Tuesday, 22 October 2013

Context that Changed Design - Entry #5



More about the ART NOUVEAU style ……….

 


To identify whether a particular work of art, such as jewellery, or else hardware objects, windows and architecture bear the Art Nouveau style, one must look for certain factors that characterize this style, mainly:


  • Graceful lines with plenty of curves and hardly any angles.
  • Curves that produce a whiplash effect and form regular patterns like a rhythm - this curvy artwork can also be found in kitchen utensils, hardware stuff and pieces of furniture.
  • Lack of symmetry in the arrangements of forms and patterns.
  • Natural subjects, including flowers (such as lilies), leaves, vines, grass, seaweed, peacock feathers, birds (such as swans)  and insects (such as dragonflies and butterflies). 
  • Instead of the classic precious stones, new materials, such as opals and semiprecious stones started to be used by jewellers, and glass art became popular (especially when Louis Comfort Tiffany and Charles Rennie Mackintosh became interested in this new style of art).  Moulded glass, animal horns and ivory tusks became very much in use.
  • Moderate and dark colours – especially mustard yellow, dark red, olive, brown and touches of violet and blue.
  • Art was no longer just painting on canvas or making sculptures but everyday objects (including street furniture) were transformed into artwork, for example moulding a simple doorknocker to make it look like a dragonfly. The following image shows a good example of how the designer Hector Guimard transformed the entrances of the Paris Metro into beautiful structures with vine-like lines moulded into them.

 
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Richard Nahem , (2009), Metro Station of the Month: Abbesses [ONLINE].
 Available at: http://www.ipreferparis.net/2009/11/metro-station-of-the-month-abbesses.html
 [Accessed: 22 October 13]
 


1Movielinks. (2013). BBC Documentary The Allure of Art Nouveau.
[Online Video]. 27 July. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PHHhmLA8Sg.
[Accessed: 22 October 2013]


ArtHistoryLuv. (2013). The Allure of Art Nouveau: Vienna (BBC Documentary).
 [Online Video]. 02 November. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gkB23zT4x8.
[Accessed: 22 October 2013]
 

 

A Modern House inspired by Art Nouveau ......

 
The façade of the townhouse shown here below reveals characteristics of the Art Nouveau style, especially the curved lines with a whiplash effect and the shades of brown.  This particular house is situated in Leiden (The Netherlands) and it was designed at a studio in Rotterdam. 
 
 modern house design ideas in Art Nouveau Style
 camilleriparismode, (2011), Modern House Inspiration Ideas With Different Creativity [ONLINE].
 



  Other References:

 
The Art-Nouveau-round-the-world. 2012. Art Nouveau in France. [ONLINE] Available at: http://artnouveau.pagesperso-orange.fr/en/pays/france.htm.
[Accessed 22 October 13]

 
The Art-Nouveau-round-the-world . 2012. Visit Art Nouveau in Paris. [ONLINE] Available at: http://artnouveau.pagesperso-orange.fr/en/villes/paris/bestof.htm.
[Accessed 22 October 13]

 
The Art-Nouveau-round-the-world . 2012. Where can I find Art Nouveau-Jugendstil buildings?. [ONLINE] Available at: http://artnouveau.pagesperso-orange.fr/en/out-of-the-beaten-tracks.htm.
[Accessed 22 October 13]


LIfe 123 answers at the speed of life. 2013. Characteristics of Art Nouveau Style. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.life123.com/arts-culture/architecture-2/art-nouveau/art-nouveau-style.shtml.
[Accessed 22 October 13]


 

Book: Fiell, C.F and P.F, 1999. Design of the 20th Century. 2nd ed. Germany: Taschen
 


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