The History Of Art Nouveau

Art Nouveau was an artist movement that started in Europe and peaked in popularity between the years of 1890 and 1910. It had a great influence on graphic design, but was also practiced in the fields of art, architecture and applied art. Art Nouveau is a French term meaning “new art” and is characterized from the highly stylized forms as well as organic and plant motifs. “The organic forms often took the shape of sudden violent curves which were often referenced by the term whiplash” (Eskilson, 56). It took on many different characteristics, and some of it’s well known designers from the era created new artistic vocabulary that could best express the modern world. “Art Nouveau’s success was a reaction against the late 19th century academic art and was replaced by the development of 20th century modernist style” (Eskilson, 56).

Relative to graphic design, it was popular in poster printing and book production, although it was used by artists for a variety of other types of work including magazines, labels, advertisements, and typography. The typography was so heavily ornate that it was not desirable for text faces but great for display work. It was a during a time when people were dissatisfied with the new ideologies of science, rationalism, and literal interpretation and rather embraced spiritualism, mysticism, and influences from newly accessible cultures such as Japan, India, and Africa. These diverse locations reflected the widespread adoption of the movement.

Art Nouveau in Britain evolved from the already established Arts and Crafts Movement. A man named William Morris, emphasized the importance of handcrafted work. Morris was devoted to handmade articles that were against machine-made products that were taking over the ...

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...n American design” (Eskilson, 57).

Art Nouveau was a reaction against the increasing industrialization of Europe during the latter half of the nineteenth century. It was a dominant style until the beginning of the twentieth century. “An essential principle of the Art Nouveau movement was the belief that the New Art must consist of a style that could be applied in all situations, and would not be unique to any one type of design” (Eskilson, 65). Designers working in the Art Nouveau aesthetic were drawn to nature, and much of their work was linear and organic. It was an extraordinary movement in art history and represented the beginning of modernism in design. Art Nouveau designers eliminated the barrier of strict regiments of academic art and expressed a different kind of organic reality. Although short lived, art nouveau was a remarkable step in design and style.