I loved Art Nouveau all my life, especially as a teenager during the 60's, when it was stripmined for band poster imagery and album art. I see in this excellent documentary that the influence of Art Nouveau fell off at a period just as the automobile was taking over the world. I would have wished, I guess, that a few of the artists could have taken a whack at early automobile design. Who knows what they might have produced? Cars that looked like dragonflies or geishas?
I guess the confusion also comes from the Noveaus' exploration of decorative arts, which might lead people to believe that it's art deco. But since you mentioned Geishas, it was great to see the sort of mirror image in Japanese art, where art was used more for decorative or other pragmatic purposes and only later allowed to be for its own sake. While in the (broadly speaking) West, the Japanese and other culture's arts served as inspiration for the decorative movement that tore art away from a purely high brow concept. The more you get to know, the more such interesting crossings become apparent and it's extremely fascinating.
I got to see one of Mucha's actual posters on display in a museum, and NOTHING prepared me for the staggering SCALE of the thing. We're so used to seeing them on monitors and our phone screens, but these things are TALL. The women are basically life-sized. It was overwhelming in its splendor, and the feeling I got looking up into her serene face has stuck with me to this day.
While I was in art school, I had the pleasure of visiting a large exhibition of Mucha originals, sketches, and preliminary designs at the Frye Museum in Seattle. As a lifelong Mucha devotee, it was a monumentally moving experience- really life-changing. But I suspect that even were I completely new to his works, it would have touched me deeply.
This is a good short survey. You didn't mention my favorite aspect of the movement however. I love the Babylonian Revival that took place within Art Nouveau. The Egyptian Revival within the Art Deco movement is more well known, but both had their origins in contemporary archeological discoveries, and opened beautiful imaginative vistas.
I think it's funny that Nouveau was so anti industry, but if you look at H.R. Giger's stuff, some of the most industrial looking art ever, it has MASSIVE art Nouveau influence.
Interesting but I was disappointed that there was no mention of the wonderful architects of Art Nouveau in Brussels. Brussels has some of the most iconic houses of art nouveau. Victor Huge for one. One can visit many stunning art nouveau establishments in Brussels, designed by some of the best known art nouveau architects ever known, and no mention in your video? 😞
Thanks for the feedback! It’s a VERY short video to be able to cover wonderful Art Nouveau architects in Brussels. Perhaps a great idea for another video 💪🏻
Also Gaudí was missed. You showed almost at the beggining some pictures from his buildings, like Casa Batlló and Sagrada Familia. I believe that he was one of most wonderful exponents of architecture. Maybe he deserves a vídeo dedícated exclusively to him. Gaudi in 8 minutes, like Zaha Hadid vídeo. Thank you!
There's something ethereal and uncanny about art nouveau. My first exposure to the style was Rankin Bass' retelling of The Hobbit, and I think that has something to do with why I feel that way. It feels ancient simply because its been around for so long, yet filled with life and movement because that's how its designed to be. Like it's old and frail and should crumble if you touch it, but will actually bite you and toss you across the room. You know, like a wizard. ;)
Thank you for this little explainer of Art Nouveau. I appreciate it so I subscribed and went searching for your explainer video for the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and their philosophy of creating Art...only to discover you haven't made one yet. I hope you do get around to it. All the best.
Thank you! We dont have a video about the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood just yet but we have a video about Symbolism where we (very) slightly cover Pre-Raphaelites so hope you'll enjoy it!
I would very much like to learn more about Rococo Style, which you mention just before the 4:00 minute mark. I'd also like to learn more about Art Deco.
So, because you didn't answere the question (why...) this is actually, clickbait. But nice, good digestable and educational clickbait. Which leaves the task of finding out WHY art nouveau never really left open to be answered. I guess it has something to do with swirly and sexy the same time. Elegance and nature. That sort of stuff.
art nouveau and art deco are like the feminime and masculine versions of the gilded age. the former is flowy and delicate, the latter is geometric and rigid. both express opulence and prosperity.
