Art Nouveau: Age of the Sinuous Line

art nouveau AGE OF THE SINUOUS LINE

AUGUST 24–DECEMBER 2, 2016 E L PA S O M U S E U M O F A RT

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ten years. The use of the sinuous line, which also created what

etween the years 1895 and 1905, Art Nouveau style spread around the

was called the whiplash effect, was used throughout every aspect

world—From Paris, France to

of design, whether it was on the gates of a subway entrance or the embellished stroke designs of a typeface. The style authenticated

New York, New York, artists were

changing the ways art was viewed by the public. It was in France

the use of this feature to insinuate a more apparent physical nature

that Art Nouveau received its original name, L’Art Nouveau. Paris

that captures every part of life. Color palettes were also another

art dealer Siegfried Bing was showcasing an art collection for sale

way to incorporate nature into artwork. Artists used rich earth

in his store in December 1895. The contemporary art exhibition

tones and heavy golds in their color palettes when they created

was entitled L’Art Nouveau and the name immediately spread

their pieces to portray nature as one with the art. Many of the

throughout the art community. The movement was known by

works were mimicking scenes from nature and the colors helped

various names in other countries, such as modern style, Secession

the viewer make more sense of the piece at first glance. Art Nou-

style, Jugendstil, le style metro and several more. Art Nouveau

veau took on many forms, including some notable examples in

became a very popular and much adopted style within the next

terms of graphic design, architecture, and art glass.

Alphonse Mucha, La Plume, 1899

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GR APHIC DESIGN Graphic designers in this era paid much attention to the designs

influenced by Gothic art and Japanese prints to create this piece

on the prints for advertisements and book design. The designs

which evoked many non-traditional attributes for the composition.

usually consisted of individual subjects, some referencing the

He also imposes these influences on other works like his Juvenal’s

styles of Japanese art and Gothic characteristics. Lavish patterns

VI Satire and Lucian’s True History series. Along with the many

and rich color palettes filled the artwork creating the signature

influences from earlier art movements; the use of the sinuous line

style of Art Nouveau pieces. Aubrey Beardsley, an English Art

was prevalent in the designs as well.

Nouveau artist, experimented with these influences in many of

Graphic designer Alphonse Mucha became very famous for

his pieces. Only having lived until the age of 26, Beardsley made

incorporating the sinuous line into his works. His series of prints

an impact in the art world with his interpretation of Sir Thomas

entitled The Arts: Dance, Music, Painting, and Poetry (1898) showed

Malory’s Morte d’Arthur. The print received enthusiastic feedback

this through the women’s hair, the garments and the surrounding

for its prominent pen line, the high black and white contrast, and

objects within the prints. The dark browns and high contrasting

strange imagery within the composition. Beardsley was highly

white pigments also added great features to the delicacy of the

“The designs usually consisted of individual subjects, some referencing the styles of Japanese art and Gothic characteristics.

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Aubrey Beardsley, le Morte d’Arthur, London, England, 1898

Aubrey Beardsley, Lucian’s True History Series, London, England, 1902

Aubrey Beardsley, le Morte d’Arthur, London, England, 1898

Aubrey Beardsley, Juvenal VI Satire, London, England, 1918

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of all great th g ing in n n s.” i eg

“ T h e r e i s a wo m an at th

-Alphonse Mucha

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prints. Another work that conveys these characteristics is Mucha’s Morning, Daytime, Evening and Night series. These prints were often sought for interior home decoration or even for advertisements for chocolates or vehicles. The versatility of Mucha’s prints are what intrigued the public eye and also gave a new taste to traditional society. Mucha also succeeded in incorporating the sinuous line in the typography of some of his prints as well. In his poster Gismonda (1894), the typography is a great example of what graphic designers were using during this time for their advertisements.

The ornate embellishments of these typographic styles were popular not because of their legibility. In fact, they were frowned upon from using them as text. Instead, they became more popular because they represented the style of Art Nouveau very well with their decorative aesthetic, and embellished stroke endings. Some of the typefaces that were used were Belwe, Maigret, Maigret (Virgin Roman), and Artistik. The work produced from Art Nouveau graphic designers reached groundbreaking barriers on all levels that carried well into the next few years, also Alphonse Mucha, Gismonda, Paris, France 1894

influencing many other forms of art.

