Dnipro is Ukraine's fourth-largest city, with about one million inhabitants. It is located in the eastern part of Ukraine, southeast of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on the Dnieper River, Dnipro River, from which it takes its name. Dnipro is t ...
by P. Fetisov and L. Khoinovskyi (1910–1913), detail
File:Земська двокомплектна школа. Село Кізлівка. 1912 р..jpg, Zemstvo school in Kizlivka, Poltava Oblast
Poltava Oblast (), also referred to as Poltavshchyna (), is an administrative divisions of Ukraine, oblast (province) of central Ukraine. The capital city, administrative center of the oblast is the city of Poltava. Most of its territory was par ...
by Opanas Slastion (1912)
File:Художнє училище 1913р., вул. Червонопрапорна, 8, м.Харків.JPG, Kharkiv State Academy of Design and Arts (1913)
Early 20th-century architecture in Ukrainian lands (southwestern part of the Russian Empire,
Eastern Galicia
Eastern Galicia (; ; ) is a geographical region in Western Ukraine (present day oblasts of Lviv Oblast, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast, Ivano-Frankivsk and Ternopil Oblast, Ternopil), having also essential historic importance in Poland.
Galicia ( ...
,
Bukovina
Bukovina or ; ; ; ; , ; see also other languages. is a historical region at the crossroads of Central and Eastern Europe. It is located on the northern slopes of the central Eastern Carpathians and the adjoining plains, today divided betwe ...
and
Transcarpathia
Transcarpathia (, ) is a historical region on the border between Central and Eastern Europe, mostly located in western Ukraine's Zakarpattia Oblast.
From the Hungarian Hungarian conquest of the Carpathian Basin, conquest of the Carpathian Basin ...
in Austria-Hungary) developed under the influence of
Ukrainian folk architecture, as well as trends of European Art Nouveau, such as
Zakopane Style. Ukrainian "modern" architecture first came to prominence in
Poltava Governorate
Poltava Governorate was an administrative-territorial unit (''guberniya'') of the Russian Empire. It was officially created in 1802 from the disbanded Little Russia Governorate (1796–1802), Little Russia Governorate and had its capital in Polt ...
, where its most active promoters were
Vasyl Krychevskyi and
Opanas Slastion
Opanas Heorhiiovych Slastion (, – September 24, 1933) was a Ukrainian graphic artist, painter, and ethnographer.
He was born in the port town of Berdiansk (now Ukraine) on the Berdyansk Gulf of the Sea of Azov. He studied at the Imperial ...
. In the late 1900s and early 1910s, a number of buildings in what was then known simply as "Ukrainian style" were constructed in
Kyiv
Kyiv, also Kiev, is the capital and most populous List of cities in Ukraine, city of Ukraine. Located in the north-central part of the country, it straddles both sides of the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2022, its population was 2, ...
,
Kharkiv
Kharkiv, also known as Kharkov, is the second-largest List of cities in Ukraine, city in Ukraine. ,
Odesa
Odesa, also spelled Odessa, is the third most populous List of cities in Ukraine, city and List of hromadas of Ukraine, municipality in Ukraine and a major seaport and transport hub located in the south-west of the country, on the northwestern ...
,
Katerynoslav and a number of other places in the Russian Empire. In
Western Ukraine
Western Ukraine or West Ukraine (, ) refers to the western territories of Ukraine. There is no universally accepted definition of the territory's boundaries, but the contemporary Ukrainian administrative regions ( oblasts) of Chernivtsi, I ...
, which was at that time part of Austria-Hungary, the
local Ukrainian style was influenced by
Hutsul
The Hutsuls (Rusyn language, Hutsul/; ; ) are an East Slavs, East Slavic ethnic group spanning parts of western Ukraine and northern Romania (i.e. parts of Bukovina and Maramureș).
In Ukraine, they have often been officially and administra ...
architecture, as well as Western European trends and influences from
Great Ukraine.
''Jūgendstils'' (Art Nouveau in Riga)
File:Riga Elizabetes ielā 10b,.JPG, Façade of house at Elizabetes ielā, 10b, by Mikhail Eisenstein
Mikhail Osipovich Eisenstein (, ; – 2 July 1920) was a civil engineer and architect working in Riga, the present-day capital of Latvia, when the city was part of the Russian Empire. He was active as an architect in the city at a time of great ...
(1903)
File:Shell (45628779401).jpg, Stairway in Pēkšēns House by Konstantīns Pēkšēns
Konstantīns Pēkšēns (born 3 March 1859, Mazsalaca parish, Russian Empire — died 23 June 1928, Bad Kissingen, Weimar Republic) is one of the most prominent Latvian people, Latvian architects of all times. After Jānis Baumanis he is the epito ...
(1903), now hosting Riga Jūgendstils museum
File:Riga, Vilandes 10 (3) 2014-03-13.jpg, National Romantic decoration on a house built by Pēkšēns (1908)
File:Ministry of Education and Science of Latvia.jpg, Ministry of Education, built by Edgar Friesendorf (1911)
Riga
Riga ( ) is the capital, Primate city, primate, and List of cities and towns in Latvia, largest city of Latvia. Home to 591,882 inhabitants (as of 2025), the city accounts for a third of Latvia's total population. The population of Riga Planni ...
, the present-day capital of
Latvia
Latvia, officially the Republic of Latvia, is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is one of the three Baltic states, along with Estonia to the north and Lithuania to the south. It borders Russia to the east and Belarus to t ...
, was at the time one of the major cities of the
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...
.
Art Nouveau architecture in Riga nevertheless developed according to its own dynamics, and the style became overwhelmingly popular in the city. Soon after the Latvian Ethnographic Exhibition in 1896 and the Industrial and Handicrafts Exhibition in 1901, Art Nouveau became the dominant style in the city. Thus Art Nouveau architecture accounts for one-third of all the buildings in the centre of Riga, making it the city with the highest concentration of such buildings anywhere in the world. The quantity and quality of Art Nouveau architecture was among the criteria for including Riga in
UNESCO World Cultural Heritage.
There were different variations of Art Nouveau architecture in Riga:
* in Eclectic Art Nouveau, floral and other nature-inspired elements of decoration were most popular. Examples of that variation are works of
Mikhail Eisenstein
Mikhail Osipovich Eisenstein (, ; – 2 July 1920) was a civil engineer and architect working in Riga, the present-day capital of Latvia, when the city was part of the Russian Empire. He was active as an architect in the city at a time of great ...
,
* in Perpendicular Art Nouveau, geometrical ornaments were integrated into the vertical compositions of the façades. Several department stores were built in this style, and it is sometimes also referred to as "department store style" or in German,
* National Romantic Art Nouveau was inspired by local folk art, monumental volumes and the use of natural building materials.
Some later
Neo-Classical buildings also contained Art Nouveau details.
''Style Sapin'' in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland
File:Cdffallet.jpg, Villa Fallet with fir-inspired decoration by Le Corbusier
Charles-Édouard Jeanneret (6 October 188727 August 1965), known as Le Corbusier ( , ; ), was a Swiss-French architectural designer, painter, urban planner and writer, who was one of the pioneers of what is now regarded as modern architecture ...
(1904–05)
File:La-Chaux-de-Fonds-crematoire-interieur-4.jpg, Crematorium (1908–1910), interior, with stylised fir tree design on ceiling. The symbolist
Symbolism or symbolist may refer to:
*Symbol, any object or sign that represents an idea
Arts
*Artistic symbol, an element of a literary, visual, or other work of art that represents an idea
** Color symbolism, the use of colors within various c ...
murals by L'Epplattenier were added later.
File:La-Chaux-de-fonds-architecture-detail-1.jpg, Crematorium, with stylised '' sapin'' or pine cone detail
File:La-Chaux-de-fonds-architecture-detail-2.jpg, Crematorium, with pine cone detail
A variation called ('Fir-tree Style') emerged in
La Chaux-de-Fonds
La Chaux-de-Fonds (; archaic ) is a Swiss city in the canton of Neuchâtel. It is located in the Jura Mountains at an altitude of 992 metres, a few kilometres south of the French border. After Geneva, Lausanne, Biel/Bienne, and Fribourg, ...
in the
Canton of Neuchâtel
The Republic and Canton of Neuchâtel (; ; ; ) is a mostly French-speaking canton in western Switzerland. In 2007, its population was 169,782, of whom 39,654 (or 23.4%) were foreigners. The capital is Neuchâtel.
History County of Neuchâtel
...
in Switzerland. The style was launched by the painter and artist
Charles l’Eplattenier and was inspired especially by the , '
fir
Firs are evergreen coniferous trees belonging to the genus ''Abies'' () in the family Pinaceae. There are approximately 48–65 extant species, found on mountains throughout much of North and Central America, Eurasia, and North Africa. The genu ...
tree', and other plants and wildlife of the
Jura Mountains
The Jura Mountains ( ) are a sub-alpine mountain range a short distance north of the Western Alps and mainly demarcate a long part of the French–Swiss border. While the Jura range proper (" folded Jura", ) is located in France and Switzerla ...
. One of his major works was the crematorium in the town, which featured triangular tree forms, pine cones, and other natural themes from the region. The style also blended in the more geometric stylistic elements of
Jugendstil
(; "Youth Style") was an artistic movement, particularly in the decorative arts, that was influential primarily in Germany, Austria and elsewhere in Europe to a lesser extent from about 1895 until about 1910. It was the German and Austrian cou ...
and
Vienna Secession
The Vienna Secession (; also known as the Union of Austrian Artists or ) is an art movement, closely related to Art Nouveau, that was formed in 1897 by a group of Austrian painters, graphic artists, sculptors and architects, including Josef Ho ...
.
Another notable building in the style is the Villa Fallet
La Chaux-de-Fonds
La Chaux-de-Fonds (; archaic ) is a Swiss city in the canton of Neuchâtel. It is located in the Jura Mountains at an altitude of 992 metres, a few kilometres south of the French border. After Geneva, Lausanne, Biel/Bienne, and Fribourg, ...
, a chalet designed and built in 1905 by a student of L'Epplattenier, the eighteen-year-old
Le Corbusier
Charles-Édouard Jeanneret (6 October 188727 August 1965), known as Le Corbusier ( , ; ), was a Swiss-French architectural designer, painter, urban planner and writer, who was one of the pioneers of what is now regarded as modern architecture ...
. The form of the house was a traditional Swiss
chalet
A chalet (pronounced in British English; in American English usually ), also called Swiss chalet, is a type of building or house, typical of the Alpine region in Europe. It is made of wood, with a heavy, gently sloping roof and wide, well-su ...
, but the decoration of the façade included triangular trees and other natural features. Le Corbusier built two more chalets in the area, including the Villa Stotzer, in a more traditional chalet style.
''Tiffany Style'' and Louis Sullivan in the United States
File:Wainright 6.jpg, Windows of the Wainwright Building in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an Independent city (United States), independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Miss ...
, by Louis Sullivan
Louis Henry Sullivan (September 3, 1856 – April 14, 1924) was an American architect, and has been called a "father of skyscrapers" and "father of modernism". He was an influential architect of the Chicago school (architecture), Chicago ...
(1891)
File:Tiffany Chapel from HABS crop.jpg, Tiffany Chapel from the 1893 Word's Columbian Exposition, now in the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art
The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art, a museum noted for its Art Nouveau collection, houses the most comprehensive collection of the works of Louis Comfort Tiffany found anywhere, a major collection of American art pottery, and fine ...
in Winter Park, Florida
Winter Park is a city in Orange County, Florida, United States. The population was 29,795 according to the 2020 census. It is part of the Greater Orlando, Orlando–Kissimmee–Sanford, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Winter Park was foun ...
File:Vase by Louis Comfort Tiffany, 1893-1896 - Cincinnati Art Museum - DSC04306.JPG, Glass vase by Louis Comfort Tiffany
Louis Comfort Tiffany (February 18, 1848 – January 17, 1933) was an American artist and designer who worked in the decorative arts and is best known for his work in stained glass. He is associated with the art nouveauLander, David"The Buyable ...
(1893–1896), now in the Cincinnati Art Museum
The Cincinnati Art Museum is an art museum in the Eden Park neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio. Founded in 1881, it was the first purpose-built art museum west of the Alleghenies, and is one of the oldest in the United States. Its collection of ...
File:The Century Magazine- Midsummer Holiday Number MET DT8268.jpg, ''Century Magazine'', poster by Louis John Rhead (1894)
File:Prudential Guaranty Building 02.jpg, Detail of the Prudential (Guaranty) Building
The Guaranty Building, formerly called the Prudential Building, is an early skyscraper in Buffalo, New York. It was designed by Louis Sullivan and Dankmar Adler and completed in 1896. The building has been declared a National Historic Landmark ...
in Buffalo, N.Y., by Sullivan (1896)
File:Carson, Pirie, Scott and Company Building 1 South State Street entrance.jpg, South State Street entrance to the Carson, Pirie, Scott and Company Store in Chicago, Illinois
Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
, by Sullivan (1899)
File:Wade Chapel stained glass window.jpg, The ''Flight of Souls'' window by Tiffany won a gold medal at the 1900 Paris Exposition
File:Wisteria Tiffany Studios Lamp (cropped).jpg, Wisteria lamp by Tiffany (), in the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) is an art museum in Richmond, Virginia, United States, which opened in 1936. The museum is owned and operated by the Commonwealth of Virginia. Private donations, endowments, and funds are used for the supp ...
File:2017BankOwatonnaMN.jpg, National Farmer's Bank of Owatonna by Sullivan (1907–08)
File:Louis c. tiffany, veduta di osyster bay, 1908.JPG, Tiffany window in his house at Oyster Bay, N.Y. (1908)
In the United States, the firm of
Louis Comfort Tiffany
Louis Comfort Tiffany (February 18, 1848 – January 17, 1933) was an American artist and designer who worked in the decorative arts and is best known for his work in stained glass. He is associated with the art nouveauLander, David"The Buyable ...
played a central role in American Art Nouveau. Born in 1848, he studied at the
National Academy of Design
The National Academy of Design is an honorary association of American artists, founded in New York City in 1825 by Samuel Morse, Asher Durand, Thomas Cole, Frederick Styles Agate, Martin E. Thompson, Charles Cushing Wright, Ithiel Town, an ...
in New York City, began working with glass at the age of 24, entered the family business started by his father, and in 1885 set up his own enterprise devoted to fine glass, and developed new techniques for its colouring. In 1893, he began making glass vases and bowls, again developing new techniques that allowed more original shapes and colouring, and began experimenting with decorative window glass. Layers of glass were printed, marbled and superimposed, giving an exceptional richness and variety of colour in 1895 his new works were featured in the Art Nouveau gallery of Siegfried Bing, giving him a new European clientele. After the death of his father in 1902, he took over the entire Tiffany enterprise, but still devoted much of his time to designing and manufacturing glass art objects. At the urging of
Thomas Edison
Thomas Alva Edison (February11, 1847October18, 1931) was an American inventor and businessman. He developed many devices in fields such as electric power generation, mass communication, sound recording, and motion pictures. These inventions, ...
, he began to manufacture electric lamps with multicoloured glass shades in structures of bronze and iron, or decorated with mosaics, produced in numerous series and editions, each made with the care of a piece of jewellery. A team of designers and craftsmen worked on each product. The Tiffany lamp in particular became one of the icons of the Art Nouveau, but Tiffany's craftsmen designed and made extraordinary windows, vases, and other glass art. Tiffany's glass also had great success at the
''1900 Exposition Universelle'' in Paris; his stained glass window called the ''Flight of Souls'' won a gold medal. The Columbian Exposition was an important venue for Tiffany; a chapel he designed was shown at the Pavilion of Art and Industry. The Tiffany Chapel, along with one of the windows of Tiffany's home in New York, are now on display at the
Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art
The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art, a museum noted for its Art Nouveau collection, houses the most comprehensive collection of the works of Louis Comfort Tiffany found anywhere, a major collection of American art pottery, and fine ...
in
Winter Park, Florida.
Another important figure in American Art Nouveau was the architect
Louis Sullivan
Louis Henry Sullivan (September 3, 1856 – April 14, 1924) was an American architect, and has been called a "father of skyscrapers" and "father of modernism". He was an influential architect of the Chicago school (architecture), Chicago ...
. Sullivan was a leading pioneer of American modern architecture. He was the founder of the
Chicago School, the architect of some of the first skyscrapers, and the teacher of
Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright Sr. (June 8, 1867 – April 9, 1959) was an American architect, designer, writer, and educator. He designed List of Frank Lloyd Wright works, more than 1,000 structures over a creative period of 70 years. Wright played a key ...
. His most famous saying was "Form follows function." While the form of his buildings was shaped by their function, his decoration was an example of American Art Nouveau. At the 1893
World's Columbian Exposition
The World's Columbian Exposition, also known as the Chicago World's Fair, was a world's fair held in Chicago from May 5 to October 31, 1893, to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the New World in 1492. The ...
in Chicago, most famous for the neoclassical architecture of its renowned ''White City'', he designed a spectacular Art Nouveau entrance for the very functional Transportation Building.