Muy interesante, sin embargo se debe hacer énfasis que el movimiento se originó en Bélgica (país esclavista por antonomasia por cierto), se diseminó por casi todo Europa, y en gran parte del mundo. Como casi siempre, son movimientos generalmente opuestos a algún otro movimiento y son enriquecidos por otras culturas, etc. Pero es sublime, fascinante.
2:34 ~ 3:24 I’m hoping this would be the relationship between AI and artists today. Independent agency of human creativity from technology, yet also benefitting from its obvious progress.
While cosmopolitan, it's worth noting that Mucha, for example, was also a huge nationalist (not saying this in a negative way), who went on to shape many national designs of Czechoslovakia
To me for some reason, not only the beauty of organic shapes and floral themes and beautiful women, but the sharp contouring... I just love how strong the contours are, usually we are advised to not employ strong contours in fine art and idk. I love art nouveau for it
Right? There’s this subtle shading in tones and gentle transitions in color, especially in the face. Then you see the bold outlines. Truly it’s an interesting juxtaposition.
I always thought it resembled Celtic Insular art, from the 800's or so, with more realistic depictions of humans. It's gorgeous! P.S.-- They derisively called Alphonse Mucha's work "The Belgian Tape-Worm Style," when it came out, which is cruel.
Honestly, Art Nouveau does not really feel 'old' at all. Many of the most famous pieces have a very modern feel about them, despite being a century old. It's rather like a blending of the classic and modern. I have a tarot card deck that is done in this style, and there are times where I just marvel at some of the pieces. I really would love to get some wall prints.
Art Nouveau is timeless which is why it feels so modern even now. The premise of Art Nouveau is that it imitates the natural form whether it's humans, flowers, leaves etc. Nature never goes out of fashion and anything that imitates her is also timeless
This. It is so difficult to take these channels seriously when they have no respect for the artists and can't put a minute of work into finding the correct pronunciation of their names.
Art Nouveau is immortal because it represents the perfect marriage of realism and aesthetic, exemplified in my opinion by the work of Mucha, and later J.C. Leyendecker. In my view this blending of realism and appeal make it the highest form of modern art, but I'm probably just saying that because Mucha is my favorite artist.
I love that art nouveau is inarguably celebrating the feminine. And that the female forms it celebrates are not unrealistic or unhealthy - but natural and elegant.
I am a fan of Art Nouveau, and have been forever (teenager in the 60's - go figure) but when looking for images on line it isn't unusual for Nouveau to be merged with Deco. I know there are similarities, but the Soul of Nouveau is completely different from Deco. I'm glad you made the distinction in this video. Very interesting, Thank you.
Worth mentioning that there were several distinctive branches of it, which looked very different to each other. Even within every branch there is such variety that could be almost unrecognizable the fact that they belong to the same style. We can think of Modernismo Catalán, or even Gaudi itself has a huge diversity. Then we can think of German Jugendstil, Austrian Viennese Secession (so geometrical and goldish), Bavarian Munich Secession (greco-romanian and goldish), Hungarian Secession (lots of flowery and colourful forms), Italian Liberty (classic, heavy and sculptoric), etc.
....and don't forget the Scottish architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh and his brilliant artist wife Margaret Macdonald. Mackintosh's Japanese-inspired geometric designs were a major influence on the early designs of Josef Hoffmann at the Wiener Werkstätte (Viennese Secession).
I love Art Nouveau stylings. I'm definitely a sucker for the idealized feminine form and setting it in nature has, I think, kind of a universal appeal. Maybe that's from strong influences of the 1960's-70's in my impressionable youth.
Art Nouveau somehow seems to be the last style in both art and architecture that is effortlessly appealing to a broad audience. Where functionalism, international style, brutalism and postmodernism remain divisive and classicism being the object of rebellion, nouveau seems to be at least accepted by just about everyone. Maybe it is precisely because it only lasted for so long and never had time to become dominant and stale?
