Charles Boutet de Monvel Art Nouveau Peacock Pendant
Located in London, GB
A beautiful documented Art Nouveau Peacock pendant by Charles Boutet de Monvel. The mirrored image
Emerald, Pearl, Ruby, Silver
Charles Boutet de Monvel Art Nouveau Opal Diamond Gold Bat Maiden Ring
Located in London, GB
Illustrated in our book: Beatriz Chadour-Sampson & Sonya Newell-Smith, Tadema Gallery London Jewellery from the 1860s to 1960s, Arnoldsche Art Publishers, Stuttgart 2021, cat. no. 6 ...
Diamond, Opal, Gold, 18k Gold
CHARLES BOUTET DE MONVEL Symbolist Serpent Ring
Located in London, GB
The Hooded Cobras are clutching a blue green cabochon 'World'. The crystal is a natural amalgam of malachite and lapis lazuli, long considered to have Metaphysical and Healing Prop...
Lapis Lazuli, Malachite, 18k Gold
MUGLER Crystal Teardrop Corset Top Rhinestone Corsage
By Mugler
Located in Berlin, BE
Spectacular Mugler Teardrop Corset Top. The beautiful piece showcases Thierry Mugler's signature blend of bold structure and feminine elegance. Crafted in a delicate powder blue, the...
rare VERSACE 2022 Runway metal mesh chainmail Medusa safety pin top skirt IT38
By Versace, Donatella Versace
Located in Hong Kong, NT
rare VERSACE 2022 Runway green purple metal mesh chainmail Medusa safety pin top skirt IT38 XS Reference: TGAS/D01069 Brand: Versace Designer: Donatella Versace Collection: 2022 - Ru...
$625Sale Price|30% Off
Size: 2 or 4
Pierre Cardin Haute Couture Green Silk Crepe Sequined Cocktail Dress ca. 1967
By Pierre Cardin
Located in Studio City, CA
A circa 1967 Pierre Cardin haute couture green sequined silk crêpe cocktail dress that features a keyhole opening at the back. The main draw of this slinky silk cocktail dress are t...
CHRISTIAN DIOR taupe FOX FUR Winter Coat Sz. F38 / M
By Christian Dior
Located in Zürich, CH
Christian Dior coat in off-white, brown, and taupe fox fur with wide collar. Two side pockets. Opens with two hooks on the front. Lined in black silk. Has been worn and is in excelle...
Vivienne Westwood red wool and gold 'PAGAN KISS' beret, ss 1988
By Vivienne Westwood
Located in London, GB
Rare Vivienne Westwood red wool beret with gold leaf 'PAGAN KISS' and signature Orb logo. Made for the 'Choice' tour with Sara Stockbridge in 1988. Pagan I, Spring-Summer 1988
New Tom Ford for Yves Saint Laurent YSL Lotus Heels Final Collection 2004 Sz 37
By Tom Ford for Yves Saint Laurent, Yves Saint Laurent
Located in Conroe, TX
Yves Saint Laurent Heels Brand New * Tom Ford Era Lotus Slides * This was his last collection for Yves Saint Laurent. He was inspired by the Chinese Collection of 1977 His Final Coll...
Beautiful Rare Thierry Mugler Devoré Silk Velvet Dress Black
By Thierry Mugler
Located in Berlin, BE
Manfred Thierry Mugler distilled the drama of midnight velvet and the intrigue of bare skin into this impossibly rare devoré cocktail dress: a piece that feels less like clothing and...
Thierry Mugler Pink Dress
By Thierry Mugler
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Thierry Mugler Dress We offer more exclusive vintage items, view our frontstore This vintage spaghetti strapped pink tailored mini dress consists of satin inserts as well as cross ...
90s Thierry Mugler Open Heart Back Red Dress
By Thierry Mugler
Located in Miami, FL
Manfred Thierry Mugler was a French fashion designer who began his brand in the 1970s and was known for his avant-garde, architectural, hyperfeminine and theatrical approach. This i...
Harry Winston Cultured Pearl and Diamond Necklace
By Harry Winston
Located in Weston, MA
The master craftsmen of Harry Winston have used over 20 carats of diamonds to create this elegant flower garland necklace which centers on an acorn-form cultured pearl drop. The desi...
Diamond, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold
Thierry Mugler Silk Corset Dramatic Sculptural Bustier Top
By Thierry Mugler
Located in Berlin, BE
Stunning extremely rare Thierry Mugler Collectors piece. Dramatic pure Silk bustier, assuming Spring 1985 Collection. A masterpiece of sartorial artistry by the legend Mister Mugler...
