What is Art Nouveau?

Introducing art nouveau

Art nouveau, whether we’re aware of it or not, is an aesthetic we would likely all recognize. If you’ve ever descended into the Paris metro (Figure 1) or admired the architecture of the fictional Zubrowka in The Grand Budapest Hotel (Wes Anderson, 2014), you’ll recognize the unique style of art nouveau.

Fig. 1. Guimard, H. (c.1900) Metro Station Entrance at Porte Dauphine (édicule Guimard) (Photographed by Moonik, 2012, Wikimedia Commons) 

Art nouveau refers to an ornamental style of art and design that flourished in the West between 1890 and 1910. This style is characterized by natural, organic lines that curve and reach like the tendrils of a vine or sinews of a leaf. Incorporating motifs like insect wings and flower petals, art nouveau was often intricate, whimsical, and expressive. This aesthetic lent itself to architecture, glasswork, jewelry, illustrations, and painting, creating a sense of eccentric, organic elegance.

Translating to “new art” in English, the purpose of art nouveau was to modernize art and design, subverting the figurative, representational art of the 19th century. Art of the 1800s was dominated by a refined, restrained neoclassicism and design was not generally considered to belong in the category of “fine art.” As Jean Lahor outlines,

Art nouveau was an early iteration of major cultural shifts in the art world that moved away from imitation towards experimentation and abstraction, precipitated by what Lahor describes as “the return of once-abolished aesthetic feeling and taste” (2012). As a result, art nouveau was full of feeling. It was romantic, at once bold and delicate, grounded, and fantastical.

This artistic spirit quickly spread across Europe. In the Czech Republic, Alphonse Mucha’s (1860–1939) illustrations of a soft female figure, surrounded by elaborate floral patterning, comprise some of the most iconic works of art nouveau as seen in Figure 2.

Fig. 2. Mucha, A. (1898) Poetry

In Austria, there was the Vienna Secession, a subset and variation of art nouveau made up of local painters, architects, and graphic artists – such as Koloman Moser (1968–1918), Otto Wagner (184­1–1918), Max Kurzweil (1867­–1916), and Gustav Klimt ­(1862–1918) – forged their own style that challenged nationalism and commercialization.

Because of its many iterations across locations and disciplines, it is difficult to assign a singular definition to the movement of art nouveau, however, this study guide will trace its origins, influences, and aesthetics, providing examples of the movement.

Origins of art nouveau

Art nouveau, like much of the art of modernity, was a reaction to the massive technological and economic shifts brought on by the Industrial Revolution (c. 1760 - 1840). Despite its French name, one of the major points of origination of art nouveau was Britain, rooted in the arts and crafts movement of the late 19th century (see Oscar Lovell Triggs’ The Arts & Crafts Movement, 2023) and the theoretical writings of John Ruskin (1819–1900).

Ruskin famously championed artistic truth to nature. He believed that academic art had largely hitherto failed in this endeavour, asserting in the third volume of Modern Painters that

One of the arts and crafts movement’s closest associates was William Morris (1834–1896), who was inspired by Ruskin’s art theory (see John Blewitt, William Morris and John Ruskin, 2019).  

Both Ruskin and Morris believed that industrialization was a threat to the unity of artistic vision and production, establishing a disconnect between designer, manufacturer, and consumer. Their shared philosophy that underpinned the arts and crafts movement championed the integration of art, craftsmanship, and social ideals. Ruskin emphasized the importance of beauty in everyday objects and the moral value of honest labor, while Morris focused on the revival of traditional craftsmanship, promoting the idea that art should be accessible and enriching for all.

Morris’s emphasis on the integration of arts and craftsmanship and his rejection of mass production were central to the development of art nouveau. In particular, his use of floral motifs ­– the delicate and detailed textile designs ­that signified a return to artistic truth, and the democratization of art and beauty – became part of art nouveau’s recognizable style. 

Of course, there were a myriad of other conditions and influences at work, but the arts and crafts movements – its theorists and artists – exercised significant influence over the look, feel and purpose of art nouveau.

