By Alexane, BTS Arts Appliqués, 1e année EVEC (Expression Visuelle Espace de Communication) - Lycée des Arènes, Toulouse.
Art nouveau is an artistic current of the beginning of the 20th century, which mainly touched Europe. It takes different names according to the countries : it’s called Modernism in Spain, Sezessionstil in Autria, Art Nouveau in France and Belgium and was represented by the Glasgow school in Scotland for example.
This style touched painting, the design of objects, architecture and it is characterized by curving and flowing lines, floral motifs, nature and entomological inspirations. It makes reference to the living and points up the ornament.
In architecture, the materials used are notably glass and wrought iron. For the jewellery, we can find natural materials like enamel, horn, coral, gold and some semi-precious stones. In painting, the colors stay warm
and natural, with a range of ochres : yellow-earth, brown, green gold and brown-red.
In France, René Lalique designed beautiful jewellery and Hector Guimard realised the famous entrances of the Paris Metro for example.
In Belgium, Victor Horta, and in Spain Antonio Gaudi built important monuments like the Maison Tassel or the Sagra Familia.
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and Mucha painted scenes and posters which are now famous all over the world.