While the architecture of his ''Carson, Pirie, Scott and Company Building'' (1899) (now the
Sullivan Center) was strikingly modern and functional, he surrounded the windows with stylised floral decoration. He invented equally original decoration for the
National Farmer's Bank of Owatonna, Minnestota (1907–1908) and the Merchants' National Bank in Grinell, Iowa. He invented a specifically American variety of Art Nouveau, declaring that decorative forms should oscillate, surge, mix and derive without end. He created works of great precision which sometimes combined Gothic with Art Nouveau themes.
Also worth noting are the ''Uhl brothers'' from Toledo, Ohio, who set new standards in metal furniture production with their designs for the ''Toledo Metal Furniture Co.''
Art Nouveau in Argentina
File:Entrance_of_Casa_de_los_lirios,_Buenos_Aires..jpg, alt=Entrance of Casa de los lirios, by Eduardo Rodríguez Ortega in Buenos Aires (1905). It features a black door made of metallic irises flowers, behind is the marble staircase and a wooden door, both in curvy organic shapes, behind that is the lift., Entrance of Casa de los lirios in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires, controlled by the government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Argentina. It is located on the southwest of the Río de la Plata. Buenos Aires is classified as an Alpha− glob ...
by Eduardo Rodríguez Ortega (1905)
File:No_Hi_Ha_Somnis_Impossibles,_Art_Nouveau_building_in_Buenos_Aires_City,_by_Eduardo_Rodriguez_Ortega_(1907).jpg, alt=No Hi Ha Somnis Impossibles building by Eduardo Rodriguez Ortega in Buenos Aires (1907), No Hi Ha Somnis Impossibles building in Buenos Aires by Eduardo Rodriguez Ortega (1907)
File:Entre luces y colores.jpg, Stained glass and sculptures by Ercole Pasina in Calise House in Buenos Aires (1911)
File:Cúpula_y_boveda_de_Galería_Güemes.jpg, Galería Güemes in Buenos Aires by Francesco Gianotti (1914)
File:Confitería_del_Molino_in_2022.jpg, alt=Confitería del Molino by Francesco Gianotti in Buenos Aires (1916). 5 floors building on a corner with pointy dome covered in stained glass "petals" with a windmill at the centre., Confitería del Molino
The Confitería del Molino () is an historical Art Nouveau style ''wikt:confitería, confitería'' (coffeehouse) in Buenos Aires, Argentina, located in front of the Palace of the Argentine National Congress, Palace of the National Congress of Argen ...
in Buenos Aires by Francesco Gianotti (1916)
File:Club Español Rosario 2.jpg, Metal work, ceramics and statues at the façade of in Rosario (1912)
File:Palacio_Cabanellas_3.jpg, Palacio Cabanellas in Rosario by Francesc Roca i Simó (1916)
File:Palacio_Barolo_Dramatic.jpg, Palacio Barolo in Buenos Aires by Mario Palanti (1923)
Flooded with European immigrants, Argentina welcomed all artistic and architectural European styles, including Art Nouveau. There was an environment of huge investments and flexible rules for construction, which encouraged young architects from Europe to come and grow their portfolio to later go back to Europe. As a result of this, Argentina became the country outside of Europe with most art nouveau buildings.
Cities with the most notable Art Nouveau heritage in Argentina are
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires, controlled by the government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Argentina. It is located on the southwest of the Río de la Plata. Buenos Aires is classified as an Alpha− glob ...
, Rosario and Mar del Plata.
Paris was a prototype for Buenos Aires with the construction of large boulevards and avenues in the 19th century.
The local style along with French influence was also following Italian Liberty as many architects (Virginio Colombo, Francisco Gianotti, Mario Palanti) were Italians. In works of Catalan influence can be noted as he completed his studies in Barcelona in 1900 as well as in the work of Eduardo Rodríguez Ortega.
The influence of
Vienna Secession
The Vienna Secession (; also known as the Union of Austrian Artists or ) is an art movement, closely related to Art Nouveau, that was formed in 1897 by a group of Austrian painters, graphic artists, sculptors and architects, including Josef Ho ...
can be found at Paso y Viamonte building, Club Español, Regimiento de Granaderos a Caballo and the Savoy hotel.
Some local features are the adaptation to the previously existent "chorizo house" format of buildings, which implied a relatively narrow façade for an actually deep building inside of the block, with multiple patios or holes for air and light; as well as the characteristic "cut corners" on every block that was a requirement by law in Buenos Aires since the end of the 1800s; material availability was also different than in Europe, and buildings will often be covered of a "simil piedra París" which was an imitation of the Parisian stone made by mixing cement with sand and different minerals.
The introduction of Art Nouveau in Rosario is connected to who trained in Barcelona. His (1912) features one of the largest stained glass windows in Latin America produced (as well as tiling and ceramics) by the local firm Buxadera, Fornells y Cía.
The sculptor of the building is Diego Masana from Barcelona.
Belgian influence on Argentinian Art Nouveau is represented by the Villa Ortiz Basualdo, now hosting the Juan Carlos Castagnino Municipal Museum of Art in Mar del Plata where the furniture, interiors, and lighting are by
Gustave Serrurier-Bovy.
Art Nouveau in the rest of the world
File:Theatre municipal - Tunis.jpg, Théâtre municipal de Tunis, Théâtre municipal in Tunis, Tunisia (1902)
File:Bellas Artes 01.jpg, Art Nouveau/Neoclassical Palacio de Bellas Artes (Palace of Fine Arts) in Mexico City, Mexico (1904–1934)
File:Ephraim Moses Lilien - An Allegorical Wedding- Sketch for a carpet dedicated to Mr. and Mrs. David Wolffsohn Triptych (from... - Google Art Project.jpg, An Allegorical Wedding: Sketch for a carpet (Triptych from right to left): ''Exile'', ''Marriage'' and ''Redemption'' by Ephraim Moses Lilien (1906)
File:Lüderitz Goerke-Haus 07.jpg, Goerke-Haus in Lüderitz, Namibia (1909–1910)
File:Gran Vitral Tiffany del Hotel Ciudad de Mexico - panoramio.jpg, Old Portal de Mercaderes (Mexico City)#Gran Hotel Ciudad de México, Mexico City Gran Hotel interior, built in 1918 by Jacques Grüber
Jacques Grüber (25 January 1870 – 15 December 1936) was a French woodworker and stained glass, stained-glass artist.
Biography
Grüber was born in Sundhouse (Alsace). After starting his training at the , where he would later be a teacher, h ...
File:Teatro Faenza.JPG, Faenza Theatre in Bogotá, Colombia (1924)
As in Argentina, Art Nouveau in other countries was mostly influenced by foreign artists:
* Spaniards were behind Art Nouveau projects in Havana, Cuba, they were even not qualified enough to be called architects. Spaniards were not directly involved in works in Ponce, Puerto Rico but were an inspiration and a subject of study for local architects in the development of local styles such as Ponce Creole,
* French were behind Art Nouveau in Tunisia (that was a French protectorate of Tunisia, French protectorate then),
* Germans were behind Jugendstil heritage of Lüderitz, Namibia; Qingdao, China,
* Italians were behind Art Nouveau in Valparaíso, Chile; Montevideo, Uruguay; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil,
* Russians were behind Art Nouveau heritage of Harbin, China,
* Art Nouveau Heritage in Lima consists of work of Italians Masperi brothers, French architect Claude Sahut and British masters of stained glass
* Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City was a result of the cooperation of Italians (architect Adamo Boari and sculptor
Leonardo Bistolfi), local architect , Hungarian artists
Aladár Körösfői-Kriesch,
Géza Maróti and
Miksa Róth
Miksa Róth (26 December 1865 – 14 June 1944) was a Hungarian mosaicist and stained glass artist responsible for making mosaic and stained glass prominent art forms in Hungarian art. In part, Róth was inspired by the work of Pre-Raphaeli ...
, Catalan sculptor Agustí Querol Subirats and French master Edgar Brandt.
Art Nouveau motifs can also be found in French Colonial artchitechture throughout French Indochina.
A notable art movement called Bezalel school appeared in the Palestine (region), Palestine region in dating to the late Ottoman and Mandatory Palestine, British Mandate periods. It has been described as "a fusion of Asian art, oriental art and Jugendstil." Several artists associated with the Bezalel school were noted for their Art Nouveau style, including Ze'ev Raban, Ephraim Moses Lilien and Abel Pann.
Characteristics, decoration and motifs
File:Tassel House stairway-00.JPG, Exposure of structural elements – Hôtel Tassel
The Hôtel Tassel (; ) is a historic town house in Brussels, Belgium. It was designed by Victor Horta for the scientist and professor Emile Tassel, and built between 1892 and 1893, in Art Nouveau style. It is considered one of the first buil ...
, Brussels
Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) is a Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium#Regions, region of Belgium comprising #Municipalit ...
, by Victor Horta
Victor Pierre Horta (; Victor, Baron Horta after 1932; 6 January 1861 – 8 September 1947) was a Belgian architect and designer, and one of the founders of the Art Nouveau movement. He was a fervent admirer of the French architectural theoris ...
(1892–1893)
File:Wand Decoration Obrist 1895.png, ''Coup de Fouet'' or Whiplash (decorative art), whiplash motif, depicting the stems of cyclamen flowers – Wall tapestry, by Hermann Obrist (1895)
File:Paris 16 - Castel Béranger -10.JPG, Functional elements transformed into ornament – Pins on the jointings of a balcony of the Castel Béranger (Rue Jean-de-La-Fontaine (Paris), Rue Jean-de-La-Fontaine no. 14, Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
, by Hector Guimard
Hector Guimard (, 10 March 1867 – 20 May 1942) was a French architect and designer, and a prominent figure of the Art Nouveau style. He achieved early fame with his design for the Castel Beranger, the first Art Nouveau apartment building i ...
(1895–1898)
File:Le Castel Béranger (5478758597).jpg, Windows not aligned horizontally, while still looking harmonious – Castel Béranger
File:Breast ornament René Lalique Berlin 24112018 1.jpg, Depiction of the woman as a creature of the night, fused with the natural world – Breast ornament, by René Lalique
René Jules Lalique (; 6 April 1860 – 1 May 1945) was a French jeweller, medallist, and glass designer known for his creations of glass art, perfume bottles, vases, jewellery, chandeliers, clocks, and automobile hood ornaments.
Life
Lalique ...
(1898–1900), Kunstgewerbemuseum Berlin
File:Père-Lachaise - Division 2 - Ernest Caillat 01 (cropped).jpg, Decorative stylised lettering – Grave of the Caillat Family in Père Lachaise Cemetery, Paris, by Guimard (1899)
File:Jane Avril, by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.jpg, Flat colours and visible outline, inspired by Japanese art – ''Jane Avril'', by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
Count, ''Comte'' Henri Marie Raymond de Toulouse-Lautrec-Monfa (24 November 1864 – 9 September 1901), known as Toulouse-Lautrec (), was a French painter, printmaker, draughtsman, caricaturist, and illustrator whose immersion in the colour ...
(1899), multiple exemplars in different locations
File:Pippermint Get frères.jpg, Faded earthy colours – Poster for Pippermint, by Jules Chéret
Jules Chéret (31 May 1836 – 23 September 1932) was a French painter and lithographer who became a master of ''Belle Époque'' poster art. He has been called the father of the modern poster.
Early life and career
Born in Paris to a poor bu ...
(1899), Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris
File:Wisteria Tiffany Studios Lamp.jpg, Floral patterns – Lamp with Wisteria design, by Louis Comfort Tiffany
Louis Comfort Tiffany (February 18, 1848 – January 17, 1933) was an American artist and designer who worked in the decorative arts and is best known for his work in stained glass. He is associated with the art nouveauLander, David"The Buyable ...
(1899–1900), Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) is an art museum in Richmond, Virginia, United States, which opened in 1936. The museum is owned and operated by the Commonwealth of Virginia. Private donations, endowments, and funds are used for the supp ...
, Richmond, Virginia, Richmond, US
File:Lars kinsarvik, poltroncina, norvegia ante 1900, 01.JPG, Inspiration taken from folklore and local tradition – Chair, by Lars Kinsarvik (before 1900), Musée d'Orsay
The Musée d'Orsay ( , , ) () is a museum in Paris, France, on the Rive Gauche, Left Bank of the Seine. It is housed in the former Gare d'Orsay, a Beaux-Arts architecture, Beaux-Arts railway station built from 1898 to 1900. The museum holds mai ...
, Paris
File:Prague Praha 2014 Holmstad flott jugend metall-glass Bohemia metall- and glassworks art nouveau style Obechni Dum temporary exibition - 30.jpg, Organic shapes – Carafe, unknown designer (), in a temporary exhibition in the Municipal House, Prague
Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...
File:Mantel clock by Louis Chalon, E. Colin & Cie., Paris, c. 1900, gilt and silvered bronze, view 1 - Hessisches Landesmuseum Darmstadt - Darmstadt, Germany - DSC00951.jpg, Flowers and plants (in this case poppies and sunflowers) – Mantel clock, by Louis Chalon, E. Colin & Cie. (), Hessisches Landesmuseum Darmstadt, Germany
File:21 Strada Jules Michelet, Bucharest (01).jpg, Horseshoe arches, present in both windows and doors, inspired by moon gates (a traditional architectural element in Chinese gardens) – Window of Strada Jules Michelet no. 21 in Bucharest
Bucharest ( , ; ) is the capital and largest city of Romania. The metropolis stands on the River Dâmbovița (river), Dâmbovița in south-eastern Romania. Its population is officially estimated at 1.76 million residents within a greater Buc ...
, unknown architect ()
File:Encrier de Maurice Bouval (Musée dOrsay) (3335134093).jpg, Asymmetry (not just objects, but also buildings) – Inkwell, by Maurice Bouval (), Musée d'Orsay
File:Judith 1 (cropped).jpg, The ''femme fatale'' – ''Judith I'', by Gustav Klimt
Gustav Klimt (14 July 1862 – 6 February 1918) was an Austrian symbolist painter and a founding member of the Vienna Secession movement. His work helped define the Art Nouveau style in Europe. Klimt is known for his paintings, murals, sket ...
(1901), Österreichische Galerie Belvedere, Vienna
Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...
File:"Wohnhaus Eines Kunst Freundes". C.R and M. Mackintosh. 1901.jpg, ''Gesamtkunstwerk'' (literally 'total artwork'), which refers to everything being designed to fit together, from carpets to wallpaper, and from room compartmentation to light fixtures – Design for a house of an art lover, by Charles Rennie Mackintosh
Charles Rennie Mackintosh (7 June 1868 – 10 December 1928) was a Scottish architect, designer, water colourist and artist. His artistic approach had much in common with European Symbolism. His work, alongside that of his wife Margaret Macd ...
and Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh (1901)
File:Belgique - Bruxelles - Maison-atelier du peintre Paul Verdussen - 03.jpg, Combinations of rectangular shapes, straight or almost straight lines, with sinuous organic shapes (like ovals that are asymmetric horizontally) - door handle of the House of Paul Verdussen (Avenue Brugmann no. 211) in Brussels, by Paul Hamesse (1901)
File:Belgique - Bruxelles - Maison-atelier Dubois - 05.jpg, Sinous oblate arches – Windows of the Fernand Dubois House (Avenue Brugmann no. 80) in Brussels, by Horta (1901–1903)
File:Philippe Wolfers - Libelle (1902).jpg, Insects – ''Libelle'' ('Dragonfly'), pendant made of gold, opal, Vitreous enamel, enamel, ruby, rubies and diamonds by Philippe Wolfers (1902)
File:Félix Potin rue de Rennes.jpg, Sinuous onion-shaped tops – Félix Potin Building (Rue de Rennes (Paris), Rue de Rennes no. 140–140bis) in Paris, by Paul Auscher (1904)
File:Louis Majorelle-Grand meuble d'appui nénuphar.jpg, Exotic materials and decoration – Mahogany and Brosimum guianense, amourette wood cabinet with water lily decoration of gilded bronze, by Louis Majorelle (1905–1908), Fin-de-Siècle Museum, Brussels
File:Palais Stoclet, 1903-1904 - détail.JPG, Geometric lines (a key feature of the Vienna Secession
The Vienna Secession (; also known as the Union of Austrian Artists or ) is an art movement, closely related to Art Nouveau, that was formed in 1897 by a group of Austrian painters, graphic artists, sculptors and architects, including Josef Ho ...
and the Glasgow School) – Stoclet Palace in Brussels, by Josef Hoffmann
Josef Hoffmann (15 December 1870 – 7 May 1956) was an Austrians, Austrian-Sudeten Germans, Moravian architect and designer. He was among the founders of Vienna Secession and co-establisher of the Wiener Werkstätte. His most famous architect ...
