Art Nouveau Furniture
One of the best ways to identify the details from the art nouveau era is from finely done furniture. Many of these pieces are now considered to be antiques. They are lovely items and you can decorate any room in your home with them. It is also common to find offices decorated in this style as well. Of course getting your hands on such wonderful art nouveau furniture is going to be an adventure as well.
For many families, art nouveau furniture has been passed down from one generation to the next. There may be individual pieces or entire sets that have been passed along over the generations. There is a great deal of history involved in such furniture so it can be extremely difficult to part with it.
You will find plenty of art nouveau furniture offered though from antique dealers around the world. With the access to the internet it is easier than ever to look at pieces that you wouldn’t find locally. The prices for these pieces of furniture vary significantly too. Make sure you work hard to get the very best prices on the pieces you want. Most antique dealers will start with a price that is too high but if you know your stuff it won’t take long for them to realize they can’t get one over on you.
There is also the option of having handmade art nouveau furniture custom made for you. There are excellent woodworkers out there that can do this for you. They can offer you certain designs or you can bring in information on what you want. They will make any type of furniture you desire with the design from this era that you want. This will be more expensive in many cases but you can be sure you are going to love the art nouveau furniture that you end up with.
There are so many different types of art nouveau furniture that you can choose from. They include dining room tables with chairs, desks, couches, doors, vanities, china hutches, and more. Some people even have incorporated the idea for their fireplace mantle and their lawn furniture. Art nouveau furniture definitely give you plenty of options to choose from.
Art Nouveau Murals
Murals are very large pieces of art that often cover entire walls. You will most likely find them outdoors in courtyards or in businesses. Some people have embraced the look of art nouveau murals for rooms in their homes as well. Generally, this concept only works well in very large open spaces. While murals are still common today, you generally don’t see too many new ones in the art nouveau themes.
The creation of murals for the art nouveau era were not cheap. They were often created out of marble and ceramic tiles. Many of the larger works were completed on smaller tiles and then put into place. This gave them a very detailed look as well, just like any painting that an artist may have put into a frame and onto the wall. Later on many of them were made out of glass instead. This was often colored glass though so it gave more visual appeal to those viewing it.
For large art nouveau murals, it could take years to complete them. Those that were established in this area of art and architecture were in high demand. They usually had people vying for their skills from many different countries. They offers poured in and some of the architects choose their jobs based on the amount of money involved. Others made their decision based on the challenge of the job and who it was to be completed for.
One of the most popular art nouveau mural designers was Victor Horta. He is considered to be a genius and the mastermind that so many other artists followed after. The majority of his work can be found in locations all over Paris. He was a well known architect but found that designing murals was very personal and it made him happy. He was asked to design specific types of murals for rich people in Paris, for lawmakers in congress, and for expensive hotels.
If you ever go to Paris, you really need to take the time to view some of the murals that Horta completed. Once you do it will be no surprise why people are in such awe of his talents. Even with the basic tools of his time he was able to implement amazing skill and talent in each art nouveau mural that he completed.
Art Nouveau Glassware
You will find a great deal of art nouveau in the form of glassware. This is a type of art that extends into many different cultures and countries. Some of the glassware is used for drinking and for decorative parties. Others are collectible items that have been passed along from one generation to the next. Art nouveau glassware is a concept that allows people to explore creative ideas and put it into a form that people are really fascinated with.
One way that art nouveau in the area of glassware has been made more appealing is with the use of colored glass. You will find shades of blue, red, yellow, and green often in them. There are beautifully colored vases, bowls, and even collectible figurines for you to choose from.
If you have a good trained eye for art nouveau glassware, you will be able to determine how old it is. You will also be able to determine which part of the world it originated from. With this information you will have a better idea of what each item is worth. You want to get as good of a deal as possible. You definitely want to make sure you don’t get taken advantage of though and pay too much for it.
If you don’t have the knowledge you need in this area, it is a good idea to conduct some research before you buy anything. Don’t learn a lesson about overpaying for antiques the hard way. Recouping that money will be difficult and it can prevent you from buying as much as you want of art nouveau glassware.
Most people don’t use art nouveau glassware too much these days for regular use. They save it for special occasions. A gorgeous vase can enhance the color and details of the flowers you place inside of it. You can use decorative bowls, glasses, and other items to decorate your kitchen or dining room.
Today you can find art nouveau glassware in various locations. Sometimes you can get a good deal on it from yard sales or estate sales. People want to get rid of items so they don’t think too much about the possible value of it. You can also get a great deal on it from various online sites. The best place to find art nouveau glassware generally though is from antique shops.
Art Nouveau
The term art nouveau applies to a type of architecture that originated in Paris. This type of design emerged around 1880 and then dropped off dramatically around 1914. The concepts have gone on to incorporate the areas of furniture, glassware, jewelry, and even murals. You will find fancy designs and art work as part of the designs from this period of time. Most of the art work that fits into the nouveau profile is two dimensional and it continues to intrigue people to look at it today.
This type of art was very appealing visually, and continues to be intriguing today.. With the beginning of the World’s Fair in Paris in 1900 it became recognized as something to be embraced around the world. The goal of it was to create a type of décor that could take on an international voice. This was very successful as it wasn’t long at all before this is exactly what happened.
Trends in styles definitely change over time but some linger one for decades past their prime. This is the story with art nouveau as it has touched on so many different cultures. You will find it part of the culture in Paris, the United States, Germany, Spain, and Russia. It is interesting to explore the various types of art nouveau and how they are different by similar in these different locations around the world.
This particular type of art allowed people to explore their creativity. They loved being able to take of the influences in their life and combine it with fantasy. The results were fabulous works of art that really impressed people regardless of the walk of life they were a part of.
Many historians believe art nouveau was the result of the industrial revolution as well. There was new technology that allowed things to be created in a way that just had never been offered before. Even though many artists had always had ideas, they just needed the right tools to offer amazing craftsmanship to these works of art. There are so many different forms of art nouveau still around today that many people don’t realize that it has faded from the limelight.
Art Nouveau Architecture
Perhaps the place where we notice art nouveau the most is within architecture. There are some places around the world well known for this style of design. If you travel around often you should take note of those you can see in person during your various adventures. The details that are involved in forms of art nouveau architecture are extremely appealing. Make sure you have plenty of time to simply look around and take in all there is to see.
In Germany you will find Behren’s House that was built in 1901. The most detailed part of this structure are the double doors. Most of the features you will find inside and out resemble the arts of the English. Around the same period of time in Scotland the Hill House was created. This is a mansion that is located along a hillside. There are plenty of delicate yet substantial works implemented in this custom made home.
The earliest forms for art nouveau in architecture started in Paris. You will find numerous buildings and hotels there featuring such work. It took from 1899 to 1905 to complete the delicate detailed work of the Paris Metro Entrances. These are the locations where people enter the railway system for public transportation.
The majority of the art nouveau architecture in this area is made from black iron. It also has a hint of the Germany concepts that the French weren’t familiar with when it was being built. Even though many people in Paris take the railway daily, they are still quite impressed with the art nouveau architecture they see there.
You can find information on the various places to see art nouveau online. This is one era of design you have to see up close to truly appreciate. Even if you are very happy with the pictures you find online, they just don’t do justice to the real thing. The details in the craftsmanship are just something you can’t duplicate in a picture. The fact that these fascinating works of art nouveau architecture are found all over the world makes it even more exciting.