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Alphonse Mucha, Morning, Daytime, Evening, Nightime, Paris Prance, 1900

Alphonse Mucha, The Arts: Dance, Music, Painting, Poetry, Paris, France, 1898

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architecture Art Nouveau architecture displays a very prominent depiction

In accordance with Horta’s works, Hector Guimard also

of naturalistic patterns of plants and organic life. The main

attempted to achieve the Art Nouveau style throughout

focus became portraying nature as a warm and powerful energy

France’s capital. His Entrance to Paris Metro Stations stylized

in society. There is a main focus on the endless progression of

the elements in the railings of the stairwell to match the use

the innate creative mind. In Victor Horta’s Hotel Tassel (1892),

of the meandering line that many artists were incorporating.

the fluid and interlacing bars on the iron staircase indicate

His use of the “whiplash” linearism allowed the forms in the

the style used in the welding work placed within the hotel.

railings to flow organically and create a harmonious design.

The style is also seen vividly in the floors and walls within

This example of phytomorphism is prevalent throughout the

the rooms. The sinuous or “Belgian Line” which imposes a

design by showing the influence of plant arrangements and

curving in and out rhythm throughout the design on the walls

other patterns found in nature. Due to his exuberant usage of

and floor of the structure all build up the continuous, dynamic

this characteristic, these entrances are what gave Art Nouveau

and decorative feature of Art Nouveau architecture.

the French nickname “Le Style Metro”.

Hector Guimard, Entrances to Paris Metro Stations, Porte Dauphin, Paris, 1900’s Victor Horta, Hotel Tassel, Brussels, Belgium, 1892

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Horta, Maison Solvay, 1895

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ART GLASS Art glass became a very popular and innovative new art form

usually of flowers and displayed an array of different colors

for many artists to experiment with. Louis Comfort Tiffany was

brought out by the blown glass method.

one of the many art glass artists of the Art Nouveau era that

René Jules Lalique was another art glass designer that developed

discovered art glass techniques still used today. His inspiration

his business, which is still well known today. Lalique adopted

derived mainly from nature as he felt all inspiration should be

the art glass techniques after entering some of his works in art

obtained from characteristics of the natural world. His works titled

competitions and displaying his vases in his jewelry shop. In

Vase and Jack In the Pulpit (1894­­‑1913) were some of the many

1905, Lalique paired up with French perfumer Francois Coty

glass works made from the blown glass method. This method

who noticed his well-designed glass pieces and agreed to use them

involves inflating molten glass with blowing air through a tube to

to bottle his perfumes. Together, they developed the first time

shape the glass into a bubble. Tiffany called these works Favrile

distribution of perfumes in very decorative glass bottles. One of

which was derived from the Old English word fabrile, meaning

the 250 perfume bottles he designed were entitled Cactus (1900)

“hand-wrought”. The designs on the bodies of the vases were

which was made and named to resemble nature.

René Jules Lalique, Cactus, Paris, France, 1900’s

Louis Comfort Tiffany, Vase, New York City, NY,1894

Louis Comfort Tiffany, Jack in the Pulpit, Long Island, New York, 1913

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legacy Art Nouveau continues to inspire artists of today by its

The Sagmeister Sugar designs she created were made in

decorative and lavish designs. As in any other movement, Art

response to a concept suggested by fellow graphic designer

Nouveau was built from several periods in history, which aided in

Stefan Sagmeister. These sugary drawings show her use of

forming the style. From graphic design, wrought-iron fences, and

decorative and pleasant patterning. The Lalique Perfume and

even perfume bottles, Art Nouveau is still being implemented in

Jewelry corporation is also still in business today, shaping the

today’s society. Marian Bantjes, a well-known Canadian graphic

consumer society with their decorative designs. The attributes of

designer, creates many pieces inspired by the Art Nouveau and

Art Nouveau continue to influence the ideas of many artists in

Art Deco styles. The fluidity of her designs and harmonious line

their hopes of finding something new, yet modern. With these

work are utilized when creating her works that are also some of

inspirations, the artists of tomorrow may find more modernistic

the characteristics of Art Nouveau designs.

concepts with aesthetic, lavish and tasteful qualities.

Bantjes, Sagmeister Sugar Drawings, Bowen Island, Canada, 2007

RenĂŠ Jules Lalique, Lalique by Lalique, 1992-Present

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