(1905–1911)
File:Perrée vs Paul Dubois2.jpg, Ethereal scenes (used especially in reliefs on buildings and objects, and in posters) – Façade of Rue Perrée no. 18 in Paris, by Raymond Barbaud and Édouard Bauhain (1908)
File:Balcon de lhôtel Guimard (Paris) (4818661086).jpg, Highly stylised plant motifs, nearly abstract – Balcony of the Hôtel Guimard (Art Nouveau), Hôtel Guimard (Avenue Mozart no. 122) in Paris, by Guimard (1909)
File:19 rue Octave-Feuillet, Paris 1 May 2016.jpg, Peacocks and motifs inspired by their feathers (and sometimes other animals) – Relief above the door of Rue Octave-Feuillet no. 19 in Paris, by Maurice Du Bois d’Auberville (1910)
File:1 Strada Sfinților, Bucharest (03).jpg, Nymphs – Relief on the Fanny and Isac Popper House (Strada Sfinților no. 1), Bucharest, by Alfred Popper (1914)
Early Art Nouveau, particularly in Belgium and France, was characterized by undulating, curving forms inspired by lilies, vines, flower stems and other natural forms, used in particular in the interiors of
Victor Horta
Victor Pierre Horta (; Victor, Baron Horta after 1932; 6 January 1861 – 8 September 1947) was a Belgian architect and designer, and one of the founders of the Art Nouveau movement. He was a fervent admirer of the French architectural theoris ...
and the decoration of
Louis Majorelle and
Émile Gallé
Émile Gallé (; 4 May 1846 in Nancy, France, Nancy – 23 September 1904 in Nancy) was a French artist and designer who worked in glass, and is considered to be one of the major innovators in the French Art Nouveau movement. He was noted fo ...
.
[Ducher, ''Caractéristique des Styles'' (1989), pp. 198–199] It also drew upon patterns based on butterflies and dragonflies, borrowed from Japanese art, which were popular in Europe at the time.
Early Art Nouveau also often featured more stylised forms expressing movement, such as the ''coup de fouet'' or "
whiplash" line, depicted in the cyclamen plants drawn by designer
Hermann Obrist in 1894. A description published in ''
Pan'' magazine of
Hermann Obrist's wall hanging ''Cyclamen'' (1894), compared it to the "sudden violent curves generated by the crack of a whip,"
[Duncan (1994), pp. 27–28.] The term "whiplash", though it was originally used to ridicule the style, is frequently applied to the characteristic curves employed by Art Nouveau artists.
Such decorative undulating and flowing lines in a syncopated rhythm and asymmetrical shape, are often found in the architecture, painting, sculpture, and other forms of Art Nouveau design.
Other floral forms were popular, inspired by lilies, wisteria and other flowers, particularly in the lamps of
Louis Comfort Tiffany
Louis Comfort Tiffany (February 18, 1848 – January 17, 1933) was an American artist and designer who worked in the decorative arts and is best known for his work in stained glass. He is associated with the art nouveauLander, David"The Buyable ...
and the glass objects made by the artists of the École de Nancy, School of Nancy and
Émile Gallé
Émile Gallé (; 4 May 1846 in Nancy, France, Nancy – 23 September 1904 in Nancy) was a French artist and designer who worked in glass, and is considered to be one of the major innovators in the French Art Nouveau movement. He was noted fo ...
. Other curving and undulating forms borrowed from nature included butterflies, peacocks, swans, and water lilies. Many designs depicted women's hair intertwined with stems of lilies, irises and other flowers. Stylised floral forms were particularly used by
Victor Horta
Victor Pierre Horta (; Victor, Baron Horta after 1932; 6 January 1861 – 8 September 1947) was a Belgian architect and designer, and one of the founders of the Art Nouveau movement. He was a fervent admirer of the French architectural theoris ...
in carpets, balustrades, windows, and furniture. They were also used extensively by
Hector Guimard
Hector Guimard (, 10 March 1867 – 20 May 1942) was a French architect and designer, and a prominent figure of the Art Nouveau style. He achieved early fame with his design for the Castel Beranger, the first Art Nouveau apartment building i ...
for balustrades, and, most famously, for the lamps and railings at the entrances of the Paris Metro. Guimard explained: "That which must be avoided in everything that is continuous is the parallel and symmetry. Nature is the greatest builder and nature makes nothing that is parallel and nothing that is symmetrical."
Earlier Art Nouveau furniture, such as that made by
Louis Majorelle and
Henry van de Velde, was characterized by the use of exotic and expensive materials, including mahogany with inlays of precious woods and trim, and curving forms without right angles. It gave a sensation of lightness.
In the second phase of Art Nouveau, following 1900, the decoration became purer and the lines were more stylised. The curving lines and forms evolved into polygons and then into cubes and other geometric forms. These geometric forms were used with particular effect in the architecture and furniture of
Joseph Maria Olbrich,
Otto Wagner,
Koloman Moser and
Josef Hoffmann
Josef Hoffmann (15 December 1870 – 7 May 1956) was an Austrians, Austrian-Sudeten Germans, Moravian architect and designer. He was among the founders of Vienna Secession and co-establisher of the Wiener Werkstätte. His most famous architect ...
, especially the
Stoclet Palace in Brussels, which announced the arrival of
Art Deco
Art Deco, short for the French (), is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design that first Art Deco in Paris, appeared in Paris in the 1910s just before World War I and flourished in the United States and Europe during the 1920 ...
and modernism.
[
Another characteristic of Art Nouveau architecture was the use of light, by opening up of interior spaces, by the removal of walls, and the extensive use of skylights to bring a maximum amount of light into the interior. ]Victor Horta
Victor Pierre Horta (; Victor, Baron Horta after 1932; 6 January 1861 – 8 September 1947) was a Belgian architect and designer, and one of the founders of the Art Nouveau movement. He was a fervent admirer of the French architectural theoris ...
's residence-studio and other houses built by him had extensive skylights, supported on curving iron frames. In the Hotel Tassel he removed the traditional walls around the stairway, so that the stairs became a central element of the interior design.
Relationship with contemporary styles and movements
File:Jardinière, mix of Art Nouveau and Rococo Revival, circa 1900 (01).jpg, Mix of Art Nouveau and Rococo Revival – Jardinière, with a shape that is similar with that of Rococo ones (), private collection
File:51 rue Gustave Lemaire.jpg, Mix of Art Nouveau and Gothic Revival architecture, Gothic Revival – Rue Gustave-Lemaire no. 51 in Dunkerque, France, with pointed arched-dormer windows and balcony loggia, unknown architect, decorated with sculptures by Maurice Ringot (1903–1910)
File:Negustori colț cu Paleologu. -streetphotography -bucharest -windows -rusty -old (34264373636).jpg, Mix of Art Nouveau and Egyptian Revival architecture, Egyptian Revival – Round corner window of the Romulus Porescu House (Strada Doctor Paleologu no. 12) in Bucharest
Bucharest ( , ; ) is the capital and largest city of Romania. The metropolis stands on the River Dâmbovița (river), Dâmbovița in south-eastern Romania. Its population is officially estimated at 1.76 million residents within a greater Buc ...
, decorated with lotus flowers, a motif used frequently in Ancient Egyptian art, designed by Dimitrie Maimarolu (1905)
File:Door, 10 rue Georges Berger, 75017 Paris, 27 December 2016.jpg, Mix of Art Nouveau and Beaux Arts architecture – Entrance of Rue Georges-Berger no. 10 in Paris, with a structure, proportions and materials used widely in Beaux Arts architecture, by Jacques Hermant (1906)
File:Praha, Nové Město 3744.jpg, Mix of Art Nouveau and Neoclassicism – Laurel wreath, a motif taken from Greco-Roman world, Greco-Roman antiquity, on a façade of the Czech Technical University (Trojanova (Prague), Trojanova no. 11) in Prague
Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...
, designed by František Schlaffer (1907)
As an art style, Art Nouveau has affinities with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, Pre-Raphaelites and the Symbolism (arts), Symbolist styles, and artists like Aubrey Beardsley
Aubrey Vincent Beardsley ( ; 21 August 187216 March 1898) was an English illustrator and author. His black ink drawings were influenced by Woodblock printing in Japan, Japanese woodcuts, and depicted the grotesque, the decadent, and the erotic. ...
, Alphonse Mucha
Alfons Maria Mucha (; 24 July 1860 – 14 July 1939), known internationally as Alphonse Mucha, was a Czech painter, illustrator, and graphic artist. Living in Paris during the Art Nouveau period, he was widely known for his distinctly stylized ...
, Edward Burne-Jones
Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones, 1st Baronet, (; 28 August 183317 June 1898) was an English painter and designer associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood's style and subject matter.
Burne-Jones worked with William Morris as a founding part ...
, Gustav Klimt
Gustav Klimt (14 July 1862 – 6 February 1918) was an Austrian symbolist painter and a founding member of the Vienna Secession movement. His work helped define the Art Nouveau style in Europe. Klimt is known for his paintings, murals, sket ...
and Jan Toorop
Johannes Theodorus "Jan" Toorop[Jan Toorop]
Netherlands Institute for Art History, 2014. Retrieved on 18 February 201 ...
could be classed in more than one of these styles. Unlike Symbolist painting, however, Art Nouveau has a distinctive appearance; and, unlike the artisan-oriented Arts and Crafts movement
The Arts and Crafts movement was an international trend in the decorative and fine arts that developed earliest and most fully in the British Isles and subsequently spread across the British Empire and to the rest of Europe and America.
Initiat ...
, Art Nouveau artists readily used new materials, machined surfaces, and abstraction in the service of pure design.
Art Nouveau did not eschew the use of machines, as the Arts and Crafts movement did. For sculpture, the principal materials employed were glass and wrought iron, resulting in sculptural qualities even in architecture. Ceramics were also employed in creating editions of sculptures by artists such as Auguste Rodin. though his sculpture is not considered Art Nouveau.
Art Nouveau architecture made use of many technology, technological innovations of the late 19th century, especially the use of exposed iron and large, irregularly shaped pieces of glass for architecture.
Art Nouveau tendencies were also absorbed into local styles. In Denmark, for example, it was one aspect of ('Aesthetic work'), which itself more closely relates to the Arts and Crafts style. Likewise, artists adopted many of the floral and organic motifs of Art Nouveau into the ('Young Poland') style in Poland. , however, was also inclusive of other artistic styles and encompassed a broader approach to art, literature, and lifestyle.
Architecturally, Art Nouveau has affinities with styles that, although modern, exist outside the Modern architecture, modernist tradition established by architects like Walter Gropius and Le Corbusier
Charles-Édouard Jeanneret (6 October 188727 August 1965), known as Le Corbusier ( , ; ), was a Swiss-French architectural designer, painter, urban planner and writer, who was one of the pioneers of what is now regarded as modern architecture ...
. It is particularly closely related to Expressionist architecture, which shares its preference for organic shapes, but grew out of an intellectual dissatisfaction with Art Nouveau's approach to ornamentation. As opposed to Art Nouveau's focus on plants and vegetal motifs, Expressionism takes inspiration from things like caves, mountains, lightning, crystal, and rock formations. Another style conceived as a reaction to Art Nouveau was Art Deco
Art Deco, short for the French (), is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design that first Art Deco in Paris, appeared in Paris in the 1910s just before World War I and flourished in the United States and Europe during the 1920 ...
, which rejected organic surfaces altogether in preference for a rectilinear style derived from the contemporary artistic avant-garde.
Genres
Art Nouveau is represented in painting and sculpture, but it is most prominent in architecture and the decorative arts
]
The decorative arts are arts or crafts whose aim is the design and manufacture of objects that are both beautiful and functional. This includes most of the objects for the interiors of buildings, as well as interior design, but typically excl ...
. It was well-suited to the graphic arts, especially the poster, interior design, metal and glass art, jewellery, furniture design, ceramics and textiles.
Posters and graphic art
File:Beardsley-peacockskirt.PNG, ''The Peacock Skirt'', by Aubrey Beardsley
Aubrey Vincent Beardsley ( ; 21 August 187216 March 1898) was an English illustrator and author. His black ink drawings were influenced by Woodblock printing in Japan, Japanese woodcuts, and depicted the grotesque, the decadent, and the erotic. ...
(1892)
File:Divan Japonais LACMA 59.80.19.jpg, ''Divan Japonais (lithograph), Divan Japonais'' lithograph by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
Count, ''Comte'' Henri Marie Raymond de Toulouse-Lautrec-Monfa (24 November 1864 – 9 September 1901), known as Toulouse-Lautrec (), was a French painter, printmaker, draughtsman, caricaturist, and illustrator whose immersion in the colour ...
(1892–93)
File:Eugene Grasset, poster for Grafton Galleries, 1893.jpg, Poster for Grafton Galleries by Eugène Grasset
Eugène Samuel Grasset (; 25 May 1845 – 23 October 1917) was a Swiss decorative artist who worked in Paris, France in a variety of creative design fields during the Belle Époque. He is considered a pioneer in Art Nouveau design.
Biography
...
(1893)
File:The Chap-Book No. 5, the pipes, advertising poster, 1895.jpg, Poster for ''The Chap-Book'' by Will H. Bradley (1895)
Rayon d'or, dernier mot de l'eclairage - Pal. LCCN2004675013.jpg, Poster for ''Rayon d'Or'' by Jean de Paléologue ("Pal") (1895)
File:Alfons Mucha - 1896 - Biscuits Lefèvre-Utile.jpg, ''Biscuits Lefèvre-Utile'' by Alphonse Mucha
Alfons Maria Mucha (; 24 July 1860 – 14 July 1939), known internationally as Alphonse Mucha, was a Czech painter, illustrator, and graphic artist. Living in Paris during the Art Nouveau period, he was widely known for his distinctly stylized ...
(1896)
File:Alphonse Mucha - Zodiac.jpg, Zodiac Calendar by Mucha (1896)
File:Steinlen-Motocycles Comiot.jpg, ''Motocycles Comiot'' by Théophile-Alexandre Steinlen from ''Les Maîtres de l'Affiche, Les Maîtres de l'affiche'' (1899)
File:Mir.iskusstwa.1899.jpg, ''Mir iskusstva
''Mir iskusstva'' ( rus, «Мир искусства», p=ˈmʲir ɪˈskustvə, ''World of Art'') was both a Russian magazine and the artistic movement it fostered, playing a significant role in shaping the Russian avant-garde. The movement was d ...
'' cover by Maria Yakunchikova (1899)
File:Kolo Moser - Mädchenkopf - 1899.jpeg, ''Ver Sacrum'' illustration by Koloman Moser (1899)
File:Kolo Moser - Vorfrühling1 - 1900.jpeg, Illustration from ''Ver Sacrum'' by Moser (1900)
File:Flickr - …trialsanderrors - Richard Strauss-Woche, festival poster, 1910.jpg, Festival poster by Ludwig Hohlwein (1910)
The graphic arts flourished in the Art Nouveau period, thanks to new technologies of printing, particularly colour lithography, which allowed the mass production of colour posters. Art was no longer confined to galleries, museums and salons; it could be found on Paris walls, and in illustrated art magazines, which circulated throughout Europe and to the United States. The most popular theme of Art Nouveau posters was women; women symbolizing glamour, modernity and beauty, often surrounded by flowers.
In Britain, the leading graphic artist in the Art Nouveau style was Aubrey Beardsley
Aubrey Vincent Beardsley ( ; 21 August 187216 March 1898) was an English illustrator and author. His black ink drawings were influenced by Woodblock printing in Japan, Japanese woodcuts, and depicted the grotesque, the decadent, and the erotic. ...
(1872–1898). He began with engraved book illustrations for ''Le Morte d'Arthur'', then black and white illustrations for ''Salome (play), Salome'' by Oscar Wilde (1893), which brought him fame. In the same year, he began engraving illustrations and posters for the art magazine ''The Studio'', which helped publicize European artists such as Fernand Khnopff
Fernand Edmond Jean Marie Khnopff (12 September 1858 – 12 November 1921) was a Belgian symbolist painter.
Life Youth and training
Fernand Khnopff was born to a wealthy family that was part of the high bourgeoisie for generations. Khnopf ...
in Britain. The curving lines and intricate floral patterns attracted as much attention as the text.
The Swiss-French artist Eugène Grasset
Eugène Samuel Grasset (; 25 May 1845 – 23 October 1917) was a Swiss decorative artist who worked in Paris, France in a variety of creative design fields during the Belle Époque. He is considered a pioneer in Art Nouveau design.
Biography
...
(1845–1917) was one of the first creators of French Art Nouveau posters. He helped decorate the famous cabaret Le Chat Noir, Le Chat noir in 1885 and made his first posters for the ''Fêtes de Paris''. He made a celebrated poster of Sarah Bernhardt
Sarah Bernhardt (; born Henriette-Rosine Bernard; 22 October 1844 – 26 March 1923) was a French stage actress who starred in some of the most popular French plays of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including by Alexandre Dumas fils, ...
in 1890, and a wide variety of book illustrations. The artist-designers Jules Chéret
Jules Chéret (31 May 1836 – 23 September 1932) was a French painter and lithographer who became a master of ''Belle Époque'' poster art. He has been called the father of the modern poster.
Early life and career
Born in Paris to a poor bu ...
