History of Design & Architecture - Art Nouveau

Art nouveau (c.1880 to 1910)

The first Modern style of the twentieth century

Distinctive Style

  • organic, natural shapes
  • stained glass
  • graceful, elongated, curvy lines
  • whiplash line
  • vertical lines
  • exaggerated height
  • stylised flowers, leaves, roots, buds and seedpods
  • stylised female form, especially with long, flowing hair
  • exotic woods in different finishes
  • shimmering glass, silver and semi-precious stones
  • art nouveau shared arts and crafts’ belief in quality goods and fine craftsmanship but did embraced mass production
  • Rococo style
  • Flowers and peacock feathers are the epitome of art nouveau style.

DIY Art Nouveau - Get this great look in your own home

Floors

Wood parquet, stained and varnished

Colour schemes

Muted and sombre, known as 'greenery yallery' - mustard, sage green, olive green, and brown. Team these with lilac, violet and purple, peacock blue. Mackintosh experimented with all-white interiors.

Wallpaper

Designs are highly stylised flowers, particularly poppies, water lilies and wisteria; branches, tendrils, leaves, stems, thistles, pomegranates; peacock feathers, birds and dragonflies.

Tiles

Use in panels and intersperse patterned ones with white. A technique called tube lining was used to make the design stand out from the surface - think of piping icing on a cake.

Furniture

Mackintosh’s famous high-backed wooden chairs with equally high gloss black lacquer finish. Other chairs include curvy shapes upholstered in a stylised floral fabric.

Stained glass

Panels went in doors as well as furniture - wardrobe doors, cabinets, mirrors etc, with curved leading for the stalks and leaves, ending in a flower made from pearly enamels or semi-precious stones such as amethysts.

Door handles

Beaten metal for door handles and light fittings are perfect for that handmade finish.

Lighting

Jewel-like colourful Tiffany lamps are perhaps the most iconic relics from the entire art nouveau movement, and antique originals are therefore fiendishly expensive. However, the style is very popular so it is easy – and cheap - to pick up great imitations.

Fireplaces

Look for cast iron hoods with the raised sinuous curves of flowers growing up each side and tiles. Many original ones can be picked up in salvage yards but make sure you know whether you're buying a repro or an original. If you're unsure whether a salvaged item is art nouveau, study the design carefully: it should grow from the ground upwards with a continuous organic movement.

Ornaments

In silver, pewter and glass. There are hundreds of outlets selling Mackintosh-style clocks, frames, jewellery boxes etc. Typical art nouveau glass is iridescent with patterns of liquid oil. Lalique glass is usually a pearly opaque with etched designs.

Flowers

And peacock feathers are the epitome of art nouveau style.

What to invest in

Due to mass production, many art nouveau items are not valuable although still highly desirable. However, if the piece is by a known designer, the price soars.

Icons of Art Nouveau

  • Charles Rennie Mackintosh is perhaps the most famous art nouveau architect and designer. His high backed chairs and iconic flower designs have spawned countless imitations. Was part of the 'Glasgow School'
  • Alphonse Mucha - posters
  • Aubrey Beardsley for his book illustrations
  • Louis Comfort Tiffany and his famous Tiffany lamps
  • René Lalique glass and jewellery
  • Emile Galle for ceramics, glass and furniture
  • Victor Horta - architect
  • Antoni Gaudi.

See Art Nouveau for yourself

Glasgow
  • The Hill House, Upper Colquhoun Street, Helensburgh, designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh
  • Glasgow School of Art - also by Mackintosh.
London
  • Victoria and Albert Museum, West London
  • Art Nouveau tiles in the food hall in Harrods.
Paris
  • Metro Stations – a number of station entrances and exits bear classic art nouveau name signs designed by Hector Guimard
  • Musée D'Orsay houses a major collection of art nouveau.
Barcelona
  • Casa Vicens (1878-1880)
  • Park Güell (1885-1889)
  • Crypt of the Church of Colònia Güell (1898-1916)
  • Casa Calvet (1899-1904)
  • Casa Batlló (1905-1907)
  • Casa Milà (La Pedrera) (1905-1907)
  • Park Güell (1900-1914)
  • Sagrada Família (1884-1926).