Art Nouveau, ornamental style of art that flourished between about 1890 and 1910 throughout Europe and the United States. Art Nouveau is characterized by its use of a long, sinuous, organic line and was employed most often in architecture, interior design, jewelry and glass design, posters, and illustration. It was a deliberate attempt to create a new style, free of the imitative historicism that dominated much of 19th-century art and design.
1. Art Nouveau is well-known for using strong lines in its designs, everything from:
- Curvy, sinuous and longer, more luxurious lines
- More conservative, linear lines
- Lines of vertical height
3. The third big style theme is the emphasis on the female form. When you see girls and women in Art Nouveau designs, you’ll generally see them depicted more traditionally with long, flowing locks, in what’s regarded as a pre-Raphaelite take on the female form and poses.
4. Rounding out the style traits are various design flourishes and ornamentation that you see in furnishings and interior décor, such as the incorporation of exotic wood materials, semi-precious stones, silver, iridescent glass, and marquetry