Art Nouveau: The markings that tell the story

Amongst the many elements that make up the Art Nouveau aesthetic, designers and painters of the time understood that the ornamental element of line determined the whole style. Designs of all genres brimmed with its multi-faceted glory. It could be a line of flowing elegance and grace or one of powerful whiplash infused rhythm and force. It could take on the shape of a stalk with buds or of a vine tendril. But it would always have the organic characteristic of motion and infinite energy. It will always be growing with its asymmetrical undulation into long, sinuous and sensitive linear elements.

The rhythms expressed by these lines were unequal, varying and asymmetrical. Before they end, the lines rear themselves again very high in a spiral; much like a musical beat. The lines of Art Nouveau were so confident in their uninterrupted rhythm that psychological analysis of this design element proved it to be narcissistic; stating that it’s always moving in a sort of narcissistic self-delight.

Art Nouveau expresses itself as an ornamental surface movement where the ornamental elements remain dominant.
In graphic art, the line sub-ordinated all the other visual elements to its own decorative effect.
In architecture and other plastic arts, the whole of the three dimensional form becomes completely engulfed in their organic linear rhythm.
Furniture’s appearance evolved into that of being an ornament itself. It would become a representation of a natural entity that stems out buds. It became an abstract three-dimensional emblem of its own function.  

Ornaments were not, however, decorative or noncommittal. They were signs, closely related to forms, meanings and symbols that took on many shapes. Ornament consisted out of decorative elements such a lavish birds, floral accents, leaf and tendril motifs, insects, intertwined organic forms, and various zoomorphic shapes.

Art Nouveau fused structure with ornament. As the movement drew inspiration from organic and geometric form, it evolved elegant designs that united natural forms with angular contours. This resulted in beautiful flat decorative patterns, large abstracted forms filled with zoomorphic and plant-like shapes that undergo complete metamorphosis in one and the same stroke and nymph-like ladies with locks of undulating hair surrounded by fantasy-esque ornamentation.

In fact, the female body was often manipulated by decorative art objects to create different and often playful symbolic narratives as one of the most predominant features of many Art Nouveau works was their erotic nature. 
Poster designers also utilised woman, as the advent of mass advertising later led to the realisation that sex sold products better than anything else.  Alphonse Mucha created images of what became the epitome of the sophisticated and decorative Art Nouveau woman. Through his combinations of women and products sold lifestyle dreams. 

Although predominant, the focus of erotic imagery was not solely on the female body. The perfect male body appeared in many period pieces, especially when the subject matter demanded a serious approach. Traditional gender divides were applied to the symbolic use of female and male bodies in advertising. Male bodies were used in subject matters of action, intellect and virility to promote industry and technology, where female capacities were perceived as only being for pleasure and instinct to promote products and entertainment. 


Ornamentation was, although balanced, alive and restless, and the pulse of Art Nouveau could best be felt beating in its liveliest ornaments.  It was open to a fourth-dimension, to the flow of time that is of a distinctly musical nature.


References

Book

Schmutzler, R. 1961. Art Nouveau. Harry N. Abrams, Inc. Publishers. New York

Thesis

Halm, J. (2013). 20th Century Design Trends. MA. Thesis. University of
Houston

Internet
Vitoria & Albert Museum. 2012. Art Nouveau and the Erotic. http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/a/art-nouveau-and-the-erotic

Willette, J. 2010. Defining Art Nouveau. www.arthistoryunstuffed.com/defining-art-nouveau.html 

Wolf, J. 2013. Art Nouveau. http://www.theartstory.org/movement-artnouveau.htm


Mansur G. et al. 2014. Art Nouveau: Artistic style. www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/36571/Art-Nouveau.

Collins, N, 2010, Art Nouveau Design: Characteristics, History, Artists. www.visual-arts-cork.com/history-of-art/art-nouveau.html

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