Art Nouveau

Like with the start of many new movements, the Art Nouveau style was created to escape previous design ways of thinking. By integrating art with the organic world around us, the Art Nouveau style was created. Although the movement was quite short, it left a lasting impression on design today.

From the 17th to 19th century, most of the academic system deemed art mediums such as paintings and sculpture more important than the applied arts. Artists in the Art Nouveau movement wanted to try and shift this belief. They attempted this through good craftsmanship and assuring that each and every part of an interior was meticulously thought out and could be discussed using the same vocabulary as one might use while talking about a sculpture or painting. It is interesting to think about if some of this societal beliefs regarding applied arts, such as design, are still relevant today. The work created in the Art Nouveau period, however, definitely helped close the gap during that time.

Art Nouveau Design Examples 

  

Above you can see three different design examples from the Art Nouveau Movement. On the left is a view of an interior hall, with very decorative and organic movements. The image comes from the Art Nouveau Exhibit in the Musee D'Orsay. In the middle is a carved mahogany throne chair from 1905. It's back resembles butterfly wings and incorporates detailed elements in all parts of the chair. On the right is an exterior view of the entrance of the Lavirotte Building in Paris. The facade is very unique to the Art Nouveau styles.

Current Applications

Shown above are modern applications of the Art Nouveau style. On the left you can see, an exterior of the building, in the center an interior of a bar, and on the right a residential staircase. All three examples show very organic movement and use of wood that is common to the Art Nouveau style.

Super Great Videos That You Should Watch

The Vienna Secession - Architectural Shots | https://youtu.be/R8e0uQXXNmA
Art Nouveau - Overview | https://youtu.be/P4luPnObQYo

Peer Reviews

Becca | I really liked that Becca focused solely on Antoni Gaudi in her blog. It was awesome to be able to learn more about him specifically. The information also easily connected back to the main points that we talked about in class.
Haley | Haley's overview was really helpful to bring all the information that we have learned together. I also really enjoyed her modern application pictures. The style was overdone, but it was still recognizable as Art Nouveau which is perfect for current designs.