Art Nouveau Period (1880 to 1915)
The "Art Nouveau" ("new art") movement was one of the first departures from classical art and design, towards a new modernism. The 'Modernism' and Art Nouveau movements occurred during what was known in France as the "Belle Époque," or "beautiful era" period of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The movement was primarily influenced by the radical work of Czech (Moravian) artist Alfons Mucha, Swiss decorative artist Eugène Grasset, and English illustrator Aubrey Beardsley ("The Peacock Skirt" - below, left), and the ground-breaking architecture and design work of Hector Guimard of Paris (Paris Métro - below, right) and Antoni Gaudí of Barcelona.
The Art Nouveau movement focused heavily on the themes of nature, fantasy, and the female form, with sensual flowing shapes that simulate organic growth that is reminiscent of the primeval Garden of Eden.
Exotic floral motifs with animals, birds, butterfles, dragonflies, peacock feathers and marsh plants were incorporated with graceful feminine imagery or fairies, mermaids and nymphs, complete with their long manes of twisting hair.
Some of the floral motifs that were used in the Art Nouveau style were borrowed from English artist William Morris' 'Arts and Crafts Movement' of the late Victorian era.
Jewellery from the Art Nouveau Period
Enameling or plique à jour ("open to light") were popular jewelry techniques during the Art Nouveau period, and the "craft" of jewelry design and metal-working was reborn in the elaborate and imaginative creations of the time. Jewellery designers such as Georges Fouquet and Lucien Gautrait, as well as glass designers Louis Comfort Tiffany and René Lalique combined Japanese motifs with popular natural elements to create elaborate Art Nouveau jewelry designs.
Viennese jeweller Frey Wille has created a series of enamel jewelry commemorating Mucha's theatre placard artwork of Sarah Bernhardt in their "Hommage à Alphonse Mucha" line.
