Art Nouveau

Art Nouveau

Art nouveau is French for ‘New Art’. It is characterized by its highly decorative style, based on the extensive exploitation of floral motifs and foliage. Art nouveau was popular from about 1880 to 1910 and was an international movement.  The Germans called it ‘Jungendstil’ means young style, the Italians called it ‘Stile Liberty’, the Austrians called it ‘Sezessionstil’ and the Spanish called it ‘Modernista’. Art nouveau covered all forms of art that are architecture, furniture, jewellery, glassware, printing and advertising (such as billboards). Fine examples of art nouveau are the early twentieth century Parisian subway entrances, the glass works of Emille Galle and Louise Comfort Tiffany or the posters by Alphonse Mucha. A very versatile art nouveau painter was Gustav Klimt (1862-1918). Art nouveau did not survive the First World War, perhaps because of the high pricing for art nouveau objects.

Alphonse Mucha
          Poetry

                                                                                                 Alphonse Mucha

                                                                                                      Gismonda

References: 

 Art Nouveau. 2013. Art Nouveau. [ONLINE] Available at: http://nga.gov/feature/nouveau/exhibit_time.shtm. [Accessed 03 April 2013].