Art Nouveau was an art and design movement that originated from 19th century Western Europe till the
First World War. The idea of this movement was born when British artists saw Japanese designs. At that
time, Japanese art style was new and original for the British as well. Surprisingly, the Art Nouveau
movement was short-lived; it was only famous in the late 19th Century and early 20th Century.
Art Nouveau design became extremely popular because of its natural lines, structures, and forms. Also,
Art Nouveau artists liked using the curved lines method associated with decorative arts in flowers and
plants.
Art Nouveau design had two different styles, one that consisted more of organic and decorative style
while that of German Art Nouveau consisted more of geometric forms and were less decorative than the
organic ones.
Art Nouveau has influenced many different fields, including architecture, glass, interior design, home
improvement, jewellery, posters, and illustrations.
WHAT ARE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF ART NOUVEAU?
The Art Nouveau designer gets their inspiration by displaying their artistic talent using elements found in
the natural world.
Key characteristics of Art Nouveau design include:
Strong lines
Curved and longer lines
Conservative and linear lines
Lines of vertical height
The whiplash line
3 WELL-KNOWN ART NOUVEAU ARTISTS
ALPHONSE MUCHA
Mucha was a renowned artist from the Czech Republic.
HECTOR GUIMARD
As one of the leading Art Nouveau architects, Hector Guimard, a prominent French artist is famous for
designing the architectural masterclass that is the Paris subways.
ANTONI GAUDI
Gaudi designed most of the eye-catching structures and Art Nouveau buildings in Catalonia. Gaudi took a
lot of inspiration from nature, and loved using organic shapes in his work.
The introduction of Art Nouveau also had a significant impact on numerous applications such as
architecture, paintings, glass art, and interior design. Today it is still being practiced by designers and
artists because of its beauty.