Art Nouveau

Art Nouveau, also French for "new art",  is a world wide art movement and style, applied art, architecture and decorative arts which was most renowned during the late 19th century and very early 20th century. Art Nouveau is said to have been inspired by natural forms an structure which can be found in plants, flowers, and curved lines. This art movement embraced all forms of art and design such as architecture, furniture, glassware, graphic design, jewellery, painting, pottery, textile, and metalwork.

Art Nouveau has many distinctive features, such as the appearance of flatness, decorative patterns, intertwined organic forms which are usually stems or flowers. Also, art works that are usually in the style of Art Nouveau would most typically consists of one or more of the features already mentioned and or features characteristics of nature such as birds, insects, fantasy creatures, and women.


Art Nouveau style buildings like the one on the left 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

The use of gold, green, and blue together with orange and purple were used within this poster in order to catch the eye of the audience and this was effective as this poster was used to advertise cigarettes. The artist Alphonse Mucha designed this poster for 'JOB rolling papers' and this poster was successful because of his capability to build up a poster full of colour. Mucha's style was influential during the 1890's and this allowed 2D art Nouveau pieces to be painted, drawn, and printed in popular forms such as magazines, posters, an advertisements. The pieces consisted of curved lines, contrasting voids, flatness of visual plane, and patterned surfaces.