Art Nouveau

    Art Nouveau was an international design movement that includes all types of design arts- architecture, fashion, furniture, graphic and product design. It was very known by its hard curving line which defines the design. Full of abstract shapes, contoured lines and all inspired by Japanese prints. The graphics of Art Nouveau were recognizable because of the colour. With it started the time using colour rather than tonal modelling.
     Before Art Nouveau it was time of Arts and Crafts Movement, so this new movement is true descendant of it. Everything in this movement was doing to increase and show things in their most beautiful way. The stylization of the designs was taken to the extreme. Artists of that time used to draw nature in so not natural way.  They were creating style of line precision, texture and pattern.
     Art Nouveau style influenced architects such as Victor Horta, who strived for harmony between form, material and colour. It became the traditional style that evolved from the historicism that dominated design for most of the 19th century. It was the modern movement preparing world for what was going to happen in the 20th century rejecting everything what was before.

Aubrey Beardsley

    One of the Britain's Art Nouveau representative was Aubrey Beardsley. He was really influenced by the elegant, curvilinear style of this movement. The bold lines of Japanese's designs were very attractive for him. His works were inspired by obvius sensuallity of women, which usually contained an element of morbid erocticism.

The comedy of the rhinegold

Salome Wilde

Jules Cheret

   Jules Cheret was an artist which eventually becoming the master of poster art. He was painter, lithographer, illustrator. Often he is called father of the modern poster.

Louvre, Jouets-Etrennes

    The lithographers of that time were asking from designers to do the posters which were copied onto a stone by a skilled craftsman, but Cheret had a different approach. He was working directly on the stone, using spirited brush lines, cross-hatch, stipple, soft watercolour-like washes, and flat colour in some areas to create a dynamic image. In his designs there were enormous central figures, prominent hand-lettered titles, simple backgrounds, and large areas of glowing colour and gestural textures.

Fete des Fleurs 1890

Alphonse Mucha

   Alphonse Mucha was a Czech Art Nouvean painter and decorative artist. He was very well known for his images of women.His work for the play Gismonda was overnight sensation and announced the new artistic style and its creator to the citizens of the Paris.

   Beside of flurry paintings,posters, advertisements and book illustrations Mucha produced as well designs for jewellery, carpets, wallpaper. In his work were always appearing strong, beautiful young women, surrounding by flowers which sometimes look like haloes behind their heads. Like for him the woman itself was holy.For colours he used pale pastel colours. He declared once that art existed only to communicate a spiritual message, and nothing more, as maybe he was trying to do.

References:

graphic design (art) :: Art Nouveau -- Encyclopedia Britannica. 2013. graphic design (art) :: Art Nouveau -- Encyclopedia Britannica. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1032864/graphic-design/242768/Art-Nouveau. [Accessed 23 November 2013].

Graphic Design History | Art Nouveau. 2013. Graphic Design History | Art Nouveau. [ONLINE] Available at:http://gds.parkland.edu/gds/!lectures/history/1890/artnouveau.html. [Accessed 23 November 2013].

Having a look at History of Graphic Design: Art Nouveau. 2013. Having a look at History of Graphic Design: Art Nouveau. [ONLINE] Available at:http://havingalookathistoryofgraphicdesign.blogspot.com/2012/06/art-nouveau.html. [Accessed 23 November 2013].

Aubrey Beardsley (English artist) -- Encyclopedia Britannica. 2013. Aubrey Beardsley (English artist) -- Encyclopedia Britannica. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/57391/Aubrey-Beardsley. [Accessed 23 November 2013].

Jules Cheret (French artist) -- Encyclopedia Britannica. 2013. Jules Cheret (French artist) -- Encyclopedia Britannica. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/109383/Jules-Cheret. [Accessed 23 November 2013].


Alphonse Mucha - Biography. 2013. Alphonse Mucha - Biography. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.rogallery.com/Mucha_Alphonse/mucha-biography.htm. [Accessed 23 November 2013].