, Georges de Feure and the painter Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
Count, ''Comte'' Henri Marie Raymond de Toulouse-Lautrec-Monfa (24 November 1864 – 9 September 1901), known as Toulouse-Lautrec (), was a French painter, printmaker, draughtsman, caricaturist, and illustrator whose immersion in the colour ...
all made posters for Paris theaters, cafés, dance halls cabarets. The Czech
Czech may refer to:
* Anything from or related to the Czech Republic, a country in Europe
** Czech language
** Czechs, the people of the area
** Czech culture
** Czech cuisine
* One of three mythical brothers, Lech, Czech, and Rus
*Czech (surnam ...
artist Alphonse Mucha
Alfons Maria Mucha (; 24 July 1860 – 14 July 1939), known internationally as Alphonse Mucha, was a Czech painter, illustrator, and graphic artist. Living in Paris during the Art Nouveau period, he was widely known for his distinctly stylized ...
(1860–1939) arrived in Paris in 1888, and in 1895 made a poster for actress Sarah Bernhardt in the play '' Gismonda'' by Victorien Sardou
Victorien Sardou ( , ; 5 September 1831 – 8 November 1908) was a French dramatist. He is best remembered today for his development, along with Eugène Scribe, of the well-made play. He also wrote several plays that were made into popular 19th-c ...
. The success of this poster led to a contract to produce posters for six more plays by Bernhardt. Over the next four years, he also designed sets, costumes, and even jewellery for the actress. Based on the success of his theater posters, Mucha made posters for a variety of products, ranging from cigarettes and soap to beer biscuits, all featuring an idealized female figure with an hourglass figure. He went on to design products, from jewellery to biscuit boxes, in his distinctive style.
In Vienna, the most prolific designer of graphics and posters was Koloman Moser (1868–1918), who actively participated in the Secession movement with Gustav Klimt
Gustav Klimt (14 July 1862 – 6 February 1918) was an Austrian symbolist painter and a founding member of the Vienna Secession movement. His work helped define the Art Nouveau style in Europe. Klimt is known for his paintings, murals, sket ...
and Josef Hoffmann
Josef Hoffmann (15 December 1870 – 7 May 1956) was an Austrians, Austrian-Sudeten Germans, Moravian architect and designer. He was among the founders of Vienna Secession and co-establisher of the Wiener Werkstätte. His most famous architect ...
, and made illustrations and covers for the magazine of the movement, ''Ver Sacrum
''Ver sacrum'' ("sacred spring") is a religious practice of ancient Italic peoples, especially the Sabelli (or Sabini) and their offshoot Samnites, concerning the dedication of colonies. It was of special interest to Georges Dumézil, according ...
'', as well as paintings, furniture and decoration.
Painting
File:Edouard Vuillard - Woman in a Striped Dress - Google Art Project.jpg, ''Le Corsage rayé'' by Édouard Vuillard
Jean-Édouard Vuillard (; 11 November 186821 June 1940) was a French painter, decorative artist, and printmaker. From 1891 through 1900, Vuillard was a member of the avant garde artistic group Les Nabis, creating paintings that assembled areas ...
(1895), National Gallery of Art
File:LES DANAÏDES OR FEMMES À LA SOURCE.PNG, ''Women at the Spring'' by Paul Sérusier (1898), Musée d'Orsay
The Musée d'Orsay ( , , ) () is a museum in Paris, France, on the Rive Gauche, Left Bank of the Seine. It is housed in the former Gare d'Orsay, a Beaux-Arts architecture, Beaux-Arts railway station built from 1898 to 1900. The museum holds mai ...
File:Gustav Klimt 014.jpg, Beethoven Frieze in the ''Sezessionshaus'' in Vienna by Gustav Klimt
Gustav Klimt (14 July 1862 – 6 February 1918) was an Austrian symbolist painter and a founding member of the Vienna Secession movement. His work helped define the Art Nouveau style in Europe. Klimt is known for his paintings, murals, sket ...
(1902)
File:Kolo Moser - Serpentinentänzerin - ca1902.jpeg, Watercolour and ink painting of Loie Fuller, Loïe Fuller dancing, by Koloman Moser (1902)
File:Mais.Cauchie sgraf. 2e ét.JPG, Sgraffito by Paul Cauchie on his residence and studio, Brussels (1905)
File:Klimt, Erwartung, Stoclet Fries.jpg, Detail of the frieze by Klimt in the Stoclet Palace, Brussels (1905–1911)
File:SlaviaMucha.jpg, ''Slavia'' by Alphonse Mucha
Alfons Maria Mucha (; 24 July 1860 – 14 July 1939), known internationally as Alphonse Mucha, was a Czech painter, illustrator, and graphic artist. Living in Paris during the Art Nouveau period, he was widely known for his distinctly stylized ...
(1908)
Painting was another domain of Art Nouveau, though most painters associated with Art Nouveau are primarily described as members of other movements, particularly Post-Impressionism and Symbolism (arts), symbolism. Alphonse Mucha
Alfons Maria Mucha (; 24 July 1860 – 14 July 1939), known internationally as Alphonse Mucha, was a Czech painter, illustrator, and graphic artist. Living in Paris during the Art Nouveau period, he was widely known for his distinctly stylized ...
was famous for his Art Nouveau posters, which frustrated him. According to his son and biographer, Jiří Mucha, he did not think much of Art Nouveau. "What is it, ''Art Nouveau''? he asked. "... Art can never be new." He took the greatest pride in his work as a history painter. His Art Nouveau-inspired painting ''Slava'' is a portrait of the daughter of his patron in Slavs, Slavic costume, which was modelled after his theatrical posters.
The painters most closely associated with Art Nouveau were Les Nabis, post-impressionist artists who were active in Paris from 1888 until 1900. One of their stated goals was to break down the barrier between the fine arts and the decorative arts. They painted not only canvases, but also decorative screens and panels. Many of their works were influenced by the aesthetics of Japanese prints. The members included Pierre Bonnard
Pierre Bonnard (; 3 October 186723 January 1947) was a French painter, illustrator and printmaker, known especially for the stylized decorative qualities of his paintings and his bold use of color. A founding member of the Post-Impressionist gr ...
, Maurice Denis
Maurice Denis (; 25 November 1870 – 13 November 1943) was a French painter, decorative artist, and writer. An important figure in the transitional period between impressionism and modern art, he is associated with '' Les Nabis'', symbolism, ...
, Paul Ranson, Édouard Vuillard
Jean-Édouard Vuillard (; 11 November 186821 June 1940) was a French painter, decorative artist, and printmaker. From 1891 through 1900, Vuillard was a member of the avant garde artistic group Les Nabis, creating paintings that assembled areas ...
, Ker-Xavier Roussel, Félix Vallotton
Félix Édouard Vallotton (; December 28, 1865December 29, 1925) was a Swiss and French painter and printmaker associated with the group of artists known as '. He was an important figure in the development of the modern woodcut. He painted portra ...
, and Paul Sérusier.
The Austrian painter Gustav Klimt was an exponent of Art Nouveau painting, and more specifically a representative of the Modernist movement of the Viennese Secession. Klimt painted canvases and murals in an ornate personal style, which he also expressed through handicrafts, such as those found in the Viennese Secession Gallery. Klimt found one of his most recurring sources of inspiration in the female nude. His works are sensual, with a naturalistic, individual, organic style, inspired by nature following the decorative style of Gaudí.
The Catalan modernist painters (Ramón Casas, Santiago Rusiñol, Aleix Clapés, Joaquim Sunyer, Hermenegildo Anglada Camarasa, Juan Brull, Ricard Canals, Javier Gosé, Josep Maria Sert, Miguel Utrillo, etc.), closely connected with the avant-garde in Paris, and hugely influenced by Antoni Gaudí, had in the Els Quatre Gats tavern their meeting place. Pablo Picasso came out of the group.
Disciples of Anglada Camarasa were the Argentines Gregorio López Naguil, Tito Cittadini and Raúl Mazza who were responsible for carrying art nouveau painting to South America
In Belgium, Fernand Khnopff
Fernand Edmond Jean Marie Khnopff (12 September 1858 – 12 November 1921) was a Belgian symbolist painter.
Life Youth and training
Fernand Khnopff was born to a wealthy family that was part of the high bourgeoisie for generations. Khnopf ...
worked in both painting and graphic design. Wall murals by Gustav Klimt were integrated into decorative scheme of Josef Hoffmann
Josef Hoffmann (15 December 1870 – 7 May 1956) was an Austrians, Austrian-Sudeten Germans, Moravian architect and designer. He was among the founders of Vienna Secession and co-establisher of the Wiener Werkstätte. His most famous architect ...
for the Stoclet Palace (1905–1911). The Klimt mural for the dining room at the Stoclet Palace is considered a masterpiece of late Art Nouveau.
One subject did appear both in traditional painting and Art Nouveau; the American dancer Loie Fuller
Loie Fuller (; born Marie Louise Fuller; January 15, 1862 – January 1, 1928), also known as Louie Fuller and Loïe Fuller, was an American dancer and a pioneer of modern dance and theatrical lighting techniques.
Auguste Rodin said of her, "Lo ...
, was portrayed by French and Austrian painters and poster artists.
One particular style that became popular in the Art Nouveau period, especially in Brussels, was sgraffito
(; ) is an artistic or decorative technique of scratching through a coating on a hard surface to reveal parts of another underlying coating which is in a contrasting colour. It is produced on walls by applying layers of plaster tinted in con ...
, a technique invented in the Renaissance of applying layers of tinted plaster to make murals on the façades of houses. This was used in particular by Belgian architect Paul Hankar for the houses he built for two artist friends, Paul Cauchie and Albert Ciamberlani.
Glass art
File:Émile Gallé - Coupe "Par une telle nuit".jpg, ''Par une telle nuit'' cup by Émile Gallé
Émile Gallé (; 4 May 1846 in Nancy, France, Nancy – 23 September 1904 in Nancy) was a French artist and designer who worked in glass, and is considered to be one of the major innovators in the French Art Nouveau movement. He was noted fo ...
(1894)
File:Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Louis Comfort Tiffany, Au Nouveau Cirque, Papa Chrysanthème, c.1894, stained glass, 120 x 85 cm, Musée d'Orsay, Paris.jpg, ''Au Nouveau Cirque, Papa Chrysanthème'' by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
Count, ''Comte'' Henri Marie Raymond de Toulouse-Lautrec-Monfa (24 November 1864 – 9 September 1901), known as Toulouse-Lautrec (), was a French painter, printmaker, draughtsman, caricaturist, and illustrator whose immersion in the colour ...
and Louis Comfort Tiffany
Louis Comfort Tiffany (February 18, 1848 – January 17, 1933) was an American artist and designer who worked in the decorative arts and is best known for his work in stained glass. He is associated with the art nouveauLander, David"The Buyable ...
(), stained glass, Musée d'Orsay
The Musée d'Orsay ( , , ) () is a museum in Paris, France, on the Rive Gauche, Left Bank of the Seine. It is housed in the former Gare d'Orsay, a Beaux-Arts architecture, Beaux-Arts railway station built from 1898 to 1900. The museum holds mai ...
, Paris
File:Karl koepping, due bicchieri decorativi in vetro soffiato, gemania 1896, 01.jpg, Blown glass with flower design by Karl Koepping (1896)
File:Vase Daum.jpg, Daum vase (1900)
File:Lamp-Daum-BMA.jpg, Daum lamp (1900)
File:Louis comfort tiffany, lampada da tavolo pomb lily, 1900-10 ca..JPG, Lily lamp by Tiffany (1900–1910)
File:MEN Emile Galle Rose de France 24032013 1.jpg, ''Rose de France'' cup by Gallé (1901)
File:Vitrail du hall dentrée (House for an art lover, Glasgow) (3809393032).jpg, Window for the House of an Art Lover, by Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh (1901)
File:Lampe aux Ombelles 2.jpg, ''Lampe aux ombelles'' by Gallé ()
File:Kolo Moser Steinhof leibliche Tugenden Westen.jpg, Stained glass windows by Koloman Moser for the Church of St. Leopold, Vienna
Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...
(1902–1907)
File:John La Farge - 'Untitled (Architecture)', c. 1903, glass, High Museum.JPG, ''Architecture'' stained glass window by John La Farge (1903)
File:Véranda de la Salle.jpg, Stained glass window ''Veranda de la Salle'' by Jacques Grüber
Jacques Grüber (25 January 1870 – 15 December 1936) was a French woodworker and stained glass, stained-glass artist.
Biography
Grüber was born in Sundhouse (Alsace). After starting his training at the , where he would later be a teacher, h ...
in Nancy, France (1904)
File:Louis-comfort tiffany, vaso in vetro soffiato iridescente, new york 1900, 01.JPG, Iridescent vase by Tiffany (1904)
File:Stängelglas, designed by Otto Prutscher, made by Meyr's Neffe, Adolf bei Winterberg (Bohemia), c. 1909, glass - Bröhan Museum, Berlin - DSC03986.JPG, Glass designed by Otto Prutscher (1909)
File:Ngv, louis comfort tiffany, jack-in-the-pulpit vase, 1913 circa 01.JPG, ''Jack-in-the-pulpit'' vase by Tiffany ()
Glass art was a medium in which Art Nouveau found new and varied ways of expression. Intense amount of experimentation went on, particularly in France, to find new effects of transparency and opacity: in engraving win cameo, double layers, and acid engraving, a technique that permitted production in series. The city of Nancy became an important centre for the French glass industry, and the workshops of Émile Gallé
Émile Gallé (; 4 May 1846 in Nancy, France, Nancy – 23 September 1904 in Nancy) was a French artist and designer who worked in glass, and is considered to be one of the major innovators in the French Art Nouveau movement. He was noted fo ...
and the Daum studio, led by Auguste Daum, Auguste and Antonin Daum, were located there. They worked with many notable designers, including , , and Amalric Walter. They developed a new method of incrusting glass by pressing fragments of different coloured glass into the unfinished piece. They often collaborated with the furniture designer Louis Majorelle, whose home and workshops were in Nancy. Another feature of Art Nouveau was the use of stained glass windows with that style of floral themes in residential salons, particularly in the Art Nouveau houses in Nancy. Many were the work of Jacques Grüber
Jacques Grüber (25 January 1870 – 15 December 1936) was a French woodworker and stained glass, stained-glass artist.
Biography
Grüber was born in Sundhouse (Alsace). After starting his training at the , where he would later be a teacher, h ...
, who made windows for the Villa Majorelle and other houses.
In Belgium, the leading firm was the glass factory of Val Saint Lambert, which created vases in organic and floral forms, many of them designed by Philippe Wolfers. Wolfers was noted particularly for creating works of Symbolism (movement), symbolist glass, often with metal decoration attached. In Bohemia, then a region of the Austria-Hungary, Austro-Hungarian Empire noted for crystal manufacture, the companies J. & L. Lobmeyr and Joh. Loetz Witwe also experimented with new colouring techniques, producing more vivid and richer colours. In Germany, experimentation was led by Karl Köpping, who used blown glass to create extremely delicate glasses in the form of flowers; so delicate that few survive today.
In Vienna, the glass designs of the Secession movement were much more geometrical than those of France or Belgium; Otto Prutscher was the most rigorous glass designer of the movement. In Britain, a number of floral stained glass designs were created by Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh for the architectural display called ''The House of an Art Lover''.
In the United States, Louis Comfort Tiffany
Louis Comfort Tiffany (February 18, 1848 – January 17, 1933) was an American artist and designer who worked in the decorative arts and is best known for his work in stained glass. He is associated with the art nouveauLander, David"The Buyable ...
and his designers became particularly famous for their lamps, whose glass shades used common floral themes intricately pieced together. Tiffany lamps gained popularity after the World's Columbian Exposition
The World's Columbian Exposition, also known as the Chicago World's Fair, was a world's fair held in Chicago from May 5 to October 31, 1893, to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the New World in 1492. The ...
in Chicago in 1893, where Tiffany displayed his lamps in a Byzantine-like chapel. Tiffany experimented extensively with the processes of colouring glass, patenting in 1894 the process Favrile glass, which used metallic oxides to colour the interior of the molten glass, giving it an iridescent effect. His workshops produced several different series of the Tiffany lamp in different floral designs, along with stained glass windows, screens, vases and a range of decorative objects. His works were first imported to Germany, then to France by Siegfried Bing
Samuel Siegfried Bing (26 February 1838 – 6 September 1905), who usually gave his name as S. Bing (not to be confused with his brother, Samuel Otto Bing, 1850–1905), was a German-French art dealer who lived in Paris as an adult, and wh ...
, and then became one of the decorative sensations of the 1900 Exposition. An American rival to Tiffany, Steuben Glass, was founded in 1903 in Corning (city), New York, Corning, N.Y., by Frederick Carder, who, like Tiffany, used the Fevrile process to create surfaces with iridescent colours. Another notable American glass artist was John La Farge, who created intricate and colourful stained glass windows on both religious and purely decorative themes.
Examples of stained glass windows in churches can be found in the Art Nouveau religious buildings article.
