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Art Nouveau Posters
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Published: August 17, 2006
At this point, it is no longer a saying but a cliche: "what's old is new again." Or, cynically speaking, there is no such thing as "new" but redressed old. The spirit of the ages is always attached or adorned with some seemingly new social idea or ideal.
And, ironically (only in name), the same goes for the Art Nouveau in poster art.
Art Nouveau spans from 1890 to 1914, the same time as Belle Epoque. And though it is enveloped in the Belle Epoque, there are some distinctions between the two styles due to their different intentions and designs. Art Nouveau translates from French as "new art," and with this moniker comes the notion of "new" ideas and ideals. Despite the fact that Art Nouveau posters keep true to the romantic themes and style of the Belle Epoque, they do not achieve their form through Impressionistic means. In fact, the posters achieve their artistic form through more representationally nuanced and specific means and less elusive technique. In Art Nouveau posters, the technique(s) is(are) apparent and obvious; the artistry draws attention to itself. An Art Nouveau poster-maker wants you to identify and marvel in his technicality, craft, and skill. It is to be appreciated as much as the product itself.
As far as design is concerned, the newness of Art Nouveau posters can be debated. But the likes of these prints had never, ultimately, been seen before. Cultivating various aspects of the Arts and Crafts era, Pre-Raphaelite art, Byzantine etchings, Art Nouveau uses roundness, curvilinearity, undulating arabesque lines to disorient. The lines themselves are reminiscent of the aforementioned movements and eras, not to mention the Belle Epoque, but they are used with the intention to disrupt rather than unify the elements of the poster. Old aesthetics, new use. Additionally, all of the dynamics within the posters starkly juxtapose each other, rather than blend as they would in a purely Belle Epoque poster. But what sets Art Nouveau posters apart the most is embellishment; they are highly ornate. Where the intention of Belle Epoque posters was to adorn the city with art, Art Nouveau wants to decorate the art itself; therefore, the posters are no longer ornamentation but the result of ornamentation - decorated art versus decorative art.
Moving into the early twentieth century, Modernistic attributes begin to emerge in Art Nouveau posters. The free-flowing, wavy lines are kept, but the posters become less adorned. Outlining and color contrasting become more pronounced, and the elemental flow becomes cleaner, less busy. The harmony of the elemental objects become more functional, structured, and geometrically complementary. Subjects in the posters lack broader appeal for more novel art objects. The latter half of the Art Nouveau gives a sense of more pretense, or planning, and less organic outgrowth, ushering in the Modernist movement.
The influence of Cheret and Toulouse-Lautrec on the Art Nouveau posters is apparent, but the burgeoning new school, influenced by social dissidents' artists (as opposed to its purely artistic mavericks), slowly takes over. A look back on the posters shows little hints of Picasso or Kandinsky or Mondrian. And, realistically, though this style and movement of posters bears a different name, Art Nouveau is truly nothing more than a variant spurt from the Belle Epoque leading into twentieth century Modernist movements. Art Nouveau is the link in the chain between the 1890's and the 1910's.
Art Nouveau spans from 1890 to 1914, the same time as Belle Epoque. And though it is enveloped in the Belle Epoque, there are some distinctions between the two styles due to their different intentions and designs. Art Nouveau translates from French as "new art," and with this moniker comes the notion of "new" ideas and ideals. Despite the fact that Art Nouveau posters keep true to the romantic themes and style of the Belle Epoque, they do not achieve their form through Impressionistic means. In fact, the posters achieve their artistic form through more representationally nuanced and specific means and less elusive technique. In Art Nouveau posters, the technique(s) is(are) apparent and obvious; the artistry draws attention to itself. An Art Nouveau poster-maker wants you to identify and marvel in his technicality, craft, and skill. It is to be appreciated as much as the product itself.
As far as design is concerned, the newness of Art Nouveau posters can be debated. But the likes of these prints had never, ultimately, been seen before. Cultivating various aspects of the Arts and Crafts era, Pre-Raphaelite art, Byzantine etchings, Art Nouveau uses roundness, curvilinearity, undulating arabesque lines to disorient. The lines themselves are reminiscent of the aforementioned movements and eras, not to mention the Belle Epoque, but they are used with the intention to disrupt rather than unify the elements of the poster. Old aesthetics, new use. Additionally, all of the dynamics within the posters starkly juxtapose each other, rather than blend as they would in a purely Belle Epoque poster. But what sets Art Nouveau posters apart the most is embellishment; they are highly ornate. Where the intention of Belle Epoque posters was to adorn the city with art, Art Nouveau wants to decorate the art itself; therefore, the posters are no longer ornamentation but the result of ornamentation - decorated art versus decorative art.
Moving into the early twentieth century, Modernistic attributes begin to emerge in Art Nouveau posters. The free-flowing, wavy lines are kept, but the posters become less adorned. Outlining and color contrasting become more pronounced, and the elemental flow becomes cleaner, less busy. The harmony of the elemental objects become more functional, structured, and geometrically complementary. Subjects in the posters lack broader appeal for more novel art objects. The latter half of the Art Nouveau gives a sense of more pretense, or planning, and less organic outgrowth, ushering in the Modernist movement.
The influence of Cheret and Toulouse-Lautrec on the Art Nouveau posters is apparent, but the burgeoning new school, influenced by social dissidents' artists (as opposed to its purely artistic mavericks), slowly takes over. A look back on the posters shows little hints of Picasso or Kandinsky or Mondrian. And, realistically, though this style and movement of posters bears a different name, Art Nouveau is truly nothing more than a variant spurt from the Belle Epoque leading into twentieth century Modernist movements. Art Nouveau is the link in the chain between the 1890's and the 1910's.
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