art nouveau AGE OF THE SINUOUS LINE
AUGUST 24–DECEMBER 2, 2016 E L PA S O M U S E U M O F A RT
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ten years. The use of the sinuous line, which also created what
etween the years 1895 and 1905, Art Nouveau style spread around the
was called the whiplash effect, was used throughout every aspect
world—From Paris, France to
of design, whether it was on the gates of a subway entrance or the embellished stroke designs of a typeface. The style authenticated
New York, New York, artists were
changing the ways art was viewed by the public. It was in France
the use of this feature to insinuate a more apparent physical nature
that Art Nouveau received its original name, L’Art Nouveau. Paris
that captures every part of life. Color palettes were also another
art dealer Siegfried Bing was showcasing an art collection for sale
way to incorporate nature into artwork. Artists used rich earth
in his store in December 1895. The contemporary art exhibition
tones and heavy golds in their color palettes when they created
was entitled L’Art Nouveau and the name immediately spread
their pieces to portray nature as one with the art. Many of the
throughout the art community. The movement was known by
works were mimicking scenes from nature and the colors helped
various names in other countries, such as modern style, Secession
the viewer make more sense of the piece at first glance. Art Nou-
style, Jugendstil, le style metro and several more. Art Nouveau
veau took on many forms, including some notable examples in
became a very popular and much adopted style within the next
terms of graphic design, architecture, and art glass.
Alphonse Mucha, La Plume, 1899
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GR APHIC DESIGN Graphic designers in this era paid much attention to the designs
influenced by Gothic art and Japanese prints to create this piece
on the prints for advertisements and book design. The designs
which evoked many non-traditional attributes for the composition.
usually consisted of individual subjects, some referencing the
He also imposes these influences on other works like his Juvenal’s
styles of Japanese art and Gothic characteristics. Lavish patterns
VI Satire and Lucian’s True History series. Along with the many
and rich color palettes filled the artwork creating the signature
influences from earlier art movements; the use of the sinuous line
style of Art Nouveau pieces. Aubrey Beardsley, an English Art
was prevalent in the designs as well.
Nouveau artist, experimented with these influences in many of
Graphic designer Alphonse Mucha became very famous for
his pieces. Only having lived until the age of 26, Beardsley made
incorporating the sinuous line into his works. His series of prints
an impact in the art world with his interpretation of Sir Thomas
entitled The Arts: Dance, Music, Painting, and Poetry (1898) showed
Malory’s Morte d’Arthur. The print received enthusiastic feedback
this through the women’s hair, the garments and the surrounding
for its prominent pen line, the high black and white contrast, and
objects within the prints. The dark browns and high contrasting
strange imagery within the composition. Beardsley was highly
white pigments also added great features to the delicacy of the
“The designs usually consisted of individual subjects, some referencing the styles of Japanese art and Gothic characteristics.
”
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Aubrey Beardsley, le Morte d’Arthur, London, England, 1898
Aubrey Beardsley, Lucian’s True History Series, London, England, 1902
Aubrey Beardsley, le Morte d’Arthur, London, England, 1898
Aubrey Beardsley, Juvenal VI Satire, London, England, 1918
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of all great th g ing in n n s.” i eg
“ T h e r e i s a wo m an at th
-Alphonse Mucha
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prints. Another work that conveys these characteristics is Mucha’s Morning, Daytime, Evening and Night series. These prints were often sought for interior home decoration or even for advertisements for chocolates or vehicles. The versatility of Mucha’s prints are what intrigued the public eye and also gave a new taste to traditional society. Mucha also succeeded in incorporating the sinuous line in the typography of some of his prints as well. In his poster Gismonda (1894), the typography is a great example of what graphic designers were using during this time for their advertisements. The ornate embellishments of these typographic styles were popular not because of their legibility. In fact, they were frowned upon from using them as text. Instead, they became more popular because they represented the style of Art Nouveau very well with their decorative aesthetic, and embellished stroke endings. Some of the typefaces that were used were Belwe, Maigret, Maigret (Virgin Roman), and Artistik. The work produced from Art Nouveau graphic designers reached groundbreaking barriers on all levels that carried well into the next few years, also Alphonse Mucha, Gismonda, Paris, France 1894
influencing many other forms of art.