Metal art
File:Paris 16 - Castel Béranger -10.JPG, Wrought iron balcony of Castel Béranger in Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
, by Hector Guimard
Hector Guimard (, 10 March 1867 – 20 May 1942) was a French architect and designer, and a prominent figure of the Art Nouveau style. He achieved early fame with his design for the Castel Beranger, the first Art Nouveau apartment building i ...
(1897–98)
File:Fernand dubois, candelabro tulipani, 1899 ca., bronzo argentato.jpg, Tulip candelabra by Fernand Dubois (1899)
File:Baluster from the Schlesinger and Mayer Store (later Carson Pirie Scott), by George Grant Elmslie, 1899-1904, cast iron - Chazen Museum of Art - DSC02458.JPG, Cast iron Baluster by George Grant Elmslie (1899–1904)
File:Chocoladekan met roerstok Chocoladekan met handvat van ivoor, BK-1976-17-A.jpg, Chocolate pot with a molinet (stirring rod) by Lucien Bonvallet made of silver, ivory and palmwood ()
File:Teapot, by Alphonse Debain, from Paris, 1900, gilt silver and ivory, inv. 2021.63.1 MAD Paris.jpg, Teapot by Alphonse Debain made of gilt silver and ivory (1900)
File:MBAM Guimard - Grille d'une entrée de métro de Paris.jpg, Paris Métro
The Paris Métro (, , or , ), short for Métropolitain (), is a rapid transit system serving the Paris metropolitan area in France. A symbol of the city, it is known for its density within the capital's territorial limits, uniform architectur ...
balustrade plaque by Guimard (1900)
File:Tischlampe Schleiertänzerin BNM.jpg, Table Lamp by François-Raoul Larche in gilt bronze, with the dancer Loïe Fuller as model (1901)
File:Bruxelles Maison Saint-Cyr Fenster 2.jpg, Wrought iron balconies of the Saint-Cyr House in Brussels
Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) is a Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium#Regions, region of Belgium comprising #Municipalit ...
, by Gustave Strauven (1901–1903)
File:Victor horta, applique a due bracci per lampadine elettriche, 1903 ca.JPG, Light fixture by Victor Horta
Victor Pierre Horta (; Victor, Baron Horta after 1932; 6 January 1861 – 8 September 1947) was a Belgian architect and designer, and one of the founders of the Art Nouveau movement. He was a fervent admirer of the French architectural theoris ...
(1903)
File:Friedrich-Adler-2.jpg, Lamp by German architect Friedrich Adler (artist), Friedrich Adler (1903–04)
File:Ernst riegel, coppa con piede, germania 1905 ca., argento e malachite.JPG, Lamp by Ernst Riegel made of silver and malachite (1905)
File:Portail de la Villa Knopf (34633284432).jpg, Gate of Villa Knopf in Strasbourg, France (1905)
File:Bat goblet, by Henri Husson, A.A Hébrard House seller, from Paris, circa 1909, embossed and hammered copper, gold and silver applications, inv. 15961 MAD Paris.jpg, Bat goblet by Henri Husson made of embossed and hammered copper, gold and silver applications ()
File:Hauptstraße 11, Berlin-Schöneberg, Bild 2.jpg, Door detail of Hauptstraße no. 11 in Berlin
Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...
(unknown date)
The 19th-century architectural theorist Viollet-le-Duc had advocated showing, rather than concealing the iron frameworks of modern buildings, but Art Nouveau architects Victor Horta
Victor Pierre Horta (; Victor, Baron Horta after 1932; 6 January 1861 – 8 September 1947) was a Belgian architect and designer, and one of the founders of the Art Nouveau movement. He was a fervent admirer of the French architectural theoris ...
and Hector Guimard
Hector Guimard (, 10 March 1867 – 20 May 1942) was a French architect and designer, and a prominent figure of the Art Nouveau style. He achieved early fame with his design for the Castel Beranger, the first Art Nouveau apartment building i ...
went a step further: they added iron decoration in curves inspired by floral and vegetal forms both in the interiors and exteriors of their buildings. They took the form of stairway railings in the interior, light fixtures, and other details in the interior, and balconies and other ornaments on the exterior. These became some of the most distinctive features of Art Nouveau architecture. The use of metal decoration in vegetal forms soon also appeared in silverware, lamps, and other decorative items.
In the United States, the designer George Grant Elmslie made extremely intricate cast iron designs for the balustrades and other interior decoration of the buildings of Chicago architect Louis Sullivan
Louis Henry Sullivan (September 3, 1856 – April 14, 1924) was an American architect, and has been called a "father of skyscrapers" and "father of modernism". He was an influential architect of the Chicago school (architecture), Chicago ...
.
While French and American designers used floral and vegetal forms, Joseph Maria Olbrich and the other Secession artists designed teapots and other metal objects in a more geometric and sober style.
Jewellery
File:René lalique, pettorale libellula, in oro, smalti, crisoprazio, calcedonio, pietre lunari e diamanti, 1897-98 ca. 01.jpg, ''Dragonfly Lady'' brooch by René Lalique
René Jules Lalique (; 6 April 1860 – 1 May 1945) was a French jeweller, medallist, and glass designer known for his creations of glass art, perfume bottles, vases, jewellery, chandeliers, clocks, and automobile hood ornaments.
Life
Lalique ...
, made of gold, enamel, chrysoprase, moonstone, and diamonds (1897–98)
File:Louis Aucoc02.jpg, Carved horn decorated with pearls, by Louis Aucoc ()
File:Louis Aucoc00.jpg, Translucent enamel flowers with small diamonds in the veins, by Aucoc ()
File:Louis Aucoc01.jpg, ''Flora'' brooch by Aucoc ()
File:Tiffany and Company Iris Corsage Ornament Walters 57939 Detail croped.jpg, A corsage ornament by Philippe Wolfers (1900)
File:Broche with Woman - René Lalique.JPG, Brooch with woman by Lalique
File:Necklace (3922815556).jpg, Necklace by Charles Robert Ashbee (1901)
File:Philippe Wolfers for Wolfers Frères - Nikè brooch - 1902 - Collectie Koning Boudewijnstichting - Voormalige verzameling Marcel Wolfers.jpg, ''Niké'' brooch by Wolfers (1902), collection King Baudouin Foundation, depot: KMKG-MRAH
File:Paul follot, pettine con aquilegie, 1904-09 ca, corno, oro, smalti, acquamarine.JPG, Brooch of horn with enamel, gold and aquamarine by Paul Follot (1904–1909)
File:The Bay tree egg.jpg, ''Bay Tree (Fabergé egg), Bay Tree'' Fabergé egg (1911)
Art Nouveau jewellery's characteristics include subtle curves and lines. Its design often features natural objects including flowers, animals or birds. The female body is also popular often appearing on Cameo (carving), cameos. It frequently included long necklaces made of pearls or sterling-silver chains punctuated by glass beads or ending in a silver or gold pendant, itself often designed as an ornament to hold a single, faceted jewel of amethyst, peridot, or citrine quartz, citrine.
Art Nouveau jewellery is distinguished by its extensive use of detailed, symbolic motifs that embody the movement's deep connection to nature and mythology. Predominant motifs include the ethereal forms of dragonflies and peacocks, which symbolise transformation and beauty, and the detailed depictions of plants and flowers, highlighting nature's cyclicality and growth. Intricately designed insects like butterflies and scarabs, often rendered with meticulous enamelling, add a layer of mysticism, symbolising rebirth and protection. This style also frequently featured sinuous figures of women, suggesting sensuality and the connection to the earth. More ominous figures such as snakes and mythical creatures like Medusas and chimeras were used to evoke the darker aspects of the natural and mythical worlds. The use of these motifs was not merely for embellishment; each was imbued with meanings, reflecting Art Nouveau's philosophy of integrating art, nature, and spiritual symbolism.
The Art Nouveau period brought a notable stylistic revolution to the jewellery industry, led largely by the major firms in Paris. For the previous two centuries, the emphasis in fine jewellery had been creating dramatic settings for diamonds. During the reign of Art Nouveau, diamonds usually played a supporting role. Jewellers experimented with a wide variety of other stones, including agate, garnet, opal, moonstone (gemstone), moonstone, Beryl#Aquamarine and maxixe, aquamarine and other semi-precious stones, and with a wide variety of new techniques, among others vitreous enamel, enamelling, and new materials, including horn (anatomy), horn, moulded glass, and ivory
Ivory is a hard, white material from the tusks (traditionally from elephants) and Tooth, teeth of animals, that consists mainly of dentine, one of the physical structures of teeth and tusks. The chemical structure of the teeth and tusks of mamm ...
. These materials allowed them to create organic forms and intricate details, highlighting the era's departure from traditional jewellery design towards more artistic and expressive creations. Techniques like plique-à-jour enamelling were employed to achieve translucent effects akin to stained glass, adding depth and luminosity to their pieces.
Early notable Paris jewellers in the Art Nouveau style included Louis Aucoc, whose family jewellery firm dated to 1821. The most famous designer of the Art Nouveau period, René Lalique
René Jules Lalique (; 6 April 1860 – 1 May 1945) was a French jeweller, medallist, and glass designer known for his creations of glass art, perfume bottles, vases, jewellery, chandeliers, clocks, and automobile hood ornaments.
Life
Lalique ...
, served his apprenticeship in the Aucoc studio from 1874 to 1876. Lalique became a central figure of Art Nouveau jewellery and glass, using nature, from dragonfly, dragonflies to grasses, as his models. Artists from outside of the traditional world of jewellery, such as Paul Follot, best known as a furniture designer, experimented with jewellery designs. Other notable French Art Nouveau jewellery designers included Jules Brateau and Georges Henry. In the United States, the most famous designer was Louis Comfort Tiffany
Louis Comfort Tiffany (February 18, 1848 – January 17, 1933) was an American artist and designer who worked in the decorative arts and is best known for his work in stained glass. He is associated with the art nouveauLander, David"The Buyable ...
, whose work was shown at the shop of Siegfried Bing
Samuel Siegfried Bing (26 February 1838 – 6 September 1905), who usually gave his name as S. Bing (not to be confused with his brother, Samuel Otto Bing, 1850–1905), was a German-French art dealer who lived in Paris as an adult, and wh ...
and also at the 1900 Paris Exposition. Siegfried Bing's Paris gallery, Maison de l'Art Nouveau
The Maison de l'Art Nouveau ("House of New Art"), abbreviated often as L'Art Nouveau, and known also as Maison Bing for the owner, was a gallery opened on 26 December 1895, by Siegfried Bing at 22 rue de Provence, Paris.Martin Eidelberg and Suzan ...
, played a pivotal role in promoting Art Nouveau jewellery. By showcasing works from avant-garde jewellers like René Lalique, Henri Sévérin Béland, Henri Vever, and Edward Colonna, Bing elevated jewellery to the status of fine art and fostered international appreciation for the style.
In Britain, the most prominent figure was the Liberty & Co. & Cymric designer Archibald Knox, who made a variety of Art Nouveau pieces, including silver belt buckles. C. R. Ashbee designed pendants in the shapes of peacocks. The versatile Glasgow
Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...
designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh
Charles Rennie Mackintosh (7 June 1868 – 10 December 1928) was a Scottish architect, designer, water colourist and artist. His artistic approach had much in common with European Symbolism. His work, alongside that of his wife Margaret Macd ...
also made jewellery, using traditional Celtic symbols. In Germany, the centre for ''Jugendstil'' jewellery was the city of Pforzheim, where most of the German firms, including Theodor Fahrner, were located. They quickly produced works to meet the demand for the new style.
Architecture and ornamentation
File:Entrance - Hôtel Solvay - 1898.jpg, Entrance of Hôtel Solvay in Brussels
Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) is a Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium#Regions, region of Belgium comprising #Municipalit ...
by Victor Horta
Victor Pierre Horta (; Victor, Baron Horta after 1932; 6 January 1861 – 8 September 1947) was a Belgian architect and designer, and one of the founders of the Art Nouveau movement. He was a fervent admirer of the French architectural theoris ...
(1895–1900)
File:Eléments de décor dun immeuble art nouveau (Paris) (4810271270).jpg, Thistles and curve-lined mascaron (architecture), mascarons in decoration of Les Chardons building in Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
by Charles Klein (1903)
File:Витебский вокзал. Картинный зал.jpg, Whiplash motifs at Vitebsky railway station in Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and later Leningrad, is the List of cities and towns in Russia by population, second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the Neva, River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland ...
by Sima Mihash and Stanislav Brzozowski (1904)
File:Mascara Fachada BA.jpg, One of the mascarons made by Adamo Boari in the façade of the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City (1904–1934)
File:Immeuble De Beck Brussels.jpg, Asymmetric façade with curved lines of De Beck building in Brussels by Gustave Strauven (1905)
File:Art Nouveau architecture in Strasbourg 02.JPG, Irises and mascaron at the façade of Schichtel building in Strasbourg, France, by Aloys Walter (1905–06)
File:Immeuble art nouveau (Riga) (7575658724).jpg, Jugendstil
(; "Youth Style") was an artistic movement, particularly in the decorative arts, that was influential primarily in Germany, Austria and elsewhere in Europe to a lesser extent from about 1895 until about 1910. It was the German and Austrian cou ...
straight-lined mascaron in Riga
Riga ( ) is the capital, Primate city, primate, and List of cities and towns in Latvia, largest city of Latvia. Home to 591,882 inhabitants (as of 2025), the city accounts for a third of Latvia's total population. The population of Riga Planni ...
(1906)
Art Nouveau relief on Strada Sfinților from Bucharest (Romania).jpg, Relief on the façade of the Fanny and Isac Popper House (Strada Sfinților no. 1) in Bucharest
Bucharest ( , ; ) is the capital and largest city of Romania. The metropolis stands on the River Dâmbovița (river), Dâmbovița in south-eastern Romania. Its population is officially estimated at 1.76 million residents within a greater Buc ...
, designed by Alfred Popper (1914)
Art Nouveau architecture was a reaction against the eclectic styles that dominated European architecture in the second half of the 19th century. It was expressed through decoration: either ornament (art), ornamental (based on flowers and plants, e.g. thistles, irises, cyclamens, orchids, water lilies etc.) or sculptural (see the #Sculpture, respective section below). While faces of people (or mascarons) are referred to ornament, the use of people in different forms of sculpture (statues and reliefs: see the #Sculpture, respective section below) was also common in some forms of Art Nouveau. Before Vienna Secession
The Vienna Secession (; also known as the Union of Austrian Artists or ) is an art movement, closely related to Art Nouveau, that was formed in 1897 by a group of Austrian painters, graphic artists, sculptors and architects, including Josef Ho ...
, Jugendstil and the various forms of the National romantic style façades were asymmetrical, and often decorated with polychrome ceramic tiles. The decoration usually suggested movement; there was no distinction between the structure and the ornament.[Renault and Lazé, ''Les styles de l'architecture et du mobilier'' (2006), pp. 107–111] A curling or Whiplash (decorative art), "whiplash" motif, based on the forms of plants and flowers, was widely used in the early Art Nouveau, but decoration became more abstract and symmetrical in Vienna Secession
The Vienna Secession (; also known as the Union of Austrian Artists or ) is an art movement, closely related to Art Nouveau, that was formed in 1897 by a group of Austrian painters, graphic artists, sculptors and architects, including Josef Ho ...
and other later versions of the style, as in the Stoclet Palace in Brussels (1905–1911).
The style first appeared in Brussels' Hankar House by Paul Hankar (1893) and Hôtel Tassel
The Hôtel Tassel (; ) is a historic town house in Brussels, Belgium. It was designed by Victor Horta for the scientist and professor Emile Tassel, and built between 1892 and 1893, in Art Nouveau style. It is considered one of the first buil ...
(1892–93) of Victor Horta
Victor Pierre Horta (; Victor, Baron Horta after 1932; 6 January 1861 – 8 September 1947) was a Belgian architect and designer, and one of the founders of the Art Nouveau movement. He was a fervent admirer of the French architectural theoris ...
. The Hôtel Tassel was visited by Hector Guimard
Hector Guimard (, 10 March 1867 – 20 May 1942) was a French architect and designer, and a prominent figure of the Art Nouveau style. He achieved early fame with his design for the Castel Beranger, the first Art Nouveau apartment building i ...
, who used the same style in his first major work, the Castel Béranger (1897–98). Horta and Guimard also designed the furniture and the interior decoration, down to the doorknobs and carpeting. In 1899, based on the fame of the Castel Béranger, Guimard received a commission to design the Paris Métro entrances by Hector Guimard, entrances of the stations of the new Paris Métro
The Paris Métro (, , or , ), short for Métropolitain (), is a rapid transit system serving the Paris metropolitan area in France. A symbol of the city, it is known for its density within the capital's territorial limits, uniform architectur ...
, which opened in 1900. Though few of the originals survived, these became the symbol of the Art Nouveau movement in Paris.
