Art Nouveau paintings found themselves to be stranded in a revolutionary world. It witnessed the coming of the new age and the great period of imperialism and industrialization.
Art nouveau translates to “New art”. It was greatly influenced by two factors. The first one was the introduction of a new art and craft movement by the British. This movement was an abrupt reaction to the Victorian cluttered designs of the time.
The second factor that provoked the movement was Japanese art. Particularly wood-block prints that impacted many European artists in the 1880s. These artists included Emile Gallé, James Abbott, and Gustav Klimt.
Japanese woodblock prints included enlarged flowers embedded with several forms of nature. These elements then went on to become what we call Art Nouveau paintings.
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Diana Roy was a Canadian artist deeply moved by the Art Nouveau movement. She integrated the concept into many of her art painting collections. These paintings can be viewed in her online gallery, and you can buy original art online Canada from the gallery.
Exhibiting Art Nouveau Paintings
Art Nouveau faced much appreciation in its early days. People viewed it as a fresh entry to conventional art techniques. During the late 19th century, many exhibitions by several artists were held to showcase their love for the new art genre.
Some of the historical exhibitions include the 1897 Tervueren Exposition in Romania; the 1902 Turin International Exhibition of Modern Decorative Arts, and the 1909 Exposition Fair that took place in Nancy, France.
Each fair showcased a dominant style. This was adamant through the decorative arts and architecture. Later, Art Nouveau went on to become the choice of every designer and artist in the early 20th century.
Works Catering to Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau was heavily criticized for its inclusion of bizarre graphics and designs. It became one of the easiest forms to reproduce in graphic arts. Artists around the globe integrated the idea into different forms.
Artists from Germany like Peter Behrens and Hermann Obrist printed their work on magazines, catalogs, advertisements, and book covers.
This trend spread to the British artists too where notable figures like Aubrey Beardsley who is deemed as a very controversial figure in the Art Nouveau realm, created several posters that showcased rhythmic and graceful lines.
France employed Art Nouveau in graphics through chromolithographic techniques that promoted new technologies of the time like the telephone and bulb lights. During this process, Art Nouveau paintings raised the bar of mediocre posters to original art pieces.
Art Nouveau was not limited to posters and paintings, it encompassed many other art forms too that we shed light on below.
Architecture through Art Nouveau
Apart from paintings, Art Nouveau greatly impacted the world of architecture. In districts and suburbs like Glasgow, Barcelona, Vienna, Nancy, Riga, Prague, etc. Art Nouveau was largely acclaimed.
The designs from the movement are still visible today in structures ranging from small houses to commercial buildings.
Many buildings influenced by this genre of art incorporated a generous use of terracotta and vibrant tile work. In many areas across the United States and Europe, Art Nouveau techniques impacted architecture. Some of the best examples from the regions include the Chicago Stock Exchange and the Secession building in Vienna.
Art Nouveau in Furniture Design
Art nouveau stood in contrast to the conventional Victorian-era designs. Art Nouveau designs are known to stimulate a harmonious and correlated environment that integrated every element of the furniture design.
The furniture influenced by the movement includes sinuous curves, sharp and irregular contours that were often hand-crafted to give a finished product. The designs were integrated with every imaginable furniture piece like armor, sideboards, lamp stands, beds, etc.
Ending Note
Art Nouveau paintings and design techniques are widely used by artists of the contemporary world. Some artists promote their work online, modern artists like Diana Roy have their paintings up in digital galleries where you can buy original art online Canada.