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Alphonse Mucha, Morning, Daytime, Evening, Nightime, Paris Prance, 1900
Alphonse Mucha, The Arts: Dance, Music, Painting, Poetry, Paris, France, 1898
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architecture Art Nouveau architecture displays a very prominent depiction
In accordance with Horta’s works, Hector Guimard also
of naturalistic patterns of plants and organic life. The main
attempted to achieve the Art Nouveau style throughout
focus became portraying nature as a warm and powerful energy
France’s capital. His Entrance to Paris Metro Stations stylized
in society. There is a main focus on the endless progression of
the elements in the railings of the stairwell to match the use
the innate creative mind. In Victor Horta’s Hotel Tassel (1892),
of the meandering line that many artists were incorporating.
the fluid and interlacing bars on the iron staircase indicate
His use of the “whiplash” linearism allowed the forms in the
the style used in the welding work placed within the hotel.
railings to flow organically and create a harmonious design.
The style is also seen vividly in the floors and walls within
This example of phytomorphism is prevalent throughout the
the rooms. The sinuous or “Belgian Line” which imposes a
design by showing the influence of plant arrangements and
curving in and out rhythm throughout the design on the walls
other patterns found in nature. Due to his exuberant usage of
and floor of the structure all build up the continuous, dynamic
this characteristic, these entrances are what gave Art Nouveau
and decorative feature of Art Nouveau architecture.
the French nickname “Le Style Metro”.
Hector Guimard, Entrances to Paris Metro Stations, Porte Dauphin, Paris, 1900’s Victor Horta, Hotel Tassel, Brussels, Belgium, 1892
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Horta, Maison Solvay, 1895
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ART GLASS Art glass became a very popular and innovative new art form
usually of flowers and displayed an array of different colors
for many artists to experiment with. Louis Comfort Tiffany was
brought out by the blown glass method.
one of the many art glass artists of the Art Nouveau era that
René Jules Lalique was another art glass designer that developed
discovered art glass techniques still used today. His inspiration
his business, which is still well known today. Lalique adopted
derived mainly from nature as he felt all inspiration should be
the art glass techniques after entering some of his works in art
obtained from characteristics of the natural world. His works titled
competitions and displaying his vases in his jewelry shop. In
Vase and Jack In the Pulpit (1894‑1913) were some of the many
1905, Lalique paired up with French perfumer Francois Coty
glass works made from the blown glass method. This method
who noticed his well-designed glass pieces and agreed to use them
involves inflating molten glass with blowing air through a tube to
to bottle his perfumes. Together, they developed the first time
shape the glass into a bubble. Tiffany called these works Favrile
distribution of perfumes in very decorative glass bottles. One of
which was derived from the Old English word fabrile, meaning
the 250 perfume bottles he designed were entitled Cactus (1900)
“hand-wrought”. The designs on the bodies of the vases were
which was made and named to resemble nature.
René Jules Lalique, Cactus, Paris, France, 1900’s
Louis Comfort Tiffany, Vase, New York City, NY,1894
Louis Comfort Tiffany, Jack in the Pulpit, Long Island, New York, 1913
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legacy Art Nouveau continues to inspire artists of today by its
The Sagmeister Sugar designs she created were made in
decorative and lavish designs. As in any other movement, Art
response to a concept suggested by fellow graphic designer
Nouveau was built from several periods in history, which aided in
Stefan Sagmeister. These sugary drawings show her use of
forming the style. From graphic design, wrought-iron fences, and
decorative and pleasant patterning. The Lalique Perfume and
even perfume bottles, Art Nouveau is still being implemented in
Jewelry corporation is also still in business today, shaping the
today’s society. Marian Bantjes, a well-known Canadian graphic
consumer society with their decorative designs. The attributes of
designer, creates many pieces inspired by the Art Nouveau and
Art Nouveau continue to influence the ideas of many artists in
Art Deco styles. The fluidity of her designs and harmonious line
their hopes of finding something new, yet modern. With these
work are utilized when creating her works that are also some of
inspirations, the artists of tomorrow may find more modernistic
the characteristics of Art Nouveau designs.
concepts with aesthetic, lavish and tasteful qualities.
Bantjes, Sagmeister Sugar Drawings, Bowen Island, Canada, 2007
RenĂŠ Jules Lalique, Lalique by Lalique, 1992-Present
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