Before Class, Chapter 11: Art Nouveau

There was a very important transition that occurred between Victorian graphics to the new art nouveau style. Jules Cheret and Eugene Grasset were two very important contributes into making this transition happen. The poster industry at this time was booming and streets were looking more and more like art galleries. Art Nouveau became an international decorative style that emerged and boomed between 1890-1910. Art Nouveau consists of all the design arts such as furniture, architecture, posters, packages, advertisements, fashion, and graphics. Its visual quality that will distinct art nouveau from others is its organic plantlike line which was used to "undulate whiplash energy or flow with elegant grace as it defines, modulates, and decorates a given space." This line adapted with compositions that consisted of flowers, vine tendrils, birds, and female forms. Art Nouveau became a phase of the modern movement going into the twentieth century.

Asian art really expanded during this time as well. New approaches to space, color, and drawing conventions emerged and gave artists a different perspective. Ukiyo-e defines the art movement of Japan. It was a blend of picture scrolls and decorative arts. Woodblock prints were widely used by Ukiyo-e artists. Japan wasn't the only country that expanded its art approach during this time. Innovations in Belgium and Netherlands were emerging as well with the German Jugendstil movement and the Italian pictorial traditions. As you can see, art nouveau was an international art movement. Lots of countries were involved in this movement. Posters and periodicals were a huge part of art nouveau, moving into the twentieth century.

One thing that I learned from this reading is in England, art nouveau was more based upon graphic design and illustration rather than architectural and product design.