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Art Nouveau, 1890-1914,

explores a new style in the


visual arts and architecture
that developed in Europe
and North America at the
end of the nineteenth
century.

The exhibition is divided into


three sections: the first focuses
on the 1900 World's Fair in
Paris, where Art Nouveau was
established as the first new
decorative style of the
twentieth century; the second
examines the sources that
influenced the style; and the
third looks at its development
and fruition in major cities in

Art Nouveau was a concerted


attempt to create an
international style based on
decoration. It was developed
by a brilliant and energetic
generation of artists and
designers, who sought to
fashion an art form appropriate
to the modern age. During this
extraordinary time, urban life
as we now understand it was

Old customs, habits, and


artistic styles sat alongside
new, combining a wide range
of contradictory images and
ideas. Many artists, designers,
and architects were excited by
new technologies and
lifestyles, while others
retreated into the past,
embracing the spirit world,
fantasy, and myth.

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 such as cast iron.

Others deplored the


shoddiness of massproduced machine-made
goods and aimed to elevate
the decorative arts to the
level of fine art by applying
the highest standards of
craftsmanship and design to
everyday objects

. Art Nouveau designers


also believed that all the
arts should work in harmony
to create a "total work of
art,buildings, furniture,
textiles, clothes, and jewelry
all conformed to the
principles of Art Nouveau.

This movement walked under


the flag of an art that would
break all connections to
classical times, and bring down
the barriers between the fine
arts and applied arts. Art
Nouveau was more than a
mere style. It was a way of
thinking about modern society
and new production methods

It was an attempt to redefine


the meaning and nature of the
work of art. From that time on, it
was the duty of art not to
overlook any everyday object, no
matter how utilitarian it might
be. This approach was
considered completely new and
revolutionary, thus the New Art Art Nouveau name.

Because of typical flat,


decorative patterns used in
all art forms, Art Nouveau
obtained a nickname 'the
noodle style' in French, 'Le
style nouilles'. Visual
standards of the Art
Nouveau style are flat,
decorative patterns,
intertwined organic forms of

Art Nouveau emphasized


handcrafting as opposed to
machine manufacturing, the
use of new materials.
Although curving lines
characterize Art Nouveau,
right-angled forms are also
typical, especially as the
style was practiced in
Scotland and in Austria.

Typical for this style was


artistic application of
modern industrial
techniques and modern
materials (unmasked iron in
architecture for example).
Principal subjects are lavish
birds and flowers, insects
and polyformic femme
fatale.

Abstract lines and shapes


are used widely as a filling
for recognizable subject
matter. Purposeful
elimination of threedimensions is often applied
through reduced shading.
Art Nouveau artifacts are
beautiful objects of art, but
not necessarily very
functional.

Art Nouveau had its deepest


influence on a variety of art
and design movements that
continued to explore
integrated design, including De
Stijl, a Dutch design movement
in the 1920s, and the German
Bauhaus school in the 1920s
and 193

Beardsleypeacockskirt

Art Nouveau District of R


iga, Latvia
These are stunning
examples of art nouveau in
architecture from Riga,
Latvia. They represent their
amazing Art Nouveau
district.

and Palais - France


This prime example of Art
Nouveau in architecture is found in
Paris in the Grand Palais. It is
currently the largest existing glass
and ironwork structure in the
world. The palace features 9,400
tons of steel framework with
15,000 square meters of glass
work and 5,000 square meters of

Advertizing art reached a


zenith in the Art Nouveau
paintings of Alphonse
Mucha. Mucha was born in
1860 in Moravia, the modern
Czech Republic. He moved
to Paris in 1887 where he
studied at the Academie
Julian.

After seven years as a


struggling artist in Paris, he
created a sensational poster
for the world-famous actress,
Sarah Bernhardt. She signed
him to a six year contract to
design posters, sets, and
costumes for her plays.
Success had arrived, and
within a few years his fame
had spread around the globe.

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