1.2 MIDTERMS: ART NOUVEAU IN ARCHITECTURE, FASHION, AND JEWELRY

Entretiens sur I’architecture by Eugène Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc

• Published in 1872 by an architect and historian

• Promoted a “new architecture” that combined modern technology with harmonious decoration and function

• This idea influenced the Art Nouveau movement

Industrial Age in Architecture

• As cities filled with large, boxy buildings, architects aimed to incorporate natural beauty into their designs using advanced crafting techniques

• Facades

  • Featured decorative elements like flowers, plants, animals

• Asymmetry

  • Became popular to counter the uniformity of earlier buildings

• Structure were designed to appear as if they grew organically from the ground

Architecture

• Philosophy

  • Modern technology

  • Organic forms

• Styles

  • Curving lines

  • Plant motifs

  • Asymmetrical features

1. Victor Horta

2. Hector Guimard

3. Antoni Gaudi

4. Louis Henry Sullivan

ARCHITECTS

Victor Horta

• A key figure in Belgium’s Art Nouveau movement

• Designed Hôtel Tassel and Hôtel Solvay in Brussels

• Showcased nature’s forms in his works

• Included flowing lines and organic decorations, with materials like exposed wrought iron and glass, creating sense of movement

• Terracotta sculptures and ceramic tiles added warmth and color to interiors

Hector Guimard

• Inspired by Horta

• Created the Castel Béranger and the Iconic Paris Métro entrances

• Featured intricate glass and ironwork reminiscent

Antoni Gaudi

His works like Casa Mila and Casa Batlló, combined stone and iron into whimsical designs in Spain

Louis Henry Sullivan

In US, he made a name for himself with his nature- inspired motifs in buildings like the Wainwright and Guaranty buildings

Ålesund, Norway

After a devastating fire in 1904, rebuilt itself almost entirely in the Art Nouveau style

FASHION

• Art Nouveau greatly influenced it, particularly through the rise of prestigious Parisian couture houses

• Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne

• Evening wear showcased the essence of Art Nouveau, featuring elaborate floral embroidery, appliqué, and lace trimmings

Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne

• Established a framework for these houses, promoting Paris as the center of the fashion world

• This coincided with the Art Nouveau movement, which reflected its style in the designs worn by the global elite

• Trend Shift

  • Move from Corsets

  • More natural, fluid forms

• S-curve silhouette

  • Its popularity complemented the flowing, organic aesthetic of the time

• Motifs

  • Floral embroidery

  • Softer shapes

  • S-curve silhouette

• Designers shifted towards softer, more natural shapes, moving away from tight corsets, and embraced gender ambiquity and comfort, often drawing inspiration from tailored men’s wear

1. Jean-Philippe Worth (From the House of Worth)

2. Paul Poiret

3. Jeanne Paquin

Notable designers of FASHION

1. Les Modes

2. La Mode Illustrée

3. The Ladies Field

These fashion magazines were crucial in popularizing these styles among upper and middle-class women

JEWELRY

• It mirrored the movement’s overall themes, celebrating nature, femininity , and organic forms

• Designers focused on the artistry of color and arrangement of gemstones, often prioritizing these aspects over the stones themselves

• They also created intricate accessories like fans, pocket watches, and combs

• Common motifs included bird and winged insects like butterflies and dragonflies, like women’s figures were featured in both elaborate pieces, like pendants, and subtler designs like cameos

• The flowing hair of women became a signature element, contributing to the sinuous lines characteristic of Art Nouveau

JEWELRY

• Unlike previous era that favored diamonds, Art Nouveau period embraced colorful gemstones like agate, aquamarine, and opal

• Baroque pearls gained popularity for their unique shapes

• While materials like heated horn and carved ivory were used in innovative designs

• Due to their fragility and association with wealth, Art Nouveau jewelry became a fleeting trend, enjoyed by a select few and often seen more as decorative art than wearable items

Plique-à-jour

• An enameling techniques that allowed light to shine through the enamel

• Added a translucent quality to the pieces

René Lalique

• Emerged as the leading jewelry designer of the time

• Apprenticed under Louis Aucoc, a respected figure in Art Nouveau jewelry

• His rise was bolstered by the patronage of stage and film actress Sarah Bernhardt, linking his work to luxury and celebrity

• His extravagant pieces were typically affordable for high society, reinforcing their status as exclusive objets d’art

Jewelry

• Techniques

  • Plique-à-jour Enamel

  • Colorful gemstones

• Motifs

  • Birds

  • Butterflies and Dragonflies

  • Feminine forms