In Paris, the architectural style was also a reaction to the strict regulations imposed on building façades by Georges-Eugène Haussmann, the prefect of Paris under Napoleon III
Napoleon III (Charles-Louis Napoléon Bonaparte; 20 April 18089 January 1873) was President of France from 1848 to 1852 and then Emperor of the French from 1852 until his deposition in 1870. He was the first president, second emperor, and last ...
. Bow windows were finally allowed in 1903, and Art Nouveau architects went to the opposite extreme, most notably in the houses of Jules Lavirotte, which were essentially large works of sculpture, completely covered with decoration. An important neighbourhood of Art Nouveau houses appeared in the French city of Nancy, around the Villa Majorelle (1901–02), the residence of the furniture designer Louis Majorelle. It was designed by Henri Sauvage as a showcase for Majorelle's furniture designs.
File:Horta Museum.JPG, Spiral staircase in Horta Museum, Maison and Atelier Horta in Brussels
Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) is a Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium#Regions, region of Belgium comprising #Municipalit ...
by Victor Horta
Victor Pierre Horta (; Victor, Baron Horta after 1932; 6 January 1861 – 8 September 1947) was a Belgian architect and designer, and one of the founders of the Art Nouveau movement. He was a fervent admirer of the French architectural theoris ...
(1898–1901)
File:Parc guell - panoramio.jpg, Entrance buildings in Parc Güell, Barcelona
Barcelona ( ; ; ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...
, by Antoni Gaudí
Antoni Gaudí i Cornet ( , ; ; 25 June 1852 – 10 June 1926) was a Catalans, Catalan architect and designer from Spain, widely known as the greatest exponent of Catalan ''Modernisme''. Gaudí's works have a style, with most located in Barc ...
(1900–1914)
File:Palau de la Música Catalana-Palace of Catalan Music (Image 2).jpg, Interior of Palau de la Música Catalana
Palau de la Música Catalana (, ) is a concert hall in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Designed in the Catalan ''modernisme, modernista'' style by the architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner, it was built between 1905 and 1908 for Orfeó Català, a ...
in Barcelona (1905–1909)
File:Bruxelles - Palais Stoclet (6).jpg, Detail of the Stoclet Palace in Brussels (1905–1911)
Many Art Nouveau buildings were included in UNESCO World Cultural Heritage list as a part of their city centres (in Old City (Bern), Bern, Budapest
Budapest is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns of Hungary, most populous city of Hungary. It is the List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, tenth-largest city in the European Union by popul ...
, Lviv
Lviv ( or ; ; ; see #Names and symbols, below for other names) is the largest city in western Ukraine, as well as the List of cities in Ukraine, fifth-largest city in Ukraine, with a population of It serves as the administrative centre of ...
, Paris, Porto
Porto (), also known in English language, English as Oporto, is the List of cities in Portugal, second largest city in Portugal, after Lisbon. It is the capital of the Porto District and one of the Iberian Peninsula's major urban areas. Porto c ...
, Prague
Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...
, Riga
Riga ( ) is the capital, Primate city, primate, and List of cities and towns in Latvia, largest city of Latvia. Home to 591,882 inhabitants (as of 2025), the city accounts for a third of Latvia's total population. The population of Riga Planni ...
, Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and later Leningrad, is the List of cities and towns in Russia by population, second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the Neva, River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland ...
, Strasbourg (Neustadt (Strasbourg), Neustadt), Vienna
Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...
). Along with them, there were buildings that were included in the list as separate objects:
* : the works of Victor Horta
Victor Pierre Horta (; Victor, Baron Horta after 1932; 6 January 1861 – 8 September 1947) was a Belgian architect and designer, and one of the founders of the Art Nouveau movement. He was a fervent admirer of the French architectural theoris ...
(Hôtel Tassel
The Hôtel Tassel (; ) is a historic town house in Brussels, Belgium. It was designed by Victor Horta for the scientist and professor Emile Tassel, and built between 1892 and 1893, in Art Nouveau style. It is considered one of the first buil ...
, Hôtel Solvay, Hôtel van Eetvelde, Horta Museum, Maison and Atelier Horta) and the Stoclet Palace by Josef Hoffmann
Josef Hoffmann (15 December 1870 – 7 May 1956) was an Austrians, Austrian-Sudeten Germans, Moravian architect and designer. He was among the founders of Vienna Secession and co-establisher of the Wiener Werkstätte. His most famous architect ...
in Brussels
Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) is a Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium#Regions, region of Belgium comprising #Municipalit ...
;
* : the works of Lluís Domènech i Montaner
Lluís Domènech i Montaner (; 21 December 1850 – 27 December 1923) was a Catalan architect who was very much involved in and influential for the Catalan '' Modernisme català'', the Art Nouveau/ Jugendstil movement. He was also a Catalan pol ...
(Palau de la Música Catalana
Palau de la Música Catalana (, ) is a concert hall in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Designed in the Catalan ''modernisme, modernista'' style by the architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner, it was built between 1905 and 1908 for Orfeó Català, a ...
and Hospital de Sant Pau in Barcelona
Barcelona ( ; ; ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...
), and the works of Antoni Gaudí
Antoni Gaudí i Cornet ( , ; ; 25 June 1852 – 10 June 1926) was a Catalans, Catalan architect and designer from Spain, widely known as the greatest exponent of Catalan ''Modernisme''. Gaudí's works have a style, with most located in Barc ...
(Park Güell, Palau Güell, Sagrada Família
The Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família, otherwise known as Sagrada Família, is a church under construction in the Eixample district of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It is the largest unfinished Catholic church in the world. Desi ...
, Casa Batlló
() is a building in the center of Barcelona, Spain. It was designed by Antoni Gaudí, and is considered one of his masterpieces. A remodel of a previously built house, it was redesigned in 1904 by Gaudí (but the actual construction works hadn't ...
, Casa Milá, Casa Vicens in Barcelona
Barcelona ( ; ; ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...
; Church of Colònia Güell, Colònia Güell in Santa Coloma de Cervelló).
Sculpture
File:Aarhus Theatre inside6.JPG, High-relief of swans and statues in the interior of Aarhus Theatre, Denmark, by Karl Hansen Reistrup (1897–1900)
File:Le Jeu de l'echarpe (Dancer with scarf), by Agathon Leonard, before 1901, Susse Freres, Paris, gilt bronze - Hessisches Landesmuseum Darmstadt - Darmstadt, Germany - DSC00944.jpg, ''Dancer with a Scarf'', made for the Manufacture nationale de Sèvres
The ''Manufacture nationale de Sèvres'' () is one of the principal European porcelain factories. It is located in Sèvres, Hauts-de-Seine, France. It is the continuation of Vincennes porcelain, founded in 1740, which moved to Sèvres in 1756. ...
, France, by Agathon Léonard (1898)
File:Bigot - Lavirotte - Larrivé - Bust, attic element with green-glaze.jpg, Bust decorating the balconies of 29 avenue Rapp, Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
, by Alexandre Bigot and (1901)
File:Décor art nouveau d'un immeuble du quartier Katajanokka (Helsinki).jpg, High-relief of owls in Katajanokka (Helsinki
Helsinki () is the Capital city, capital and most populous List of cities and towns in Finland, city in Finland. It is on the shore of the Gulf of Finland and is the seat of southern Finland's Uusimaa region. About people live in the municipali ...
) by Georg Wasastjerna (1903)
File:Blosse 09488.JPG, Sculpture in Nancy, France, by Ernest Bussière
File:St.MangBrunnen "Träger".JPG, Atlas (architecture), Atlantes, caryatids at Sankt-Mang-Brunnen in Kempten, Germany, by Georg Wrba (1905)
File:Karhu - Emil Wikström.jpeg, Bear statue at the National Museum of Finland in Helsinki by Emil Wikström (1905–1910)
File:Sprudelhof 20.jpg, Bas-relief in Sprudelhof, Bad Nauheim
Bad Nauheim () is a town in the Wetteraukreis district of Hesse state of Germany.
As of 2020, Bad Nauheim has a population of 32,493. The town is approximately north of Frankfurt am Main, on the east edge of the Taunus mountain range. It is a w ...
, Germany, by Heinrich Jobst (1905–1911)
File:WLM14ES - Zaragoza Monumento a lo sitios 00251 - .jpg, Monument to Siege of Saragossa (1808), Siege of Zaragoza by Agustí Querol Subirats (1908)
File:Hradec Králové - Eliščino nábřeží - Muzeum východních Čech - Museum of East Bohemia 1909-12 by Jan Kotěra - View SE on Průmysl - Industry by Stanislav Sucharda.jpg, Ceramic relief and statue in Hradec Králové
Hradec Králové (; ) is a city of the Czech Republic. It has about 94,000 inhabitants. It is the capital of the Hradec Králové Region. The historic centre of Hradec Králové is well preserved and is protected as an Cultural monument (Czech R ...
, Czech Republic, by Stanislav Sucharda (1909–1912)
File:Tortosa - Casa Bau 3.JPG, Gargoyle in Tortosa, Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationalities and regions of Spain, nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia of 2006, Statute of Autonomy. Most of its territory (except the Val d'Aran) is situate ...
, Spain, by Josep Plantada i Artiga (1915)
File:Conservatori Municipal de Música de Barcelona 38.JPG, Ceramic putti in the Municipal Music Conservatory of Barcelona
Barcelona ( ; ; ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...
by Eusebi Arnau (1916–1928)
Sculpture was another form of expression for Art Nouveau artists, crossing with ceramics sometimes. The porcelain figurine ''Dancer with a Scarf'' by Agathon Léonard won recognition both in ceramics and in sculpture at the Paris Exposition in 1900. Sculptors of other countries also created ceramic sculptures: Bohemian Stanislav Sucharda and Ladislav Šaloun, Belgian Charles Van der Stappen and Catalan , who created statues of polychrome terracotta. Another notable sculptor of that time was Agustí Querol Subirats from Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationalities and regions of Spain, nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia of 2006, Statute of Autonomy. Most of its territory (except the Val d'Aran) is situate ...
who created statues in Spain, Mexico, Argentina, and Cuba.
In architectural sculpture not only statues but also reliefs were used. Art Nouveau architects and sculptors found inspiration in animal motif (art), motifs (butterflies, peacocks, swans, owls, bats, dragons, bears). Atlas (architecture), Atlantes, caryatids, putti, and gargoyles were also used.
Furniture
File:Fauteuil de F. Rupert-Carabin (MAMC, Strasbourg) (28827499300).jpg, Chair by Rupert Carabin (1895)
File:Henri van de velde, sedie e divano imbottiti per salotto, dalla casa del banchiere louis bauer a bruxelles, 1896, 01.JPG, Chair by Henry van de Velde (1896)
File:Chaise de Charles Rennie Mackintosh (Musée d'Orsay) (8982129778).jpg, Chair by Charles Rennie Mackintosh
Charles Rennie Mackintosh (7 June 1868 – 10 December 1928) was a Scottish architect, designer, water colourist and artist. His artistic approach had much in common with European Symbolism. His work, alongside that of his wife Margaret Macd ...
(1897–1900)
File:Stool LACMA M.2008.24.jpg, Stool by Paul Hankar (1898)
File:Oak chair made by Charles Rohlfs, 1898-99, Princeton University Art Museum.JPG, Chair by Charles Rohlfs (1898–99)
File:Richard riemerschmid per dresdener werkstätten für handwerkskunst, armadio, dresda 1902.JPG, Wardrobe by Richard Riemerschmid (1902)
File:Carlobugattichicago.jpg, ''Snail chair'' and other furniture by Carlo Bugatti (1902)
File:Victor Horta Meubelen van Turijn KBS-FRB.jpg, ''Furniture from Turin'' by Victor Horta
Victor Pierre Horta (; Victor, Baron Horta after 1932; 6 January 1861 – 8 September 1947) was a Belgian architect and designer, and one of the founders of the Art Nouveau movement. He was a fervent admirer of the French architectural theoris ...
(1902), in the collection of the King Baudouin Foundation
File:Victor horta, boiserie e mobilio dell'hotel aubecq a bruxelles, 1902-04, 06.JPG, Furniture set by Horta from the Hôtel Aubecq in Brussels
Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) is a Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium#Regions, region of Belgium comprising #Municipalit ...
(1902–1904)
File:Gaspar Homar i Mezquida. Cadira de piano..JPG, Chair by Gaspar Homar (1903)
File:Art Nouveau Dining Masson.jpg, Dining room by Eugène Vallin (1903)
File:Chambre à coucher art nouveau (Musée de lEcole de Nancy) (8029141171).jpg, A bedroom by Louis Majorelle (1903–04)
File:Dawn and Dusk bed.jpg, ''Dawn and Dusk'' bed by Émile Gallé
Émile Gallé (; 4 May 1846 in Nancy, France, Nancy – 23 September 1904 in Nancy) was a French artist and designer who worked in glass, and is considered to be one of the major innovators in the French Art Nouveau movement. He was noted fo ...
(1904)
File:Adjustable armchair, Model 670, Sitting Machine, designed by Josef Hoffmann, Jacob & Josef Kohn, Vienna, 1904-1906, beech, plywood, wood, brass- Museum für Angewandte Kunst Köln - Cologne, Germany - DSC09636.jpg, Adjustable armchair Model 670 ''Sitting Machine'' designed by Josef Hoffmann
Josef Hoffmann (15 December 1870 – 7 May 1956) was an Austrians, Austrian-Sudeten Germans, Moravian architect and designer. He was among the founders of Vienna Secession and co-establisher of the Wiener Werkstätte. His most famous architect ...
(1904–1906)
File:French Art Nouveau stool made in Lyon in 1910.jpeg, French Art Nouveau. Metal stool made in Lyon (1910)
File:TOLEDO UHL steel chair "SODA FOUNTAIN" from 1910, USA.jpg, TOLEDO UHL steel chair "SODA FOUNTAIN" from 1910, Ohio
Furniture design in the Art Nouveau period was closely associated with the architecture of the buildings; the architects often designed the furniture, carpets, light fixtures, doorknobs, and other decorative details. The furniture was often complex and expensive; a fine finish, usually polished or varnished, was regarded as essential, and continental designs were usually very complex, with curving shapes that were expensive to make. It also had the drawback that the owner of the home could not change the furniture or add pieces in a different style without disrupting the entire effect of the room. For this reason, when Art Nouveau architecture went out of style, the style of furniture also largely disappeared.
In France, the centre for furniture design and manufacture was in Nancy, where two major designers, Émile Gallé
Émile Gallé (; 4 May 1846 in Nancy, France, Nancy – 23 September 1904 in Nancy) was a French artist and designer who worked in glass, and is considered to be one of the major innovators in the French Art Nouveau movement. He was noted fo ...
and Louis Majorelle had their studios and workshops, and where the ''Alliance des industries d'art'' (later called the School of Nancy) had been founded in 1901. Both designers based on their structure and ornamentation on forms taken from nature, including flowers and insects, such as the dragonfly, a popular motif in Art Nouveau design. Gallé was particularly known for his use of marquetry in relief, in the form of landscapes or poetic themes. Majorelle was known for his use of exotic and expensive woods, and for attaching bronze sculpted in vegetal themes to his pieces of furniture. Both designers used machines for the first phases of manufacture, but all the pieces were finished by hand. Other notable furniture designers of the Nancy School included Eugène Vallin and Émile André; both were architects by training, and both designed furniture that resembled the furniture from Belgian designers such as Horta and Van de Velde, which had less decoration and followed more closely the curving plants and flowers.
Other notable French designers included Henri Bellery-Desfontaines, who took his inspiration from the neo-Gothic styles of Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, Viollet-le-Duc; and Georges de Feure, Eugène Gaillard, and Édouard Colonna, who worked together with art dealer Siegfried Bing
Samuel Siegfried Bing (26 February 1838 – 6 September 1905), who usually gave his name as S. Bing (not to be confused with his brother, Samuel Otto Bing, 1850–1905), was a German-French art dealer who lived in Paris as an adult, and wh ...
to revitalize the French furniture industry with new themes. Their work was known for "abstract naturalism", its unity of straight and curved lines, and its rococo influence. The furniture of de Feure at the Bing pavilion won a gold medal at the 1900 Paris Exposition. The most unusual and picturesque French designer was François-Rupert Carabin, a sculptor by training, whose furniture featured sculpted nude female forms and symbolic animals, particularly cats, who combined Art Nouveau elements with Symbolism (arts), Symbolism. Other influential Paris furniture designers were Charles Plumet, and Alexandre Charpentier. In many ways the old vocabulary and techniques of classic French 18th-century Rococo furniture were re-interpreted in a new style.
In Belgium, the pioneer architects of the ''Art Nouveau movement'', Victor Horta
Victor Pierre Horta (; Victor, Baron Horta after 1932; 6 January 1861 – 8 September 1947) was a Belgian architect and designer, and one of the founders of the Art Nouveau movement. He was a fervent admirer of the French architectural theoris ...
and Henry van de Velde, designed furniture for their houses, using vigorous curving lines and a minimum of decoration. The Belgian designer Gustave Serrurier-Bovy added more decoration, applying brass strips in curving forms. In the Netherlands, where the style was called ''Nieuwe Kunst'' or New Art, H. P. Berlag, Lion Cachet and Theodor Nieuwenhuis followed a different course, that of the English Arts and Crafts movement
The Arts and Crafts movement was an international trend in the decorative and fine arts that developed earliest and most fully in the British Isles and subsequently spread across the British Empire and to the rest of Europe and America.
