HSTARC 2: Art Nouveau

When people started to go against the formality and revivalism of the Victorian period, was the birth of the style called Art Nouveau. People wanted to delve more into the natural forms rather than the clutter cause by Victorian art. Influences from different countries reached Europe such as the Japanese art which embodied strong designs filled with rich colors, and the feminine natural beauty revealed by the posters of Czech artist Alphonse Mucha.

Alphonse Mucha's Monaco-Monte Carlo

Different artists were influenced in various ways-exploring the use of colorful materials, applying curves and distortion to wall decorations and structural details. This style spread across Europe affecting the styles of each city in a diverse way-In England this movement influenced product design, others on pottery, and tiles which helped in the design of exterior walls of their buildings. Cities such as Riga, Prague and Moscow became the center of Art Nouveau decoration. People used this influence for the design of upper class homes and hotels to attract clients. One architect however used curves more than the others. Antoni Gaudi designed buildings with curving walls, pillars and irregular windows instead of just solely ornamenting the façades.

Sagrada Familia by Antoni Gaudi

But just like the Art Deco movement, this didn’t last very long. Though this movement was successful in encouraging architects to think out of the box when it comes to designing structures. This paved the way for the new kind of architecture in the 20^th century.