FORCES of REACTION

Catherine Grace Sigman

Newton’s third law of motion: Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Lean too far left, you end up right. Brace for the recoil. The maxims ring true. Art Nouveau arose as a reaction to the staunch formality of fine arts, emphasizing applied artwork like fashion and architecture. It was never intended to eclipse the work of classical masters – it sought totality, Gesamtkunstwerk, an art form that could pervade museums and kitchens alike (Gontar, 2006). The goal was a sense of union between the realm of ornamental crafts and traditional art media. The human inclination to resist stasis, coupled with a transforming social context, produced a rebellion that celebrated ornate beauty and historicity for decades. In the late 19th century, the stark contrast and realism of Neoclassicism rapidly gave way to whimsical, sinuous line work and movement (Gontar, 2006).

In the 1880s, the first known use of the term “art nouveau” appeared in the Belgian journal L’Art Moderne to describe the new style of “Les XX,” an exclusive society of 20 artists in Brussels (Europeana, n.d.).

The pioneers lifted inspiration from Ukiyo-e, a Japanese movement of woodblock prints featuring the female form, folktales, and fauna and flora (Kushwaha and Srivastava, 2021). Soon, the antiquities expanded to include Greek and Roman mythology with a shared emphasis on universal and natural themes (Gontar, 2006).

The conventions of Les XX were simple: to protest the standards of neoclassicism, to revive the mysticism of antiquity, and to embrace nature and femininity (Kushwaha and Srivastava, 2021).

Until World War I, the movement swept Europe like wildfire (Europeana, n.d.). Short and explosive careers emerged – from painters to architects, the movement encompassed every creative discipline imaginable. Across Europe, artists were rebelling against the strictures of neoclassicism.

Gustav Klimpt entered the scene as one of the era’s most recognized painters. As president of the Austrian Secession art group, his sensual pieces exemplified the natural eroticism of the movement (Wolfe, n.d.).

In Italy, designer Mariano Fortuny was undertaking a four-decade process of perfecting his “Delphos” gown (FIDM Museum, 2011). At first considered unacceptable to wear outside of the home, the gown gained traction as the first wave of feminism and World War I simultaneously raged on (FIDM Museum, 2011). The restrictive corsets, illusory bustles, and flared crinoline of the late Victorian era faded in exchange for intimately fluid garments (FIDM Museum, 2011).

Beyond their oppositional nature, Art

Nouveau crafts also encapsulated motifs mirroring the movement. Fortuny relied on ancient Greek iconography to create a sleek silhouette while modernizing the ancient Roman pleat, crafting an iconic micro-pleated silk garment with a slinky drape. He displayed the woman’s natural shape rather than masking it. The sparingly ornamental glass beads and pearls add feminine details while retaining a sense of antiquity (FIDM Museum, 2011). Several of the iterations were complete with hand-dyed sashes featuring geometric prints inspired by ancient Greek and Roman artwork. Fittingly, its namesake is the Greek god Apollo’s son. While Fortuny tinkered away at generation after generation of his Delphos gown in Italy, bombshells razed towns and trenches devoured the French countryside. Art Nouveau’s rebellion spilled out, leaking into the world of couture. It was only a matter of time before gilded details, organic silhouettes, and botanical prints made their way to the likes of Paul Poiret (Koda, 2008).

French designer and artist Paul Poiret is, perhaps, the epitome of fashion associated with Art Nouveau. His work acknowledged Eastern influence rather than Western antiquities – he was the first notable European couturier to bring lampshade tunics and harem trousers to Western audiences (Koda, 2008). These twisted, organic silhouettes were adorned with gold and beading and, after 1906, notably lacking corsets or petticoats.

What does this avant-garde sentiment look like in the world of contemporary fashion?

The shift toward influencer culture and ultra-fast fashion has indubitably accelerated the trend cycle. In response, a burgeoning slow-fashion movement has arisen in resistance. The heart of Art Nouveau and the slow fashion movement have undeniable parallels. Subscribers to either would emphasize that the bottom line prioritizes the sanctity of craftsmanship and the celebration of the natural environment.

The visual conventions of Art Nouveau are iconic, but it is the oppositional force catalyzing the movement that makes it timeless. Since the dawn of fashion, upheavals and protests have proved Sir Isaac Newton correct: every action does have an equal and opposite reaction.