American History

Art nouveau refers to an international movement on art and architecture that became very popular towards the end of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth century. Art nouveau was particularly evident in Europe and the United States. This was the first form of modernism that brought in new possibilities in art and architecture. During its inception, the style did not adapt the name Art Nouveau or Jugendstil. This artistic style came to be known in different names as it developed. The name art nouveau which means new art in French was adapted in reference to the style from Samuel Bings gallery. Jugendstil came from the magazine known as Jugend in Munich (Greenhalgh, p.13). These two terms played a key part in promoting and popularizing the style. This term can be translated to House of New Art. The term refers to the gallery that was launched in 1895 by Samuel Bing. Bing was a dealer in art in Paris, France. The opening of this gallery revealed his unique focus on modern art. In design, the style was typified by writhing plants. This was in antagonism to the historicism that was very popular in the nineteenth century. There was pressure apparent throughout art nouveau between the decorative and the modern. This is evident in the works of artists as well as in the record of the whole movement. The style stressed on decorations and creative unity. These are the aspects that associate the style with the modern symbolist ideologies in art. These aspects can be observed in the artistic objects of the Vienna Secessionists. Nevertheless, the style was also linked to arts and crafts concepts (Greenhalgh, p.15).

The United Kingdom
Towards the end of the 19th century, this region was a global hegemony. The United Kingdom was home to the initial industrial revolution and it had a very large market. The power of the military provided protection to the market and made trading very easy. The pursuit of arts and designs was hampered by a medieval obsession and by the preferences of the aristocrats for traditional constructions. Nevertheless this region was modernized as far as arts and designs were concerned. Art nouveau began the United Kingdom with the artistic works of Pugin. Another influence was from critic Rustin. The two were antagonistic due to the fact that one was a catholic and the other one was a protestant. Ironically, their ideas architecture was the same. Rustin gave emphasis on the naturalness and efficiency of his designs. The style emanated from the arts and crafts movement in the UK. The design on the cover of the book by Arthur Mackmurdo is believed to be the very first indication of art nouveau. Other designs mostly in textile followed (Greenhalgh, p. 21).      

The USA
During the period of art nouveau, New York City came to be one of the international economic and artistic hubs. The presence of aggressive industrialists and financiers influenced the establishment of museums and libraries. The United States arts and designers came up with their own understanding of art nouveau. One of the most popular was the work of Comfort one of the well known artist in glass work. He also created reflections of reality in his class work. He changed plant and insects into elegant and sensual imitations of the organic world. His artistic objects were acclaimed by artists from Europe and other parts of the world (Greenhalgh, p.31).

Following the fire that razed Chicago, architects and engineers moved to the city in large numbers. As they went on with their job of rebuilding the city, they came up with a unique and new artistic style. One of the architects who were pioneers of art nouveau in Chicago was Louis Sullivan. His architectural designs are revealed by the skyscrapers built around steel frames. The outlines of the constructions were decorated in reflection of nature and Celtic art. There were also aspects of decorated furnishings, glasses and other structures. The art work was impacted on by the architecture of Japan (Greenhalgh, p.35).          

France
During the period of art nouveau, Paris was the most popular center of art in Europe. Many of the key aspects of development of art nouveau happened in Paris. Arts and designs of young artists were displayed in Bings gallery. There was a major exhibition in the 1900 that made the city more famous for art nouveau. During this period, one of the greatest artists of art nouveau was commissioned to do the designs for the gate of the citys newly established subway system. The name of the designer was Hector Guimard. What makes the designs unique and symbolic to art nouveau is their distinct natural and tense linear style. The structures had also employed cast iron for structural as well as decorative reasons. These aspects made the designs very famous as art nouveau styles. There was another artist who was notable in the country for graphic arts. This artist was Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. Some of his artistic works that reveal the use of the style are the posters for caf-concerts, for example the Divan Japonais. These artistic works had unique characteristics of strong outlines as well as bold and flat blueprints (Greenhalgh, p.36).                

Belgium
Art nouveau in Belgium is evident where Victor Horta rejected historical styles. As a result, Horta established the foundation for modern styles. Another artist Henry Van de Velde created an architectural design using a style that was nothing close to the traditional styles. In this country the art nouveau is not employed in decorations but in architecture. In the architectural designs made by the two artists, the curve is not the main line. This can be observed in the Maison de Peuple an architecture by Horta, Maison Solvay and Palais Tassel. There are many other buildings that reveal the style (Greenhalgh, p.52).    