Initiat ...
, with more geometric rational forms.
In Britain, the furniture of Charles Rennie Mackintosh
Charles Rennie Mackintosh (7 June 1868 – 10 December 1928) was a Scottish architect, designer, water colourist and artist. His artistic approach had much in common with European Symbolism. His work, alongside that of his wife Margaret Macd ...
was purely Arts and Crafts, austere and geometrical, with long straight lines and right angles and a minimum of decoration. Continental designs were much more elaborate, often using curved shapes both in the basic shapes of the piece, and in applied decorative motifs. In Germany, the furniture of Peter Behrens
Peter Behrens (14 April 1868 – 27 February 1940) was a leading Germany, German architect, graphic and industrial designer, best known for his early pioneering AEG turbine factory, AEG Turbine Hall in Berlin in 1909. He had a long career, desi ...
and the Jugendstil
(; "Youth Style") was an artistic movement, particularly in the decorative arts, that was influential primarily in Germany, Austria and elsewhere in Europe to a lesser extent from about 1895 until about 1910. It was the German and Austrian cou ...
was largely rationalist, with geometric straight lines and some decoration attached to the surface. Their goal was exactly the opposite of French Art Nouveau; simplicity of structure and simplicity of materials, for furniture that could be inexpensive and easily mass-manufactured. The same was true for the furniture of designers of the Wiener Werkstätte
The Wiener Werkstätte ("Vienna Workshop"), established in 1903 by the graphic designer and painter Koloman Moser, the architect Josef Hoffmann and the patron Fritz Waerndorfer, was a productive association in Vienna, Austria that brought to ...
in Vienna, led by Otto Wagner, Josef Hoffmann
Josef Hoffmann (15 December 1870 – 7 May 1956) was an Austrians, Austrian-Sudeten Germans, Moravian architect and designer. He was among the founders of Vienna Secession and co-establisher of the Wiener Werkstätte. His most famous architect ...
, Josef Maria Olbrich and Koloman Moser. The furniture was geometric and had a minimum of decoration, though in style it often followed national historic precedent, particularly the Biedemeier style.
Italian and Spanish furniture design went off in their own direction. Carlo Bugatti in Italy designed the extraordinary Snail Chair, wood covered with painted parchment and copper, for the Turin International Exposition of 1902. In Spain, following the lead of Antoni Gaudí
Antoni Gaudí i Cornet ( , ; ; 25 June 1852 – 10 June 1926) was a Catalans, Catalan architect and designer from Spain, widely known as the greatest exponent of Catalan ''Modernisme''. Gaudí's works have a style, with most located in Barc ...
and the ''Modernismo'' movement, the furniture designer Gaspar Homar designed works that were inspired by natural forms with touches of Catalan historic styles.
In the United States, furniture design was more often inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement, or by historic American models, than by the Art Nouveau. One designer who did introduce Art Nouveau themes was Charles Rohlfs in Buffalo, N.Y., whose designs for American white oak furniture were influenced by motifs of Celtic art and Gothic art, with touches of Art Nouveau in the metal trim applied to the pieces.
Ceramics
File:Vase MET SF1999 398 1.jpg, Glazed earthenware vase, by Émile Gallé
Émile Gallé (; 4 May 1846 in Nancy, France, Nancy – 23 September 1904 in Nancy) was a French artist and designer who worked in glass, and is considered to be one of the major innovators in the French Art Nouveau movement. He was noted fo ...
(1880–1885), Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City
File:Vase (France), 1884–89 (CH 18634943).jpg, Faience or earthenware vase with two feet, with mountain night scene on the back and a floral daylight scene with butterfly on the front, by Gallé (1884–85), Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, New York City
File:Auguste delaherche, piatto con occhi di pavone, parigi 1887-1894 ca..JPG, Plate with peacock feathers, by Auguste Delaherche (1887–1894), Musée des Arts décoratifs, Paris, Museum of Decorative Arts, Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
File:Grande Maison de Blanc Femme 2.JPG, Hand-painted tile panel on the façade of the Grande Maison de Blanc in Brussels
Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) is a Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium#Regions, region of Belgium comprising #Municipalit ...
, designed by Privat Livemont and made by the Boch Frères Kéramis (1897–98)
File:Turn-Teplitz - Vase with elm-leef blackberry.jpg, Amphora with elm-leaf and blackberry, manufactured by Stellmacher & Kessner (), Museum of Applied Arts, Budapest
Budapest is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns of Hungary, most populous city of Hungary. It is the List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, tenth-largest city in the European Union by popul ...
File:Rippl-Rónai - Vase.jpg, Vase, by József Rippl-Rónai (1900), in the Museum of Applied Arts, Budapest
File:Horti - Flower pot.jpg, Vase with vines and snails, by Pál Horti (1900), Museum of Applied Arts, Budapest
Paris - Immeuble Lavirotte (24410963772).jpg, Ceramic façade decoration of Lavirotte Building (Avenue Rapp no. 29) in Paris, designed by Jules Lavirotte and decorated with sculpture and ceramic tiles made by the ceramics manufacturer Alexandre Bigot (1901)
File:Agathon léonard, la danza della sciarpa, sévres 1901-02, 02.jpg, ''The Scarf Dance'', by Agathon Léonard (1901–02), Art Institute of Chicago, US
File:Immeuble au 56 allée de la Robertsau à Strasbourg.jpg, Tiles in the hallway of Allée de la Robertsau no. 56 in Strasbourg, France, designed by Frantz Lütke and Heinrich Backes (1902)
File:Edmond lachenal ed émile decoeur, vaso, chatillon-sur-bagneux, 1902 ca..JPG, Vase, by Edmond Lachenal (1902), Museum of Decorative Arts, Paris
File:Budapest Kozma utca Jüdischer Friedhof Schmidl Mausoleum 696.jpg, Mosaics of the Schmidl Mausoleum in Budapest by the Zsolnay, Zsolnay factory and Miksa Róth
Miksa Róth (26 December 1865 – 14 June 1944) was a Hungarian mosaicist and stained glass artist responsible for making mosaic and stained glass prominent art forms in Hungarian art. In part, Róth was inspired by the work of Pre-Raphaeli ...
(1902–03)
File:Mistletoe Vase MET DP704340.jpg, Mistletoe vase, by Artus Van Briggle for Van Briggle Pottery (1904), Metropolitan Museum of Art
File:Fireplace mantel, attributed to Émile Müller, from Ivry-sur-Seine, circa 1904, glazed porcelain stoneware, inv. 2020.6.1 MAD Paris.jpg, Fireplace mantel, attributed to Émile Müller (), Museum of Decorative Arts, Paris
File:Magasin 43 Avenue Général Gaulle - Nevers (FR58) - 2023-09-21 - 1.jpg, Facade of Avenue Charles-de-Gaulle no. 43, Nevers, France, by Georges-Théodore Renaud (architect) and Alexandre Bigot (ceramist) (1905)
File:Art Nouveau polychrome tiled stove in the Mița the Cyclist House, Bucharest (01).jpg, Polychrome tiled stove in the Mița the Cyclist House (Strada Biserica Amzei no. 9) in Bucharest
Bucharest ( , ; ) is the capital and largest city of Romania. The metropolis stands on the River Dâmbovița (river), Dâmbovița in south-eastern Romania. Its population is officially estimated at 1.76 million residents within a greater Buc ...
, by Nicolae C. Mihăescu (1908)
File:Gare de genval Céramique latérale.JPG, Panel on the façade of Genval railway station in Rixensart, Belgium, designed by architect G. De Lulle (1910)
Ceramic art, including faience, was another flourishing domain for Art Nouveau artists, in the English-speaking countries falling under the wider art pottery movement. The last part of the 19th century saw many technological innovations in the manufacture of ceramics, particularly the development of high temperature (''grand feu'') ceramics with crystallised and matte glazes. At the same time, several lost techniques, such as sang de boeuf glaze, were rediscovered. Art Nouveau ceramics were also influenced by traditional and modern Japanese and Chinese ceramics, whose vegetal and floral motifs fitted well with the Art Nouveau style. In France, artists also rediscovered the traditional stoneware (''grés'') methods and reinvented them with new motifs.
Émile Gallé
Émile Gallé (; 4 May 1846 in Nancy, France, Nancy – 23 September 1904 in Nancy) was a French artist and designer who worked in glass, and is considered to be one of the major innovators in the French Art Nouveau movement. He was noted fo ...
, in Nancy, created earthenware works in natural earth colors with naturalistic themes of plants and insects. Ceramics also found an important new use in architecture: Art Nouveau architects, Jules Lavirotte and Hector Guimard
Hector Guimard (, 10 March 1867 – 20 May 1942) was a French architect and designer, and a prominent figure of the Art Nouveau style. He achieved early fame with his design for the Castel Beranger, the first Art Nouveau apartment building i ...
among them, began to decorate the façades of buildings with architectural ceramics, many of them made by the firm of Alexandre Bigot, giving them a distinct Art Nouveau sculptural look.
One of the pioneer French Art Nouveau ceramists was Ernest Chaplet, whose career in ceramics spanned thirty years. He began producing stoneware influenced by Japanese and Chinese prototypes. Beginning in 1886, he worked with painter Paul Gauguin on stoneware designs with applied figures, multiple handles, painted and partially glazed, and collaborated with sculptors Félix Bracquemond, Jules Dalou and Auguste Rodin. His works were acclaimed at the 1900 Exposition.
The major national ceramics firms had an important place at the 1900 Paris Exposition: the Manufacture nationale de Sèvres
The ''Manufacture nationale de Sèvres'' () is one of the principal European porcelain factories. It is located in Sèvres, Hauts-de-Seine, France. It is the continuation of Vincennes porcelain, founded in 1740, which moved to Sèvres in 1756. ...
outside Paris; Nymphenburg, Meissen, Villeroy & Boch in Germany, and Doulton Industrial Products, Doulton in Britain. Other leading French ceramists included Taxile Doat, Pierre-Adrien Dalpayrat, Edmond Lachenal, and Auguste Delaherche.
In France, Art Nouveau ceramics sometimes crossed the line into sculpture. The porcelain figurine ''Dancer with a Scarf'' by Agathon Léonard, made for the Manufacture nationale de Sèvres
The ''Manufacture nationale de Sèvres'' () is one of the principal European porcelain factories. It is located in Sèvres, Hauts-de-Seine, France. It is the continuation of Vincennes porcelain, founded in 1740, which moved to Sèvres in 1756. ...
, won recognition in both categories at the 1900 Paris Exposition.
The Zsolnay, Zsolnay factory in Pécs, Hungary, was founded by Miklós Zsolnay (1800–1880) in 1853 and led by his son, Vilmos Zsolnay (1828–1900) with chief designer Tádé Sikorski (1852–1940) to produce stoneware and other ceramics. In 1893, Zsolnay introduced porcelain pieces made of eosin. He led the factory to worldwide recognition by demonstrating its innovative products at world fairs and international exhibitions, including the Weltausstellung 1873 Wien, 1873 World Fair in Vienna, then at the Exposition Universelle (1878), 1878 World Fair in Paris, where Zsolnay received a ''Grand Prix''. Frost-resisting Zsolnay building decorations were used in numerous buildings, specifically during the Art Nouveau movement.
Ceramic tiles were also a distinctive feature of Portuguese ''Arte Nova'' that continued the long azulejo tradition of the country.
Mosaics
File:Ivanovo Obl Vichuga asv2018-08 img02.jpg, Maiolica mural of Abramtsevo Colony, Russia (1870s–1890s)
File:Wien - Majolika-Haus.JPG, Linke Wienzeile Buildings, Majolica House in Vienna
Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...
by Otto Wagner (1898)
File:Камин "Вольга Святославич и Микула Селянинович" в доме Бажанова.jpg, Majolica fireplace, house of Bazhanov, Abramtsevo Colony, by Mikhail Vrubel (1898)
File:Mosaic in floor of entrance, Fox & Anchor Pub, 115 Charterhouse Street, London (8475013835).jpg, Mosaics of Fox and Anchor pub in London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
by William James Neatby (1898)
File:Antwerpen Jugendstil Waterloostraat Herfst, Winter, Zomer en Lente 10.jpg, Mosaic which portrays summer as a woman, with a neo-Byzantine art, Byzantine golden background, in Antwerp
Antwerp (; ; ) is a City status in Belgium, city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of Antwerp Province, and the third-largest city in Belgium by area at , after ...
, Belgium
File:Esslingen a.N. - Altstadt - Merkelsches Schwimmbad - Fassadenmosaik.jpg, Mosaics designed by Oskar Graf for in Esslingen am Neckar, Germany (1905–1907)
File:Church of the Holy Spirit 02.jpg, Mandylion by Nicholas Roerich in Talashkino, Russia (1908–1914)
File:Odorico Père - 30 quai Duguay-Trouin - Détail.JPG, Mosaic floors in Quai Duguay-Trouin no. 30 in Rennes, France, designed by Emmanuel Le Ray ()
File:Palatul Culturii din Târgu Mureș 20.jpg, Mosaics for Palace of Culture
Palace of Culture (, , ''wénhuà gōng'', ) or House of Culture (Polish: ''dom kultury'') is a common name (generic term) for major Club (organization), club-houses (community centres) in the former Soviet Union and the rest of the Eastern bloc ...
in Târgu Mureș
Târgu Mureș (, ; ; German language, German: ''Neumarkt am Mieresch'') is the seat of Mureș County in the historical region of Transylvania, Romania. It is the list of cities and towns in Romania, 16th-largest city in Romania, with 116,033 ...
, Romania by Aladár Körösfői-Kriesch and Miksa Róth
Miksa Róth (26 December 1865 – 14 June 1944) was a Hungarian mosaicist and stained glass artist responsible for making mosaic and stained glass prominent art forms in Hungarian art. In part, Róth was inspired by the work of Pre-Raphaeli ...
(1911–1913)
File:Park Guell Terrace.JPG, Trencadís
''Trencadís'' (), also known as pique assiette, broken tile mosaics, bits and pieces, memoryware, and shardware, is a type of mosaic made from cemented-together tile shards and broken chinaware. It is commonly associated with Antoni Gaudi (see b ...
mosaics in Park Güell, Barcelona
Barcelona ( ; ; ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...
, by Antoni Gaudí
Antoni Gaudí i Cornet ( , ; ; 25 June 1852 – 10 June 1926) was a Catalans, Catalan architect and designer from Spain, widely known as the greatest exponent of Catalan ''Modernisme''. Gaudí's works have a style, with most located in Barc ...
(1914)
File:Louis c. tiffany, paesaggio con giardino e una fontana, 1915 ca., 02.JPG, Mosaics by Louis Comfort Tiffany
Louis Comfort Tiffany (February 18, 1848 – January 17, 1933) was an American artist and designer who worked in the decorative arts and is best known for his work in stained glass. He is associated with the art nouveauLander, David"The Buyable ...
(1915)
Mosaics were used by many Art Nouveau artists of different movements, especially of Catalan Modernisme ( Hospital de Sant Pau, Palau de la Música Catalana
Palau de la Música Catalana (, ) is a concert hall in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Designed in the Catalan ''modernisme, modernista'' style by the architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner, it was built between 1905 and 1908 for Orfeó Català, a ...
, Casa Lleó-Morera and many others). Antoni Gaudí
Antoni Gaudí i Cornet ( , ; ; 25 June 1852 – 10 June 1926) was a Catalans, Catalan architect and designer from Spain, widely known as the greatest exponent of Catalan ''Modernisme''. Gaudí's works have a style, with most located in Barc ...
invented a new technique in the treatment of materials called trencadís
''Trencadís'' (), also known as pique assiette, broken tile mosaics, bits and pieces, memoryware, and shardware, is a type of mosaic made from cemented-together tile shards and broken chinaware. It is commonly associated with Antoni Gaudi (see b ...
, which used waste ceramic pieces.
Colourful Maiolica tile in floral designs were a distinctive feature of the Linke Wienzeile Buildings, Majolica House in Vienna by Otto Wagner, (1898) and of the buildings of the works of the Russian Abramtsevo Colony, especially those by Mikhail Vrubel.
Textiles and wallpaper
File:Wand Decoration Obrist 1895.png, Silk and wool tapestry design, ''Cyclamen'', by Hermann Obrist, an early example of the Whiplash (decorative art), Whiplash motif based on the stem of a cyclamen flower (1895)
File:Nénuphar Verneuil Pl 2.jpg, Page on the Water Lily, from the book by Eugène Grasset
Eugène Samuel Grasset (; 25 May 1845 – 23 October 1917) was a Swiss decorative artist who worked in Paris, France in a variety of creative design fields during the Belle Époque. He is considered a pioneer in Art Nouveau design.
