Art Nouveau the new art as it was called was a extensively influential but rather short-lived movement that started to appear in the final period of the 19th century and was already beginning to decline.
It used particularly curvilinear depiction of leaves
and flowers. Gustav Klimt, Alphonse Mucha, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Aubrey
Beardsley, Antonio GaudÃ, and Hector Guimard were among the most prominent artists associated with this style. The name is originated
from La Maison de l'Art Nouveau, a gallery for interior design that opened in Paris in 1896 but the movement had different names
throughout Europe.
In
design Art Nouveau was described by an implicit tension of sexual organic style throughout the movement
between the decorative and the modern which can be seen in the work of
individual designers.It was a story of beauty in an ugly time.Its emphasis on decoration and artistic unity links the
movement to contemporary Symbolist ideas
in art, but the movement was also associated with Arts and Crafts ideas. The
movement was
characterized by organic, flowing lines- forms resembling the stems and whip
lash like style - as well as different geometric forms such as squares and
rectangles and different kind of insects mostly the dragon fly.
The
beginning of Art Nouveau can be tracked to two distinct inspirations: the first
was the introduction, around 1880, of the Arts and Crafts movement, Directed by
the English designer William Morris. This movement, much like Art Nouveau, was
a response against the mixed-up designs and compositions of Victorian-era
decorative art. The second was influences from different styles of Japanese art
taken from wood-block prints, The style inspired a lot of European artists in
the 1880s and 90s, involving the likes of Gustav Klimt, Emile Galle and James
Abbott McNeill Whistler.
Gustav Klimt became the best know an most celebrated artist inVienna and president of the the secessionists.The secessionist want to created something new and one of the first thing Klimt and the colleges did was publish a book journal.It gave them a platform of there views and breath taking graphic work to show that they were doing there own thing.They wanted to create art and be free.Art was the main purpose in life.
VER SACRUM |
During its short period Art Nouveau made a great influence trough out the history.
In Britain the style was demonstrated by the
architecture of Rennie Mackintosh, and the design work of the Macdonald
sisters. The lingering impact of Morris in England slowed down the progress of
the new style in design although Mackmurdo, Godwin, Townsend and even Voysey
were influenced towards Art Nouveau.
Rennie Mackintosh
Britain's Master of Art Nouveau Charles Rennies Mackintosh was a highly influential architect and designer of the 20th century.He was a modern man ahead of his time.He was Twenty Eight years old when he design the school of art and crafts in Glasgow an there was noting like it at that time. Influences from Japan and monasteries in Scotland combined into something of his own.He was also in the group nicknamed as the spook group.As an Artis and designer he created posters, stained glass,metal work fabrics lightning pictures and interiors.He incorporated art and craft and Art Nouveau in his style.
The French Artist and Jeweller Rene Lalique was famous for his organic design using and incorporating the form of insects like dragon fly's butterfly and snakes transforming the jewels into ancient looking artefacts.
At its height, Art Nouveau was an intensive
attempt to create an international style based on decoration. It was developed
by a brilliant and energetic generation of artists and designers, who wanted
fashion to become an art form appropriate to the modern age.
Art Nouveau was in many ways a response to
the Industrial Revolution. Some artists welcomed technological progress and
embraced the aesthetic possibilities of new materials. Art Nouveau designers
also believed that all the arts should work in harmony to create a “total work
of art”.
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Art Nouveau ~ u . 2012. Art Nouveau from a historical perspective. [ONLINE] Available at: http://aboutartnouveau.wordpress.com/2012/09/05/art-nouveau-in-history/. [Accessed October 25].
Art Nouveau Movement, Artists and Major Works | The Art Story. 2014. Art Nouveau Movement, Artists and Major Works | The Art Story. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.theartstory.org/movement-art-nouveau.htm. [Accessed 25 November 2014].
Charles Rennie Mackintosh - YouTube. 2014. Charles Rennie Mackintosh - YouTube. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4I4bhKc6Xw. [Accessed 25 November 2014].
Art Nouveau: dragonfly corsage ornament -- Encyclopedia Britannica. 2014. Art Nouveau: dragonfly corsage ornament -- Encyclopedia Britannica. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/media/158217/Dragonfly-corsage-ornament-made-of-gold-enamel-chrysoprase-moonstones-and. [Accessed 26 November 2014].