Art Nouveau; The Beauty That Came Out of It

As the Industrial Revolution came to an end, a new period emerged; a period that many consider to have been the very first ‘modern style’.  Art Nouveau began in 1890 and ended in 1915, yet in the short thirty-five years of the period’s prime it was able to create such a large impact on those involved and still impacts those in the present day. 

The period of Art Nouveau mainly influenced those whose careers led down the artistic route, specifically those in architecture and design.

Architects were able to play with the idea of these sculpturesque buildings just as the style of expressing oneself and their own creative fantasies had become extremely popular. Architects in particular took their expressions to another level of intricacy.  Antoni Gaudi’s name sticks out like a sore thumb out of the architects from that period, as his work on the ‘Casa Batllo’ is one of the most well-known pieces of architecture to the general public.  The architecture of this period was almost creature-like; the rounded windows and smooth exterior having an almost skin like texture.  The colours and carvings that were used so beautifully and so intricately that it truthfully saddens me that it’s so rare to find a designer and/or architect willing to take on the challenge of creating another beautiful structure welcoming its guests in with wide open doors.

When the Art Nouveau period emerged in the late 1800s, many designers took this as an opportunity to finally experiment with their own styles. Designers saw this opportunity as a clean slate, to break from traditional media and erase it all and enter an entirely new and unique style. Multiple names from this period could be listed off if you asked an art history lover; Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele, Aubrey Beardsley and so many more. 

Alphonse Mucha in particular is one of the few artists from the period whose work has truthfully moved me.  Mucha’s style of thick lining around the centre figure and barely textured skin in particular, mesmerizes the viewer and truly draws them in. 

The response to what the industrial revolution that occurred years before may not have been a perfect response, but it was a beautiful one.

References:

https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/artn/hd_artn.htm

http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/history-of-art/art-nouveau.htm

https://design.tutsplus.com/articles/what-is-art-nouveau–cms-31579