Art Nouveau Jewellery Styles & Trends
The Art Nouveau movement began in Europe at the end of the nineteenth century and peaked in the early years of the twentieth century. Art Nouveau means "new art". The expression initially appeared in the 1880s to summarise the work of artists influenced by the Arts and Crafts era, Japanese art and also Celtic designs. These artists used organic elements such as vines, leafs and flowers together with circulating lines which became known as whiplash lines.
Art Nouveau was unveiled in Paris in 1894 by Czech designer Alphonse Mucha,
best known for his pictures and advertisings. His first successful undertaking was a theatre sign he intended to promote a play starring Sarah Bernhardt, the most famous actress in Paris at that time. His poster of the play Gismonda ended up being an instantaneous phenomena when it appeared on the streets of The french capital. This result generated an arrangement between Mucha and Bernhardt, moreover he subsequently created jewellery, costumes, signs, as well as theater sets. His posters showcased women with very long, flowing head of hair studded with flowers, and surrounded by curving lines along with other natural elements. The fashion reached throughout Europe, promulgated by such notables as Aubrey Beardsley in Britain, Charles Rennie Mackintosh in Scotland, Antonio Gaudí in Spain, and Victor Horta in Belgium. A considerable portion of Art Nouveau's popularity was its merging of artwork with everyday life. Art Nouveau shapes were integrated into every day items for instance glassware, textiles, cigar cases, ceramics, furniture, jewellery, hair combs as well as other embellishments, and also had a strong influence on building design and interior design . Whorls and curlicues were displayed in doors, arches, as well as windows and moldings presented the flower styles characteristic of Art Nouveau. Internal designers combined the shell and also flame designs took from the Rococo style, and integrated new organic elements influenced by grasses, insects, ocean waves and seaweed. In the Art Nouveau era jewelers were motivated by fluent feminine as well as imagination figures, stylised bouquets, vines, leaves, scrolls, birds, serpents or insects in wonderful enamels. Plique-a-jour enamel, a wonderfully translucent enamel without a backing, was commonly used. Cabochon gems along with pearls were utilized in the styles along with the scrolling gold work. Rene Jules Lalique led the French in Art Nouveau jewelery The natural world became an unmistakable source of creativeness in this movement of presentation, generally using the form of plants, buds, vine tendrils and insect wings to exhibit linear exploration — regardless of whether in the shape of straight lines or classy curves. Moonstone together with gemstones would be used alongside glass to produce exquisite items of jewellery, typically coupled with precious metals and enamel. Art Nouveau jewellery was a definite response to the era's new paradigm of machine manufacturing — alternatively favoring elegant, distinctive items that featured precious stones together with gorgeous designs. Hair style pins, brooches and pendants presented opals as well as delightful metalwork influenced by the onset of Eastern art. Dragonflies together with grasses, branches, flowers or buds were all just as fashionable. Picture a dressing table topped with glassware, decadently covered in Art Nouveau accessories and jewelery, and you will have encapsulated the beauty of the period.
