At the turn of the nineteenth century, a new art movement took the world by storm and situated itself within the prominent visual identity and culture of Europe and the United States. Although the movement originated in England, with artists like William Morris and Walter Crane, the most prominent and utilized title for the artistic era was the French phrase, l’Art Nouveau, literally translating to, “the new style.” Artists and craftsmen came together with the intentions of breaking away from the traditional and academic study of fine art in an attempt to redefine and redistribute art by imbuing everyday objects with beauty. Rather than referencing the classical and mythological subjects and styles of the past, artists looked to the forms found in nature as well as the various subjects and styles of Japanese woodblock prints. Works manifested as fine art with painting and sculpture, graphic art with drawings and prints, and in more uncommon mediums, such as jewelry, glasswork, and ceramics.
The eclectic nature of Art Nouveau is most exemplified in Paris, where the highly ornate style of the movement came to life in the home, as well as the public sphere. Artists like Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and Eugène Grasset looked at the graphic nature of the new style and produced a number of ornate posters for store fronts, night clubs, and various products. Toulouse-Lautrec is the most famous of the two artists, as his prints for Le Moulin Rouge strikingly stand out in Parisian history for the bright colors, heavy yet sinuous line work, and the caricature-esque nature of figures. Another very popular medium in Parisian Art Nouveau was jewelry and accessories. René Lalique was one of the most sought-after designers, as his luxurious pieces were heavily ornamental and whimsical references to the natural world.
An example of the superfluous Lalique accessories is a Bodice ornament, from 1903 or ‘04. Although the piece is only 135 x 50 millimeters, Lalique utilized three different enamel techniques, engraved crystal, and gold accents to create an eternal hyacinth flower. Art Nouveau was specifically welcomed in interior design as well as architecture, as the playful yet opulent designs of la Belle Époque survive even today. Louis Majorelle was a highly demanded Parisian furniture designer; his designs seem phantasmagorical with curvilinear forms, intricate floral or natural patterns, and exquisite craftsmanship. His works, which were meant to adorn the homes of the upper classes, now grace the exhibition halls of museums around the world. One could still experience the grandeur nature of Art Nouveau in Paris, as a number of edifices preserve the palatial designs of artists like Majorelle, Lalique, Lautrec, and more.
In the eighth arrondissment, Maxim’s is one of many luxurious restaurants with a past that is deeply intertwined with the Art Nouveau movement. The interior of the building was designed by Louis Marnez in 1899, after being commissioned by two chefs who inherited the business. The ambiance of the interior is quite romantic; the walls are covered with mahogany panels, copper accents, and antiqued mirrors, which break up the intimate mural scenes of voluptuous nymphs. The light fixtures are modeled to look like plant life, with sconces, lamps, and chandeliers that resemble glowing flowers moreso than the traditional alternative. To couple with the sensuous interior, Marnez supposedly placed beautiful courtesans in the windows of each room to avoid emptiness and create public desire and attention.
Wandering throughout the streets of Paris, one does not have to look too far to experience the opulence and luxuriousness of the era. Maxim’s is one of the many picturesque emblems to survive from the height of Art Nouveau, as a number of cafés, boulangeries, and even subway entrances carry on the visual aesthetics and elements that were integral to the new style. To say that artists injected each object of daily living with simple beauty in an understatement, as each work of art seems to create its own physical world of grace and whimsy that is difficult to find in most other artistic movements of eras.
References
Camus, Dominique, Fred Aufray, and Thierry Prat. Paris décors Art Nouveau, Art déco … Paris: C. Bonneton, 2011.
Citroen, K. A. “Lalique Et Baudelaire: Quelques Reflexions Sur Un Bijou Art Nouveau.” Simiolus: Netherlands Quarterly for the History of Art 1, no. 3 (1966): 153. https://doi.org/10.2307/3780411.
Lahor, Jean. Lart Nouveau: Son Histoire, L’art Nouveau étranger à Lexposition … Paris: Lemerre,1901.https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=OSdBAAAAYAAJ&oi=f nd&pg= PT1&dq=art nouveau francais&ots=mVWwtXDZWe&sig=1GR6hwuED_mu q6X_rmKDJCD5PDY#v=onepage&q=Gallé&f=false.
Lalique, René Jules. Bodice Ornament. 1903-04. Cast glass, enamelled gold, and fire opals. Victoria and Albert Museum. Acquisition number: M.116A-1966
Rossella Froissart. “ L’Art nouveau, une remise en question des frontières esthétiques ”. La vie intellectuelle en France – XIXe-XXIe siècles, sous la direction de Christophe Charle et Laurent Jeanpierre, Editions du Seuil, pp.536-540, 2016. hal-02337146
Very well done.