“Mid century modern” would beg to differ 🤣 and I think the 1940s to 1970s film art is widely influential. Interestingly in design I see more of the Art Deco I’m everything from book covers today to data visualisations
@@StaringCompetition Deco is just incredibly satisfactory to our pattern-seeking brains. It's one common source of antagonism is not aesthetic but ideological. As it was a celebration of industrial prosperity happening at the same time as the deadliest modern pandemic, the great depression and the first world war. If we're ever at a time wherein optimism beats cynicism and frugality, we might be allowed it's elegant delights again.
When you look at architecture whether it be from the Middle Ages , Art Deco or Art Nouveau, it most certainly is unmatched by the ubiquitous glass and steel of today.
I don't find myself engaged into viewing and studying Art Nouveau, but what I am impressed by is Klimt, the son of a jeweller, masterfully combining his delicate and elegant portraits of women with decorative patterns and gold, making the whole piece less of just a painting and more of an adornment of sorts, like a piece of jewelry.
I found a Liberty silk scarf in a charity shop, and the design just shone through the grime in the fabric....washed it when I got it home and it is just stunning! Nothing touches Art Nouveau for me.
I can’t help but think that its core attraction is that same thing that draws many to boho styles. The movement, colors, and busy patterns will always be welcome to a certain large percentage of people, whether it is popular or not.
I've just discovered about this Art Nouveau (literally 20 min ago) and I am absolutely in love with it! I've been asking myself why I did so long to discover this art style, It's majestic!
The recent science-fiction subgenre of Solarpunk also takes some aesthetic inspiration from the style, because of its natural forms, appeal to craftsmanship, and utopianism. (It also takes aesthetic elements from arts & crafts and non-Western cultures.)
The illustrations in the L. Frank Baum books published after "The Wizard of Oz" are heavily influenced by Art Nouveau. That is where I was first exposed to the style.
I adore art nouveau! I'm quite fond of art deco as well, but nouveau edges it out in my top favorites list. I had a history of graphic design class and this was my favorite section, closely followed by the broader medieval era. Art nouveau should have another popular resurgence, I'm getting tired of all the harsh contemporary modern looks.
I like how one day at exactly 2:30 pm GMT, a switch was flipped, and art nouveau died and was replaced by art decco. I'm sure that's exactly what happened in real life...
Art Nouveau at times feels like bringing surreal elements into our world. But being from the period it's from, I can see why it tries to represent this utopic, idealistic and modern society that revolves around blending art and function.
@@CuriousMuse imagine being part of the first generations that truly embraced living in a big city. That "metropolitan feel" would express itself in a way that reflected how people saw their environment
I'm glad this video was suggested to me. Really fun for eyes and ears with beautiful examples and of course informative. Ever since my art history classes in university I was naturally obsessed with Art Nouveau and I still am. The organic celebration of nature and feminity inspires me every day! 💖
I checked more vids about Mucha just to hear how people pronounce his name. I was surprised by the muchas gracias option used here. He was Czech/ Austro-Hungarian empire. Even Americans and French on different channels managed to pronounce the Czech sounding Mucha, as Greeks pronounce Christos or if you tried to pronounce Johann Sebastian Bach as Germans do.
Thanks for your feedback. Overall ours is a more common British pronunciation which is different from the 'original' one (Czech). We've noted it though, in our next videos we will be sticking to the CZ version.
I've been a fan of Art Nouveau for as long as I can remember. I especially enjoy the stained glass work of Louis Comfort Tiffany and the architecture of Antoni Gaudi. 💜💜💜
I have always loved AN, but I could never quite put my finger on why. This vid made me aware of the connection with psychedelic art which I also love. I feel like I'm getting a little closer to grasping what it is I find so fascinating and moving about it all.
Hi, I enjoyed the video very much, but for future projects you should know, that Mucha is pronounced very differently than you did. Usually in english there is /x/ used for phonetic transciption, it is better than what you start with, but most accurately you should read CH the same way J is read in spanish, for example Juan, it sounds quite similar. And U is short, similar as in the word bush. Please excuse any mistakes, I am from Czechia - Mucha was born there. Hope that this information helps!
