The document provides an overview of Art Nouveau, an international style of decoration and architecture from the late 19th to early 20th century characterized by flowing, sinuous lines depicting leaves and flowers. It discusses key features of Art Nouveau including organic and dynamic forms, curved designs, and avoidance of historical traits. Notable Art Nouveau practitioners and their works are mentioned for Britain, France, Spain, Vienna, and the US. Two examples of Art Nouveau architecture, Casa Mila in Barcelona and Hotel Guimard in Paris, are described in more detail to illustrate the dominant curved lines and arches as well as root-like designs.

1. By Kristina Pavlovska
T-2-10

2. Art nouveau (c.1880 to 1910)
• An international style of
decoration and
architecture of the late
19th century and early
20th centuries,
characterized
particularly by the
depiction of leaves and
flowers in flowing,
sinuous lines.

3. • Organic and dynamic forms
• Curving design
• Writhing plant forms
• Strict avoidance of historical traits

4. Developed principally in France and
Belgium.

5. Leading practitioners:
• Britain- the architecture of Rennie Mackintosh
• France - Guimard’s famous glass and iron
Metro designs; the glassware of Lalique (1860-
1945).
• Spain - Gaudi in Barcelona.
• Vienna - Gustav Klimt
• US- Louis Comfort Tiffany; Louis Sullivan.

6. The new art movement
had its roots in Britain, in
the floral designs of
William Morris, and in the
Arts and Crafts movement
founded by the pupils of
Morris.
Early prototypes of the
style include the Red House
of Morris (1859), and the
lavish Peacock Room by
James Abbott McNeill
Whistler.

7. In France, the style
combined several
different tendencies.
In architecture, it
was influenced by the
architectural theorist
and historian Eugène
Viollet-le-Duc.

8. Art Nouveau buildings have many of
these features:
• Asymmetrical shapes
• Extensive use of arches and curved forms
• Curved glass
• Curving, plant-like embellishments
• Mosaics
• Stained glass
• Japanese motifs

9. Understanding Art Nouveau
Architecture through Gaudi’s Work
One of the architects
commonly related to the
movement is Antoni Gaudi.
Nature gave him the clues, and
then he designed his own riddles.
Gaudi referenced trees, leaves,
and even the human skeleton
through his projects.
Considering the time in which
Gaudi lived, you can imagine how
his projects were practically
forcing technology to advance,
which is probably one of the most
important roles of an architect.

10. A classic example is Gaudi’s Casa Mila (1905-1907)
showing how different parts appear organically tied to
the base plan.

11. • Curved lines and arches
dominated the exterior of
Art Nouveau architecture.
The example is Casa Batlo
in Barcelona, Spain, which
was redesigned by Antoni
Gaudi between 1905 and
1907 in the Art Nouveau
style.

12. • Another example of Art
Nouveau architecture is the
Hotel Guimard, built by
Hector Guimard in 1912 in
Paris,France.
• The windows of the Hotel
Guimard are shielded by
arches with root-like
designs.
• The entryway to the house
has an arch with
asymmetrical, floral
designs.

13. • One of the supreme qualities of the
Art Nouveau architecture is the usage
of structure theory to expose the
construction elements of a building.
Especially iron becomes a visible
element of the facade, most often in a
decorative function.
• Glass is mainly used in combination
with iron. The glass wall also enjoyed
a great independent development in
the art nouveau period. Glass and
iron staircases like the one created by
Horta for the Maison du Peuple,
garnered very high praise.
Maison du Peuple, Brussels,
1896-1899

14. Louis Sullivan – Guaranty Building,
Buffalo, New York, 1896

15. • The Art Nouveau designers selected and
modernized some of the abstract elements of
the Rococo style, such as shell and flame
textures and they also advocated the use of
very stylized organic forms as a source of
inspiration in their artworks. Thus, many
elements came in the shape of grass, insects,
seaweed and the like.

16. Black Sea Art Nouveau

17. Villa I, by Otto Wagner in Vienna,
Austria, 1886-1888

18. Museum of Applied Arts, Budapest, Hungary,
designed by Ödön Lechner and Gyula Pártos,
1893-1896

20. Secession Building, an exhibition hall by Joseph
Maria Olbrich in Vienna, Austria, 1897-1898

21. Thank you
for attention!