Fendi Baguette Black Swan Feather-like Sequins Beaded Shoulder Bag
By Fendi
Located in AUBERVILLIERS, FR
Fendi Baguette Black Swan Feather-like Sequins Beaded Shoulder Bag These are professional photos of the actual bag. Discover another classic vintage Fendi baguette with rare feathe...
Thierry Mugler Fall 1992 Black Runway Lightning Bold Suit Jacket Skirt
By Thierry Mugler
Located in Berlin, BE
Iconic rare Collectors Piece. In Thierry Mugler’s Fall/Winter GLAMOUR PUNK-THE RITZ Collection. 1992 presentation, the famous all-black wool skirt suit with lightning bold details th...
$3,500
Size: FR 38 (US 6) but runs small
Iconic Documented Thierry Mugler Runway Sheer Boned Corset Skirt Suit, SS1995
By Thierry Mugler
Located in Geneva, CH
Featured during the "Thierry Mugler, Couturissime" exhibition at the "Musée des Arts Décoratifs" in Paris in 2021-2022 and at the "Brooklyn Museum" in New York in 2022-2023 (see pic...
Ralph Lauren purple label S/S 2012 vintage black silk plunging bow gown dress
By Ralph Lauren Purple Label
Located in Milano, Lombardia
LOVE LALI VINTAGE From Ralph Lauren Collection Purple label look number 31. This silk gown featured on the runway in a pale greyish blue, this is the black version that's only diffe...
John Galliano A/W 2000 Bias Cut Evening Slip Dress in Black Satin Backed Crepe
By John Galliano
Located in London, GB
Iconic and timeless John Galliano black satin-backed crepe bias cut evening dress from the A/W 2000 collection. Double spaghetti straps with draped neckline and sheer silk chiffon u...
Art Nouveau — generally considered to have begun in the late 1800s and ended with the start of World War I — was a movement in the decorative arts that drew inspiration from natural forms, such as trees, flowers and, of course, the human figure. The three main themes present in Art Nouveau jewelry and watches were flora, fauna and women.
Art Nouveau, which reached its pinnacle in the year 1900, spawned from artists who rejected the historicism of their predecessors to create an entirely new visual vocabulary. As compared to Art Deco jewelry’s geometric patterns and sharp lines, the extravagant style of antique Art Nouveau jewelry is characterized by curvilinear forms and whiplash lines, vibrant materials and dramatic imagery.
The first art and design movement of the 20th century, Art Nouveau was also a reaction against the Industrial Revolution, and took its inspiration from the theories of the Symbolists, the art of the Pre-Raphaelites, the ideas of John Ruskin and his follower William Morris and, most importantly Japanese crafts. (The country was a fertile ground for inspiration after it was opened to the West in 1854.) The Art Nouveau style touched all manners of the arts, including the most exultant jewelry.
Nature was a favorite muse for artists going back to the 18th and 19th centuries, but in the hands of 20th-century artists, it was depicted in new ways. For example, a withering flower was considered just as beautiful as one in full bloom. Winged creatures, such as insects and birds, were also a popular subject. Dragonflies and butterflies were particular favorites because they morphed so dramatically in different life stages.
This was also a reference to women, whose role in society was evolving. It was not uncommon to see a piece of jewelry that would at once reference a woman as a winged creature (think René Lalique’s famous Dragonfly brooch, circa 1897–98, at the Gulbenkian Collection in Lisbon). However, just as women’s roles were ambiguous, so was their image, as the femmes nouvelle were simultaneously eroticized and romanticized.
In addition to Lalique, vital figures in Art Nouveau jewelry included Louis Comfort Tiffany in the United States, Vladimir Soloviev, who designed jewelry for Peter Carl Fabergé in Russia, Fuset Grau of Spain, Karl Rothmuller of Germany and Philippe Wolfers of Belgium.
Art Nouveau jewelers used every “canvas” imaginable, looking beyond brooches and necklaces to belt buckles, fans, tiaras, dog collars (a type of choker necklace), pocket watches, corsages and hair combs. Multicolored gems and enamel could complete this vision better than diamonds. Jewelers also favored pearls, particularly baroque pearls, for their large size and irregular shape. However, opal was the most popular stone — its iridescence harmonized perfectly with the enamel, and it could be carved into any shape. Art Nouveau jewelry was primarily set in yellow gold.
Find a range of antique Art Nouveau jewelry today on 1stDibs.
Aside from his iconic commercial prints, the Czech artist endeavored to make works that spoke to the soul.
From vibrant to subtle, elegant to cheeky, enamel jewelry encompasses a wide range of colors and styles, and there are almost as many techniques for creating these distinctive pieces.
The first art and design movement of the 20th century was all about celebrating beauty of women and nature.