Other than the embarrassing pronunciation of Mucha (Mootcha? Not really), this is a glib and enjoyable introduction to Art Nouveau. Regarding the movement being rediscovered in the 1960s, that started in the San Francisco Bay area with an exhibition of posters at the University of California, Berkeley. According to poster artist David Lance Goines, the weekend after it opened every rock concert poster had Art Nouveau swirls, lettering, and Mucha-style design elements.
Dear child, you gave the "Mucha" the Spanish, or Mexican, pronunciation. The artist was from Czechoslovakia. His name should be pronounced as "Moo-ka". Undoubtedly others have pointed this out to you. That in itself undoubtedly has made for desultory yet charming dinner conversation.
PLEASE the pronounciation of "ch" in Mucha is the same as "ch" in Loch Ness or "j" in the Spanish word juego. If you can't pronounce it, say just "h" but for love of god not ch as in cherry.
In The Hague centre (the The Netherlands ) They threw down some 70thies concrete monstrosities , and started using a type of art nouveau architecture again . I hope they keep it up, but's it's rather costly.
I get emotional and even tear up when I see art nouveau architecture and paintings. It truly was a revolution and rebirth for the world of art in my opinion. It so strongly contrasted the industrial revolution that was happening when the movement started. Artists drive culture, and this movement to me reflects the hearts of a culture that was yearning for the more organic and free essence of the feminine as the rough and gruff factory technology was on the rise. They broke out of traditional historical values of art and made it more accessible to the masses, too. As an artist today, we have so much freedom, and people in movements like this paved the way for us.
I LOVE art nouveau. Not just the 60s, but the originals. I'd do every room in my house with the wallpaper and tiles if I could. Deco leaves me flat. Pre Raphaelite is very nice. But Nouveau has my heart.
Y'all really picked the least Art Nouveau inspired fashion plate from the 1900s and said, 'Sure, that one,' huh? Like, they even had cameras then. There are surviving photos of some really beautiful pieces. There are extent garments. You could have picked a Paquin ballgown. Could have picked a photo of Sarah Bernhardt. But I guess a fashion plate from a spring addition of La Belle Époque thrown in at random suffices.
The curves of Art Nouveau is a natural feminine expression of art and seems to come back into favor when women are becoming empowered. The first wave was about the time of the suffragette movement, the second with the advancement of feminism in the 60's. I always thought it was interesting that art deco, a more masculine art form with its straight lines and industrial subject matter, followed the art nouveau movement and seemed to be a harbinger of the great wars that the men of that era fought.
Put simply: Art Nouveau is the fusion of a resurrected Romanticism, Symbolism, and Expressionism. Fabulously beautiful and sensual. There has never been anything like it.
Could you do a video on the following architectural designs British (Colonial) Tudor Half Timber Architecture Victorian Georgian French Chateau Italian Venetian (Roman Villa) German Cape Dutch Arabic/Islamic Japanese (Minka) American Neo-Classical Baroque Swiss Chalet Indo-Saracenic Greek/Roman Revival Queen Anne/Victorian Cotswold/Storybook Mediterranean/Renaissance Revival A-framed house Hillside House Taohuayuan Chinese-style mansion Palatial Medieval fantasy fairytale castle Thai architecture Palladian Pueblo revival Andalusian Rococo Tuscan Rajput Russian Dacha Romanesque architecture Eclectic Romanian architecture Second Empire Art Deco Renaissance revival Beaux-arts Chateauesque Jacobean Prairie School Rustic Exotic revival Chateaux Gothic revival Missions revival Louis XVI-style architecture Churrigueresque Arts and Crafts New England Edwardian Elizabethan Bohemian
Interesting that with the borrowing of Art Nouveau in the 1960's, it was followed a decade later by heavy, liberal borrowing from Art Deco. Echoing the original phasing from Nouveau to Deco earlier in that century.
There's something to be said about the stylistic and thematic dichotomy between organic, curving Art Nouveau and the geometric, rigid Art Deco. They're polar opposites, yet both adhered to ideas of utopian modernity.
I've always thought Art Deco was a modernized, streamlined version of Art Nouveau. Think of it as a teenager's interpretation of updating Mom and Dad's view of life. After a few exciting, tumultuous years they'll relax and return to something a little less - frenetic ?
