ART NOUVEAU

Art Nouveau was most popular during 1890–1910, is an international philosophy and style of art, architecture and applied art—especially the decorative art. It was inspired by natural forms and structures, not only in flowers and plants, but also in curved lines. Architects tried to harmonize with the natural environment. Art Nouveau is most of the decorative arts including jewellery, furniture, textiles, household silver and other utensils and lighting, as well as the fine arts.

As an art style, Art Nouveau has affinities with the Pre-Raphaelites and the Symbolist styles and could be classed in more than one of these styles. Art Nouveau did not negate machines, as the Arts and Crafts Movement did. Art Nouveau architecture made use of many technological innovations of the late 19th century, especially the use of exposed iron and large, irregularly shaped pieces of glass for architecture.

The style was the first major artistic stylistic movement in which mass-produced graphics played a key role, often techniques of colour printing developed relatively recently. A key influence was the Paris-based Czech artist Alphonse Mucha, who produced a lithographed poster. Two-dimensional Art Nouveau pieces were painted, drawn, and printed in popular forms such as advertisements, posters, labels, magazines, and the like. Japanese wood-block prints, with their curved lines, patterned surfaces, contrasting voids, and flatness of visual plane, also inspired Art Nouveau. Some line and curve patterns became graphic clichés that were later found in works of artists from many parts of the world.

Glass art was a medium in which the style found tremendous expression. Examples include the lamps and favrile glass of Louis Comfort Tiffany. Art Nouveau ceramics were also influenced by the work of Japan. Artists called for a re-examination of vegetal and zoological motifs, particularly as seen in Japanese art. The development of high temperature (grand feu) porcelain with crystallised and matte glazes, with or without other

decoration, is typical of these works.