Germany
Art Nouveau was the terminology that was used for the style in Germany. In this country the forerunner of this style was mark Klinger. He was not the only artist to influence this country with art nouveau because there were others like August Endell, Bruno Paul and Elvira Haus among others. In this country the style was a complicated one and was expressed in very different ways. One artist by the name, Otto Eckmann made all types of artistic objects, all of which reveal the aspects of art nouveau. His artistic objects ranged from textiles and furnishings to ceramic objects and metallic objects. His objects reflected the use of applied arts in use during the period. His design Five Swans came to be seen as the image of jugendstil in the country. The image was a reflection and abstraction of the natural objects. This aspect as well as the lithe lines and exploitations of space revealed a contemporary touch in the images. In the year 1898, Riemerscchmid and Obrist established the United Workshops for Art in Handicraft. This workshop boosted the creation of contemporary designs. The work of Riemerscchmid reveals the new precedence of the artists in the country. The works reflected their love for nature as well as their emphasis on balanced, effectual design (Greenhalgh, p.56).              
Austria-Hungary
In this country art nouveau was referred to as Secession style. The name came up following the Vienna Secession group that was established by artist Gustav Klimt. The associates of the Vienna Secession group denounced the conventional styles in art and embraced the new style. They achieved this by breaking down the Bounderies that were established between art, craft and design. The art in this country was typified by a constrained linearity and sophistication. This was as a result of the influence of the geometry leant in Glasgow school as well as the Japanese artistic styles. In the year 1903, two members of the group established the Vienna workshops. This workshop stressed on the need for craftsmanship as well as an incorporated method of interior designs (Greenhalgh, p.59).      

Scandinavia
The countries in this region have been known for their richness artifacts and artistic objects. Most of this regions artists were sculptures. During the art nouveau era, the most popular sculptor was Carl Milles, who had accumulated great experience having had worked in America. In the early 20th century the use of brick in construction caused the civilization in architecture in Scandinavia. Finnish artists, Saarinen and Aorta, impacted on designs in that region a great deal. The artists are acclaimed internationally for modernizing architecture in Scandinavia. Contemporary designs and applied furnishings and applied arts have been largely copied due to their straightforwardness and clarity of line (Greenhalgh, p.61).  

Spain
In this country the center for art nouveau was Barcelona. This style was a significant aspect of the Catalan movement, referred to as Modernise. One of the architects from this area Antoni Gaudi had a highly personalized decorative architectural pattern. Due to the personalized nature of his work, he was sometimes viewed as practicing a concept that was different from art nouveau. Nevertheless his utilization of floral and natural objects revealed very strong aspects of art nouveau. His artistic work from around 1903, are to a great extent associated with art nouveau. There are other artists like Lluis Domenech Montaner who employed the style in his work. He used these styles in constructions like Casa Lleo Morera in Barcelona. Another notable construction that employed the style is that of Josep Maria Jujol (Greenhalgh, p.51).    

Italy
In this country the style was referred to as stile floreale.  This terminology was obtained from the curving, floral arts that were famous among the artists in that Turin. Another term that was used to refer to art nouveau was stile liberty. The name was derived from a popular store in London. The store was a center for selling artistic objects created by contemporary artists and designers. The city of Turin was the most developed economically in Italy. This placed it at an advantage as the center of development of art nouveau in the country. The Prima Esposizione Internazionale dArte Decorativa Mordena was held in the city in 1902. This was the most famous international exhibition of art and designs ever tried. Furniture designers like Valabrega and Lauro displayed their work during the exhibition. Lauro displayed furnishings for a house that belonged to a textile producer in Piedmontese. This room that was exhibited is the most popular example of art nouveau in Turin. The artwork incorporated architecture, furniture and decorative aspects into a single harmonious unit (Greenhalgh, p.62).        

Russia
The style in this country was referred to as stil modern. This was probably the most influential style that influenced the design of the current St. Petersburg. It also might have influenced to some extent, Moscow, Nizhnij and Novgorod among other cities. In the beginning of the 20th century, this country approached the level of Europe economically. St Petersburg has many constructions that are built in this style. As a matter of fact many of the urban buildings before 1914 were constructed in art nouveau style (Greenhalgh, p.42).  

At the beginning of the 20th century, art nouveau had been adapted in the most parts of Europe and North America. This style embodied the novelty and sophistication of the contemporary period. This style did not last long because by the commencement of the World War I the style had begun to vanish. Nevertheless some of the elements of the style influenced later movements. The nature of decorating and providing ornamental value to artistic objects and designs never disappeared (Greenhalgh, p.72).