Examples of art nouveau

Art nouveau contained a variety of disparate inspirations from Celtic and gothic art to the aesthetic of the Far East. Japanese woodblock prints that depicted linear and muted scenes of water and cherry blossom trees were referenced in the colors, shape, and subject matters of art nouveau while the ornamentation of Indian textiles, jewelry, and architecture resonated with art nouveau’s decorative focus.  

Painting 

One of the most prominent painters of the art nouveau movement was Austrian artist Gustav Klimt. Klimt’s symbolist work, made up of soft yellows and golds, pale green, and browns, is highly recognizable and revered to this day.

His famous painting, The Kiss (1907-1908), exemplifies the romance, whimsy, and dream-like quality of art nouveau.

Fig. 3 Klimt G. (1907–1908) The Kiss. (Photographed by Tony Hisgett, 2019, Flickr)

What Sandra Forty describes as ‘a riot of gold, pattern and sinuous line,’ The Kiss shows a man and a woman in an embrace (Klimt, 2011). As A. N. Hodge observes,

Critically, Klimt’s work was a far cry from the naturalist, representational art of the earlier century. The figures are removed from any recognizable sense of place and their bodies are made up of intricate patterns and shapes. This marked an early form of artistic abstraction. Furthermore, Klimt's emphasis on ornamentation and the fluidity of his compositions reflects the way that art nouveau blurred the boundaries between fine art and applied design. These combined elements and the enduring popularity of his work render Klimt a pivotal figure in the development and popularization of the art nouveau painting style. Other famous art nouvea painters, illustrators and visual artists include Aubrey Vincent Beardsley (1872–1898), Toulouse-Lautrec (1864–1901), and Louis Comfort Tiffany (1848–1933). 

Architecture

Architecture was just as important in the development of art nouveau as paintings. Characterized by its embrace of organic forms, intricate detailing, and a focus on decorative elements, art nouveau architecture often features asymmetrical shapes, elaborate facades, and the use of new materials and construction techniques to achieve a harmonious integration of form and function. This development towards pure functionalism might have precipitated a movement away from art and beauty, but as Stephen F Eisenman et al assures us otherwise, explaining,

Antoni Gaudí, whose iconic work can be seen in Barcelona, exemplified this architectural approach. Casa Batlló (Figure 4), designed by Gaudí in 1904, embodies the whimsical organicism of art nouveau. Its façade is made up of undulating, asymmetrical, shapes with soft, and muted colours.

Fig. 4. Gaudí, A. (1904), Casa Battló. (Photographed by Mike McBey, 2010, Flickr)

Made up of recycled tiles and stone with an almost skeletal effect, Casa Battló was the residency of the Battló family while also being an artistic masterpiece. This illustrates the integration of art and the everyday – of beauty and life – that was central to the project of art nouveau. By prioritizing beauty and craftsmanship, balancing this with functionality, art nouveau architecture represents a significant shift towards more expressive and individualized design.

Jewelry 

Jewelry was another vessel through which art nouveau expressed itself. Celebrated for its intricate craftsmanship and innovative designs that emphasize natural motifs and flowing forms, jewelry at this time was typically crafted by artisans, depicting insects, foliage, and scenes of nature.

A notable example of art nouveau jewelry is the work of French designer George Fouquet (1862–1957). The pendant seen in Figure 5, designed by Alphonse Mucha for Fouquet around 1900, shows the technical craftsmanship and emotive connection to nature that made art nouveau so striking. It was not concerned with symmetrical perfection, but rather worked with organic shapes, illustrated by the dangling pearl.

Fig. 5. Mucha, A. (c.1900) Cascade Pendant (Photographed by David Siefkin, 2019, Wikimedia Commons)

Art nouveau jewelry was not only visually striking but also contained artistic meaning, unifying design and art. This created a more personal and innovative form of adornment, where the intricacies of design and craftsmanship were celebrated, and each piece was considered a work of art in its own right.