Biography
...
on ornamental uses of flowers (1899)
File:Kolo Moser - Abimelech - 1899.jpeg, Textile design by Koloman Moser (1899)
File:Silverstudio.jpg, Printed cotton from the Silver Studio, for Liberty
Liberty is the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one's way of life, behavior, or political views. The concept of liberty can vary depending on perspective and context. In the Constitutional ...
department store (1904)
File:Vaszary János A pásztor szőnyeg 1906.jpg, ''The Shepherd'' tapestry by János Vaszary (1906) combined Art Nouveau motifs and a traditional Hungarian folk theme
File:Horta Tapis KBS-FRB.jpg, A carpet by Victor Horta
Victor Pierre Horta (; Victor, Baron Horta after 1932; 6 January 1861 – 8 September 1947) was a Belgian architect and designer, and one of the founders of the Art Nouveau movement. He was a fervent admirer of the French architectural theoris ...
in the collection of the King Baudouin Foundation
Textiles and wallpapers were an important vehicle of Art Nouveau from the beginning of the style, and an essential element of Art Nouveau interior design. In Britain, the textile designs of William Morris
William Morris (24 March 1834 – 3 October 1896) was an English textile designer, poet, artist, writer, and socialist activist associated with the British Arts and Crafts movement. He was a major contributor to the revival of traditiona ...
had helped launch the Arts and Crafts movement
The Arts and Crafts movement was an international trend in the decorative and fine arts that developed earliest and most fully in the British Isles and subsequently spread across the British Empire and to the rest of Europe and America.
Initiat ...
and then Art Nouveau. Many designs were created for the Liberty
Liberty is the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one's way of life, behavior, or political views. The concept of liberty can vary depending on perspective and context. In the Constitutional ...
department store in London, which popularized the style throughout Europe. One such designer was the Silver Studio, which provided colourful stylised floral patterns. Other distinctive designs came from Glasgow School, and Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh. The Glasgow school introduced several distinctive motifs, including stylised eggs, geometric forms and the "Rose of Glasgow".
In France, a major contribution was made by designer Eugène Grasset
Eugène Samuel Grasset (; 25 May 1845 – 23 October 1917) was a Swiss decorative artist who worked in Paris, France in a variety of creative design fields during the Belle Époque. He is considered a pioneer in Art Nouveau design.
Biography
...
who in 1896 published ''La Plante et ses applications ornamentales'', suggesting Art Nouveau designs based on different flowers and plants. Many patterns were designed for and produced by for the major French textile manufacturers in Mulhouse, Lille and Lyon, by German and Belgian workshops. The German designer Hermann Obrist specialized in floral patterns, particularly the cyclamen and the "whiplash" style based on flower stems, which became a major motif of the style. The Belgian Henry van de Velde presented a textile work, ''La Veillée d'Anges'', at the Salon ''La Libre Esthéthique'' in Brussels, inspired by the symbolism of Paul Gauguin and of the Les Nabis, Nabis. In the Netherlands, textiles were often inspired by batik
Batik is a dyeing technique using wax Resist dyeing, resist. The term is also used to describe patterned textiles created with that technique. Batik is made by drawing or stamping wax on a cloth to prevent colour absorption during the dyein ...
patterns from the Dutch colonies in the East Indies. Folk art also inspired the creation of tapestries, carpets, embroidery and textiles in Central Europe and Scandinavia, in the work of Gerhard Munthe
Gerhard Peter Frantz Munthe (19 July 1849 in Elverum (town), Elverum, Hedmark – 15 January 1929 in Lysaker, Bærum Municipality, Bærum) was a Norwegian painter and illustrator.
Background
Munthe was born in Elverum (town), Elverum to physicia ...
and Frida Hansen in Norway. The ''Five Swans'' design of Otto Eckmann appeared in more than one hundred different versions. The Hungarian designer János Vaszary combined Art Nouveau elements with folkloric themes.
Museums
There are 4 types of museums featuring Art Nouveau heritage:
* Broad-scope museums (not specifically dedicated to Art Nouveau but with a large collection of items in this style). ''Art Nouveau monuments are italicised'';
* House-museums of Art Nouveau artists (all but Alphonse Mucha museum are Art Nouveau monuments);
* Museums dedicated to local Art Nouveau movements (all are Art Nouveau monuments);
* Other Art Nouveau buildings with museum status or featuring a museum inside (not dedicated to local Art Nouveau movements/specific artists).
There are many other Art Nouveau buildings and structures that do not have museum status but can be officially visited for a fee or unofficially for free (e.g. railway stations, churches, cafes, restaurants, pubs, hotels, stores, offices, libraries, cemeteries, fountains as well as numerous apartment buildings that are still inhabited).
Posterity
Criticized for "its primitive extravagances", Art Nouveau started to fade away after 1911. In histories of European architecture in the 20th century, from the 1930s to the 1950s, influential historians, like Nikolaus Pevsner, Sigfried Giedion and Henry-Russell Hitchcock, did not take Art Nouveau into consideration. This left the first versions of Pevsner's ''The Genius of European Architecture'' without a mention of Hector Guimard
Hector Guimard (, 10 March 1867 – 20 May 1942) was a French architect and designer, and a prominent figure of the Art Nouveau style. He achieved early fame with his design for the Castel Beranger, the first Art Nouveau apartment building i ...
or Antoni Gaudí
Antoni Gaudí i Cornet ( , ; ; 25 June 1852 – 10 June 1926) was a Catalans, Catalan architect and designer from Spain, widely known as the greatest exponent of Catalan ''Modernisme''. Gaudí's works have a style, with most located in Barc ...
. The first major works dealing with Art Nouveau were published at the end of the 1950s, with Johnny Watser.
Influence on Art Deco
File:Mackintosh, House for an Art Lover, competition entry.jpg, Entry for the ''House for an art lover'' competition, by Charles Rennie Mackintosh
Charles Rennie Mackintosh (7 June 1868 – 10 December 1928) was a Scottish architect, designer, water colourist and artist. His artistic approach had much in common with European Symbolism. His work, alongside that of his wife Margaret Macd ...
(1900)
File:Main view of the Bazil Assan House in Bucharest.jpg, Vienna Secession, Secessionist exterior of the Bazil Assan House (Strada Scaune no. 21–23, currently Strada Tudor Arghezi) in Bucharest
Bucharest ( , ; ) is the capital and largest city of Romania. The metropolis stands on the River Dâmbovița (river), Dâmbovița in south-eastern Romania. Its population is officially estimated at 1.76 million residents within a greater Buc ...
, by Marcel Kammerer (1902–1911), demolished in the late 1950s or the 1960s to make space for the National Theatre Bucharest
File:Bruxelles - Palais Stoclet (3) (cropped center).jpg, Secessionist façade of the Stoclet Palace in Brussels
Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) is a Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium#Regions, region of Belgium comprising #Municipalit ...
, by Josef Hoffmann
Josef Hoffmann (15 December 1870 – 7 May 1956) was an Austrians, Austrian-Sudeten Germans, Moravian architect and designer. He was among the founders of Vienna Secession and co-establisher of the Wiener Werkstätte. His most famous architect ...
(1905–1911)
File:Michael powolny e bertold löffler, putto con cornucopia, vienna 1912 ca.jpg, Secessionist putto with two cornucopias with floral cascades, very similar to the ones found in a lot of Art Deco of the 1910s and 1920s, by Michael Powolny, designed in , produced in 1912, ceramic, Kunstgewerbemuseum Berlin
File:Casa Collini in via Statuto 12, Milano (1919) arch. Giovanni Greppi.jpg, Via Statuto no. 12 (Art Deco) in Milan
Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...
, Italy, by Giovanni Greppi (1919), similar to Charles Rennie Mackintosh's buildings
File:44 Calea Călărașilor, Bucharest (02).jpg, Art Deco door with spirals and sinuous lines, of the Mihai Zisman House (Calea Călărașilor no. 44) in Bucharest, by Soru (1920)
File:Galdames (Vizcaya)-Museo de coches antiguos-24-Emblema de Rolls Royce 'El espíritu del éxtasis'.JPG, Art Deco Rolls Royce radiator figurine, similar to Art Nouveau ethereal figures of women in graceful wavy garments, designed by Charles Robinson Sykes (1920s), in the Antique and Classic Car Museum, Torre Loizaga, Galdames, Spain
File:Museum, part of a series of sketches known as Une cité moderne, by Robert Mallet-Stevens, 1922.jpg, Art Deco museum design, similar to Josef Hoffmann's Secessionist buildings, part of a series of sketches known as ''Une cité moderne'', by Robert Mallet-Stevens (1922)
File:Immeuble 76 quai de Jemmapes et 1 avenue Richerand à Paris le 15 janvier 2016 - 09.jpg, Art Deco balconies with sinuous bases of Avenue Richerand no. 1 in Paris, unknown architect ()
File:Avenue Montaigne (47128639262).jpg, Sinuous curves on the façade of Avenue Montaigne no. 26 in Paris, by Louis Duhayon and Marcel Julien (1937)
Art Nouveau was one of the factors that led to Art Deco
Art Deco, short for the French (), is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design that first Art Deco in Paris, appeared in Paris in the 1910s just before World War I and flourished in the United States and Europe during the 1920 ...
, a style created as a collective effort of multiple French designers to create a new modern style around 1910. This is because Art Nouveau broke the supremacy of 19th-century Revivalism (architecture), revivalism and Eclecticism in architecture, eclecticism, opposing academic conventions. Through its various manifestations, it invented new ornamental systems, no longer dependent on historical formulae, through curvy plant forms in most of the world, geometric decoration in Austria-Hungary and the UK, and reinterpretations of national tradition in the countries of Northern Europe, Northern, Central Europe, Central and Eastern Europe. The idea of creating a new style, with new ornaments and shapes, was a significant contribution that Art Nouveau brought to the invention of Art Deco. Another aspect taken from Art Nouveau is the emphasis put on domestic luxury.
Some of the fine details and sinuous lines of Art Nouveau are also found in Art Deco architecture and design of the 1920s, but slightly simplified. Similarly, the flat colours and visible outlines popularized by Art Nouveau posters are very often used in Art Deco illustration. Compared to many Art Nouveau designs, where the vegetal motifs seem to grow and morph on the object or architectural ornament, most Art Deco works have a clear compositional structure, similar to Neoclassicism.
Aside from ideas taken from Franco-Belgian Art Nouveau, influence came also from the geometric motifs and volumes found in the UK and Vienna. The flowers, spirals and squares found here are very similar to the ones found in Art Deco. Charles Rennie Mackintosh
Charles Rennie Mackintosh (7 June 1868 – 10 December 1928) was a Scottish architect, designer, water colourist and artist. His artistic approach had much in common with European Symbolism. His work, alongside that of his wife Margaret Macd ...
even anticipated Art Deco forms in his later creations. One of the Vienna Secession, Secessionist works that best anticipates the style is the Stoclet Palace in Brussels
Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) is a Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium#Regions, region of Belgium comprising #Municipalit ...
, with its ziggurat-shaped setbacks, the vertical slit of the staircase window, and the overall simplicity and modest ornamentation.
Revivals
File:San Francisco Oracle Cover Vol.1 No.5, January 1967.jpg, Cover of the ''San Francisco Oracle'', vol. 1, no. 5, from facsimile edition, an example of a psychedelic rock poster, unknown author (1966 or 1967)
File:Touché Gent (32840632118).jpg, Kalandestraat no. 1 in Ghent, Belgium, by Denis Van Impe and Colette Van Vynckt (1980)
File:Waseda El Dorado 1.jpg, Waseda El Dorado in Tokyo by Von Jour Caux (1983)
File:Wien - Hundertwasserhaus (03).JPG, Hundertwasserhaus in Vienna
Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...
by Friedensreich Hundertwasser (1983–1985)
File:16, Strada Dimitrie Racoviță, Bucharest (Romania) 1.jpg, Strada Dimitrie Racoița in Bucharest
Bucharest ( , ; ) is the capital and largest city of Romania. The metropolis stands on the River Dâmbovița (river), Dâmbovița in south-eastern Romania. Its population is officially estimated at 1.76 million residents within a greater Buc ...
, unknown architect ()
File:20190128 GoldGasse 9062 (46634300304).jpg, Gustav Klimt
Gustav Klimt (14 July 1862 – 6 February 1918) was an Austrian symbolist painter and a founding member of the Vienna Secession movement. His work helped define the Art Nouveau style in Europe. Klimt is known for his paintings, murals, sket ...
's '' The Kiss'' printed on various objects in the window of a shop in Salzburg, Austria (2019)
During the 1960s, Postmodernism was born. This was and is a movement that questions Modernism
Modernism was an early 20th-century movement in literature, visual arts, and music that emphasized experimentation, abstraction, and Subjectivity and objectivity (philosophy), subjective experience. Philosophy, politics, architecture, and soc ...
(the status quo after World War II), and promoted the inclusion and reinterpretation of elements of historic styles in new designs. Although several international exhibitions on Art Nouveau happened in the 1950s, a successful revival appeared in the 1960s, and especially in the 1970s with the rise of Postmodernism. Aside from exhibitions, this revival might be connected with the "flower power" generation that set the tone at the time recognized its own life ideals in the floral ornament and the erotically "emancipated" art themes of the years around 1900.
Art Nouveau was also one of the main sources of inspiration for many Psychedelic art, posters of psychedelic rock from the same period. Leading proponents of the 1960s psychedelic art movement were San Francisco poster artists such as Rick Griffin, Victor Moscoso, Bonnie MacLean, Stanley Mouse, Alton Kelley, and Wes Wilson. Compared to the earthy colours that characterize Art Nouveau, these posters had highly saturated colours put in contrast, and also highly stylised text, sometimes hard to read. This style flourished from about 1966 to 1972.
Gustav Klimt
Gustav Klimt (14 July 1862 – 6 February 1918) was an Austrian symbolist painter and a founding member of the Vienna Secession movement. His work helped define the Art Nouveau style in Europe. Klimt is known for his paintings, murals, sket ...
's iconic paintings are found today on many kitschy souvenirs: mugs, plates, napkins, key chains, and so on. '' The Kiss'' has been printed on countless sizes and materials. In a similar situation are Alphonse Mucha
Alfons Maria Mucha (; 24 July 1860 – 14 July 1939), known internationally as Alphonse Mucha, was a Czech painter, illustrator, and graphic artist. Living in Paris during the Art Nouveau period, he was widely known for his distinctly stylized ...
's posters.
One of the artists who found in Art Nouveau a major source of inspiration was the Austrian painter and architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser. He took inspiration from multiple sources, including Egon Schiele, Baroque and Persian art, Persian miniature, and the curvy ornamentation of Art Nouveau.
See also
* Aestheticism
* Art Nouveau religious buildings
* ''Fin de siècle''
* Paris architecture of the Belle Époque, Paris architecture of the ''Belle Époque''
* Réseau Art Nouveau Network
* Secession (art)
* Second Industrial Revolution
* Timeline of Art Nouveau
* World Art Nouveau Day
* Main Customs Office (Munich)
Notes
References
Bibliography
* Bony, Anne, ''L'Architecture Moderne'', Paris, Larousse (2012)
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* Duncan, Alastair, ''Art Nouveau'', World of Art, New York: Thames and Hudson, 1994.
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* Heller, Steven, and Seymour Chwast, ''Graphic Style from Victorian to Digital'', new ed. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 2001. pp. 53–57.
* Huyges, René, ''L'Art et le monde moderne'', Volume 1, Librarie Larousse, Paris, 1970
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* Renault, Christophe and Lazé, Christophe, ''Les Styles de l'architecture et du mobliier'', Éditions Jean-Paul Gisserot, 2006 (in French).
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* Sterner, Gabriele, ''Art Nouveau, an Art of Transition: From Individualism to Mass Society'', 1st English ed. (original title: ''Jugendstil: Kunstformen zwischen Individualismus und Massengesellschaft''), translated by Frederick G. Peters and Diana S. Peters, publisher Woodbury, N.Y.: Barron's Educational Series, 1982.
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Further reading
* Art Nouveau Grange Books, Rochester, England, 2007, .
* William Craft Brumfield. ''The Origins of Modernism in Russian Architecture'' (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1991) .
* Debora L. Silverman (1992),
Art Nouveau in Fin-de-siècle France: Politics, Psychology, and Style
'.
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L'Art appliqué: Le Style moderne, revue internationale, Éditeur: H. Laurens (Paris) 1903–04, Bibliothèque nationale de France
''Modern'style (Art Nouveau)'': Le Dictionnaire Pratique de Menuiserie – Ebénisterie – Charpente, Par J. Justin Storck, édition de 1900
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External links
Teaching resource on the Art Nouveau movement from the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.
Réseau Art Nouveau Network
a European network of Art Nouveau cities
Art Nouveau European Route
a non-profit association for the international promotion and protection of Art Nouveau heritage
Europeana virtual exhibition of Art Nouveau
{{Authority control
Art Nouveau,
Art movements
Decorative arts
Modern art
Art movements in Europe
Belle Époque
19th century in the arts
20th century in the arts
Gilded Age