Era 01: Art Nouveau — The Movement That Started It All
Art Nouveau | 1890–1914
"I was happy to be involved in an art for the people and not for private drawing rooms. It was inexpensive, accessible to the general public, and it found a home in poor families as well as in more affluent circles." — Alphonse Mucha
La Plume, Alphonse Mucha, 1897, France
Art Nouveau is my personal favorite era. Rich with sensuality, nature, and revolutionary expression, Art Nouveau sets the tone for the beautiful vintage design, art, architecture, jewelry, and furniture of the 20th century. So, if you are a nerd like me and want to hyper fixate on the story of how Art Nouveau came to be, continue reading!
Art Nouveau graced the planet at the turn of the 20th century. At the time, the globe was acclimating to the role of industrialization, technological advances, and the departure of the suffocating excess of the Victorian period. The term "Art Nouveau" originated in the Belgian art journal L'Art Moderne in 1884, used to describe the work of Les Vingt, a society of 20 progressive artists. By the year 1900, the style had become globally widespread and made its mainstream debut at the Paris Universal Exposition of 1900.
Born from a desire for freedom of expression and a pushback against the opulent style of the ruling class during the Victorian era, Art Nouveau was a rebellious movement driven by the artists of its time. The movement's philosophical father, English designer and businessman William Morris, defined its core goals: "To give people pleasure in the things they must perforce use, that is one great office of decoration; to give people pleasure in the things they must perforce make, that is the other use of it." Artists were inspired by the natural world to break through the garish and overproduced styles of the era, finding beauty in their own unique and organic forms (artsy.net).
Chamber O Coucher, Eugene Gaillard, 1900, Paris Universal Exposition
The movement manifested as creative innovations and breathtaking never-before-seen designs. Artists drew inspiration from Rococo curves, Celtic graphic motifs, the woodblock prints of Japanese masters Hiroshige and Hokusai, and William Blake's Songs of Innocence. Art Nouveau relied heavily on nature and organic forms to inspire the floral motifs, flowing lines, softness, and sensuality that encapsulate the style (phaidon.com).
Left: The Climax, Aubrey Beardsley, 1894 Right: Gustav Klimt, Medicine, 1894
Some of the most celebrated examples of the style include Louis Comfort Tiffany's iconic stained glass work (his father founded the famous jewelry house, but it is Louis Comfort who became an Art Nouveau icon), Eugène Gaillard's abstract and naturally formed furniture, Gustav Klimt's sensual and stirring paintings, Hector Guimard's sweeping ironwork entrances for the Paris Métro, Antoni Gaudí's breathtaking organic architecture, and Aubrey Beardsley's striking illustration work. Representing the natural connection of all things and beings, Art Nouveau was truly an emblematic movement of unique creativity and continues to inspire artists to this day.
Knives and Spoons, Prince Bojidar Karageorgevitch, Paris, 1900
Art Nouveau is a unifying style that carries messages that still hold true today. If the style resonates with you, I highly encourage taking it upon yourself to incorporate some of its characteristics into your own personal creative endeavors. Want to incorporate Art Nouveau in to your style? Shop the look here!
Up next on the timeline: stay tuned for our deep dive into the next era of vintage design - Art Deco!