The original term is French and means New Art. It is characterized by its highly decorative style and by the dedication to natural forms. Art Nouveau was popular from about 1880 to 1910 and was an International art movement. The Germans called it Jugendstil, the Italians Liberty, the Austrians Sezessionsstil and the Spanish Arte joven. Art Nouveau was not restricted to painting or printmaking. It covered all forms of art - architecture, furniture, jewelry, glass and illustration.Fine examples of Art Nouveau are the subway entrances in Paris, the glass works of Emille Galle and Louis Comfort Tiffany in the US or the posters by Alphonse Mucha. A famous painter is Gustav Klimt. Art Nouveau did not survive World War I, maybe because of the high prices for Art Nouveau objects. With the philosophical roots in high quality handicraft, Art Nouveau was nothing for mass production.
Art Deco was primarily a design style, popular in the 1920s and 1930s. In simplified terms, the Art Deco movement can be considered as the follow-up style on Art Nouveau - more simplified and closer to mass production. The Art Deco movement was dominant in fashion, furniture, jewelry, textiles, architecture, commercial printmaking and interior decoration. The best known name is Rene Lalique, a jeweler and glassmaker. The Chrysler building in New York (1930) is an example of Art Deco style in architecture. |
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