The lasting influence of art nouveau

Ultimately, art nouveau fell out of fashion. Not easily or cheaply mass produced, art nouveau failed to reflect the pace or aesthetic of an increasingly industrial world. By the early 1910s, art nouveau's intricate and ornate style began to feel outdated in the face of new developments and it contrasted sharply with the art deco style that emerged to take its place.

Thirty years after art nouveau’s reign, art deco rose to prominence. Art deco, like its predecessor, was a highly stylized expression of modernity. However, despite some overlapping features, art nouveau and art deco illustrate two different approaches to the monumental industrial and social shifts taking place. 

Continuing art nouveau’s legacy, art deco blurred the distinction between fine and applied arts, rendering artisans as artists and instilling artistic potential in everyday, functional objects. Where art nouveau is characterized by its flowing, organic forms, intricate patterns, art deco developed alongside the avant-garde, so its aesthetic was in some ways a more advanced modernization of art and design. With influences from cubism, futurism, and constructivism, art deco was angular and geometric, celebrating modernity, mechanization, and industrial progress. While art nouveau sought beauty in nature and intricate, handcrafted details, art deco represented a shift towards a more pure abstraction and the celebration of technological progress. Despite these differences, both movements share a desire to create a unified aesthetic experience, blending art with the design of functional objects and spaces.

The 1960s, however, saw a sort of art nouveau revival. The curvy, undulating lettering, and whiplash curves of art nouveau, as exemplified by Guimard’s Paris metro signage, were later adopted by the psychedelic pop-culture movement. Once more, in a different time and context than its original manifestation, the art nouveau style questioned the authorities of taste and decency, representing freedom and fantasy.

Art nouveau is largely considered to have paved the way for all the ground-breaking modern art that followed. It challenged the strict and recurring standards of classicism, securing abstraction and emotion into artistic vocabulary. It was in large part because of the achievements of art nouveau that design and decorative arts rose to the ranks of painting and sculpture, once again challenging the standards maintained by arts academies for centuries prior.

Further art nouveau reading on Perlego

 Art Nouveau Decorative Ironwork (2013) by Theodore Menten

 Art Nouveau Ornamentation (2019) by Christian Stoll.

The Art Nouveau Style Book of Alphonse Mucha (2012) by Alphonse Mucha. 

Art Nouveau: The Essential Style Reference (2016) by Carol Belanger Grafton.

Bibliography

Blewitt, J. (2019) William Morris and John Ruskin: A New Road on Which the World Should Travel. University of Exeter Press. Available at: https://www.perlego.com/book/2008133

Eisenman, S. F. et al (2020) Nineteenth-Century Art: A Critical History. 5th edn. Thames and Hudson Ltd. Available at: https://www.perlego.com/book/1610595

Forty, S. (2011) Klimt. Taj Books International. Available at: https://www.perlego.com/book/3541147

Hodge, A. N. (2019) Gustav Klimt. Arcturus. Available at: https://www.perlego.com/book/2810883

Lahor, J. (2023) Art Nouveau. Parkstone International. Available at: https://www.perlego.com/book/3733391

Ruskin, J. (2012) Modern Painters, Volume 3 (of 5). Perlego. Available at: https://www.perlego.com/book/1728429

Triggs, O. L. (2023) The Arts & Crafts Movement. Parkstone International. Available at: https://www.perlego.com/book/3733884

Artwork and images

Gaudi, A. (2011) Casa Battló. Barcelona (Photographed by Mike McBey, 2010, Flickr). 

Guimard, H. (c.1900) Metro Station Entrance at Porte Dauphine (édicule Guimard). (Photographed by Moonik, 2012, Wikimedia Commons).  

Klimt G. (1907–1908) The Kiss. [Oil on canvas]. The Belvedere, Vienna.(Uploaded by Tony Hisgett, 2019, Flickr). 

Mucha, A. (c.1900) Cascade Pendant. [Gold, open enamel on spangles, opals, diamonds and baroque pearl]. Petit Palais, Paris. (Photographed by David Siefkin, 2019, Wikimedia Commons.)

Mucha, A. (1898) Poetry. [Colour lithograph]. The Mucha Museum, Prague.