Exploring Elements of Art Nouveau Architecture

Art Nouveau was a movement in the history of design. In architecture, Art Nouveau was more a kind of detail than it was a style. In graphic design, the movement helped to usher in new modernism.

During the late 1800s, many European artists, graphic designers, and architects rebelled against formal, classical approaches to design. Rage against the industrial age of machinery was led by writers like John Ruskin (1819–1900). Between 1890 and 1914, when new building methods flourished, designers tried to humanize the unnaturally tall, box-shaped structures by using decorative motifs that suggested the natural world; they believed that the greatest beauty could be found in nature.

The first wave of feminism was also occurring at the turn of the century. As women gained independence, prominence, and disposable income in society, the predominantly male designers and architects of the Art Nouveau movement saw an opportunity to create more feminine designs to spark interest in women decorating their homes. Femininity and the female form were used for marketing home decor, jewelry, and other products of the decade.

After 1910, the Art Nouveau style began to feel old-fashioned and gave way to other movements like Art Deco. In the 1960s, a renewed interest in Art Nouveau design sparked after a series of significant exhibitions. Elements of the style were reincorporated into pop art and psychedelic movements. Examples include free form typography, earthy colors, and natural iconography like butterflies.

As it moved through Europe, the Art Nouveau movement went through several phases and took on a variety of names. In France, for example, it was called "Style Moderne" and "Style Nouille" (Noodle Style). It was called "Jugendstil" (Youth Style) in Germany, "Sezessionsstil" (Secession Style) in Austria, "Stile Liberty" in Italy, "Arte Noven" or "Modernismo" in Spain, and "Glasgow Style" in Scotland.

Motifs or repeating design patterns include depictions of organic shapes, like flower buds, plant stalks, vines, insects, and even female forms. These motifs are apparent in relief carvings, ironwork, tilework, and paintings.

Art Nouveau draws inspiration from the color palette already provided by nature. Architects and designers traditionally incorporated greens and browns as the base of their designs and accented with rich jewel tones like yellow, indigo, dark red, and violet.

Many Art Nouveau buildings also incorporated the use of stained glass or decorative window panes. These windows often depicted nature scenes or abstract forms based on the shapes of flowers and climbing plants.

—The restaurant LA FERMETTE MARBEUF

was founded in 1898 during the 1900 Paris Exposition it was accidentally rediscovered during renovations in the 1970s

T​​here are other ways to incorporate Art Nouveau elements in your everyday life and designs through Earth and jewel tone color palettes, curved lines, and live-edge wood features can be incorporated into new builds to bring organic forms to life in a contemporary fashion.