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Art Nouveau Period Collection

Art Nouveau Antiques (FRANCE, UNITED KINGDOM, CA. 1880–1914)
Art Nouveau Antiques (FRANCE, UNITED KINGDOM, CA. 1880–1914)

Art Nouveau was a modernizing movement in the decorative arts that developed in France and Britain in the early 1880s and quickly became a dominant aesthetic style in Western Europe and the United States. In its sinuous lines and flamboyant curves inspired by the natural world, Art Nouveau furniture, jewelry and graphic design reflected a desire for freedom from the stuffy social and artistic strictures of the Victorian era.  

Art Nouveau can be easily identified by its lush, flowing forms suggested by flowers and plants, as well as the lissome tendrils of sea life. The signature motif is the "whiplash" curve — a deep, narrow, dynamic parabola that appears as an element in everything from chair arms to cabinetry and mirror frames. The visual vocabulary of Art Nouveau was particularly influenced by the soft colors and abstract images of nature seen in Japanese art prints, which arrived in large numbers in the West after open trade was forced upon Japan in the 1860s. The style quickly reached a wide audience in Europe via advertising posters, book covers, illustrations and other work by such artists as Aubrey Beardsley, Henri Toulouse-Lautrec and Alphonse Mucha. While all Art Nouveau designs share common formal elements, different countries and regions produced their own variants. 

In Scotland, the architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh developed a singular, restrained look based on scale rather than ornament; a style best known from his narrow chairs with exceedingly tall backs, designed for Glasgow tea rooms. Meanwhile in France, Hector Guimard — whose iconic 1896 entry arches for the Paris Metro are still in use — and Louis Majorelle produced chairs, desks, bedframes and cabinets with sweeping lines and rich veneers. The Art Nouveau movement was known as Jugendstil ("Youth Style") in Germany, and in Austria the designers of the Vienna Secession group — notably Koloman Moser, Josef Hoffmann and Joseph Maria Olbrich — produced a relatively austere iteration of the Art Nouveau style, which mixed curving and geometric elements.  

Art Nouveau revitalized all of the applied arts. Ceramists such as Ernest Chaplet and Edmond Lachenal created new forms covered in novel and rediscovered glazes that produced thick, foam-like finishes. Bold vases, bowls and lighting designs in acid-etched and marquetry cameo glass by Émile Gallé and the Daum Freres appeared in France, while in New York the studio of Louis Comfort Tiffany brought out buoyant pieces in opalescent favrile glass. Jewelry design was revolutionized, as settings, for the first time, were emphasized as much as, or more than, gemstones. A favorite Art Nouveau jewelry motif was insects (think of Tiffany, in his famed Dragonflies glass lampshade).   

Like a mayfly, Art Nouveau was short-lived. The sensuous, languorous style fell out of favor early in the 20th century, deemed perhaps too light and insubstantial for European tastes in the aftermath of World War I. But as the designs on 1stDibs demonstrate, Art Nouveau retains its power to fascinate and seduce.

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Style: Art Nouveau
Georges de Feure, "Grenade", Art Nouveau Settee, France, c. 1900
By Georges De Feure
Located in New York, NY
This settee is typical of De Feure’s style at the turn of the 20th century. The high back with swooping lines, paired with straight legs curving toward their meeting with the seat, i...
Category

Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Antique Art Nouveau Period Collection

Materials

Wood

Pair of Art Nouveau Silvered Pewter Figural Candelabras
By Achille Gamba
Located in New York, NY
Pair of Art Nouveau silvered pewter candelabras with female figures surrounded by 8 arms (Attributed to WMF) (PRICED AS Pair)
Category

Early 20th Century Art Nouveau Art Nouveau Period Collection

Materials

Silver, Pewter

Louis Majorelle French Art Nouveau Wooden Table
By Louis Majorelle
Located in New York, NY
A French Art Nouveau mahogany center table by Louis Majorelle, the rounded top above a slightly bowed frieze, over downswept tapering channeled legs joined by a conforming undertier,...
Category

Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Art Nouveau Period Collection

Materials

Bronze

Art Nouveau Copper Veneered Vase
Located in New York, NY
Art Nouveau copper veneered square shaped vase with tapered neck and incised floral design with opaline inserts as flowers.
Category

Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Art Nouveau Period Collection

Materials

Copper

French Art Nouveau Statuary Marble Mantelpiece
Located in London, GB
A refined French Art Nouveau white Statuary marble fireplace. The shaped frieze with delicately carved rose and foliage to centre and ends, the jambs with full length tapered panels....
Category

Late 19th Century French Art Nouveau Antique Art Nouveau Period Collection

Materials

Marble

Pair of French Art Nouveau Bronze Dore Wall Sconces
Located in New York, NY
Pair of French Art Nouveau bronze dore wall sconces with thee arms and whiplash design.
Category

Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Art Nouveau Period Collection

Materials

Bronze, Gold Leaf

Emile Galle French Art Nouveau Walnut Floral Serving Table
By Emile Gallé
Located in New York, NY
French Art Nouveau walnut and floral inlaid serving table on scroll legs with a tray form top having open handles and filigree gallery corners with a drawer (signed EMILE GALLE)
Category

Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Art Nouveau Period Collection

Materials

Walnut

Art Nouveau Floral Embossed Metal Wall Mirror
Located in New York, NY
Art Nouveau (possibly Austrian) wall mirror with floral design embossed metal veneer and a shaped, beveled glass.
Category

Early 20th Century Austrian Art Nouveau Art Nouveau Period Collection

Materials

Metal

French Art Nouveau Bronze Heron Floor Lamp
Located in New York, NY
French Art Nouveau bronze floor lamp with heron eating berries from tree on a shaped base.
Category

Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Art Nouveau Period Collection

Materials

Bronze

Pair of Art Nouveau Iron Andirons
Located in New York, NY
Pair of American Art Nouveau iron andirons with foliate finials over a fluted design. (PRICED AS Pair)
Category

Early 20th Century American Art Nouveau Art Nouveau Period Collection

Materials

Iron

French Art Nouveau "Magnolia" Desk by, Louis Majorelle
By Louis Majorelle
Located in Englewood, NJ
An extremely fine and rare carved wood and inlaid marquetry single drawer "Magnolia" desk decorated with inlaid exotic wood marquetry of blooming magnolias with a beautifully carved ...
Category

Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Art Nouveau Period Collection

French Art Nouveau Bergére Arm Chair
Located in New York, NY
French Art Nouveau walnut high back bergere arm chair with brown velvet upholstery
Category

19th Century French Art Nouveau Antique Art Nouveau Period Collection

Materials

Walnut, Upholstery

French Art Nouveau Walnut Dining Table
By Eugène Gaillard
Located in New York, NY
French Art Nouveau walnut 2 section dining table with stretcher. (GAILLARD - page 386, Collectors Encyclopedia of Antiques) (Related Item: ...
Category

Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Art Nouveau Period Collection

Materials

Walnut

Giant French Art Nouveau Mirror
Located in Isle Sur La Sorgue, Vaucluse
Wonderful and enormous wooden frame with three mirrors (one oval flanked by two rectangular), carved with typical Art Nouveau motifs of arabesques and flowers. The two side mirrors a...
Category

20th Century French Art Nouveau Art Nouveau Period Collection

French Art Nouveau Walnut Arm Chair
Located in New York, NY
French Art Nouveau walnut arm chair with carved floral filigree cane panel back and seat
Category

Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Art Nouveau Period Collection

Materials

Walnut, Upholstery

Art Nouveau Console Table from Austria with Bronze, Mahogan and Onyx, circa 1890
Located in Chicago, IL
Exquisite Viennese Art Nouveau oblong Console Table made from solid Mahogany with magnificent Bronze clover details and an exotic appearing Onyx t...
Category

19th Century Austrian Art Nouveau Antique Art Nouveau Period Collection

Materials

Onyx, Bronze

Art Nouveau Walnut Hatrack & Umbrella Stand
Located in New York, NY
French Art Nouveau walnut and maple hatrack with a large center mirror having whiplash carving and 5 gilt bronze firefly coat hooks and lower umbrella stand with 2 brass rails.
Category

Late 19th Century French Art Nouveau Antique Art Nouveau Period Collection

Materials

Brass, Bronze

French Art Nouveau Bergère by, Louis Majorelle
By Louis Majorelle
Located in Englewood, NJ
French Art Nouveau carved wood bergère (armchair) by, Louis Majorelle decorated in an upholstered in a blue velvet upholstery further embellished with nailheads.
Category

20th Century French Art Nouveau Art Nouveau Period Collection

Materials

Velvet, Wood

Feuillatre Art Nouveau Silver and Enamel Vase
By Eugène Feuillatre
Located in New York, NY
A French Art Nouveau silver and enamel vase by Eugène Feuillatre. The vase is decorated with leafed branches holding pink and gold cloisonné flowers ...
Category

Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Art Nouveau Period Collection

Lobmeyr 7 Piece Lobed Rose Shaded to Clear Crystal Cordial Set
By J.L Lobmeyr
Located in Great Barrington, MA
This lovely Art Nouveau period hand blown crystal decanter is part of a complete cordial set. The 6-lobed decanter shades from a clear neck to a deep cranberry base with 6 matching q...
Category

19th Century Austrian Art Nouveau Antique Art Nouveau Period Collection

Materials

Crystal

Stevens & Williams Crystal & Green Biscuit Barrel Sterling Silver Lid & Handle
By Stevens & Williams
Located in Great Barrington, MA
This Art Nouveau handblown crystal biscuit barrel was made by Stevens and Williams with internally decorated apple-green stripes. The top and ri...
Category

Early 20th Century English Art Nouveau Art Nouveau Period Collection

Materials

Crystal

Art Nouveau Painting by Alexander Goltz, "Fruhling"
By Alexander Demetrius Goltz
Located in Bridgewater, CT
Oil on canvas by Austrian artist Alexander Demetrius Goltz (1857-1944) depicting a spring allegory subject, from circa 1900. Titled "Fruhling" or "Girl...
Category

Early 20th Century Austrian Art Nouveau Art Nouveau Period Collection

Materials

Canvas

Émile Gallé "Grenouilles" Fruitwood Cabinet
By Emile Gallé
Located in New York, NY
This French Art Nouveau "Grenouilles" carved fruitwood cabinet by Émile Gallé features detailed and masterful marquetry depicting dragonflies and mushrooms in a lush, leafy landscape...
Category

Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Antique Art Nouveau Period Collection

Materials

Beech, Fruitwood

A French Art Nouveau Carved & Inlaid Marquetry Side Table by, Louis Majorelle
By Louis Majorelle
Located in Englewood, NJ
A French Art Nouveau carved wood and inlaid exotic wood marquetry tri-cornered occasional table by Louis Majorelle, decorated with an inlaid marquetry top with leaf and berry exotic ...
Category

20th Century French Art Nouveau Art Nouveau Period Collection

Materials

Wood

Max Blondat French Art Nouveau Gilt Bronze Vide-Poche
By Max Blondat
Located in New York, NY
A French Art Nouveau gilt bronze vide poche by Max Blondat. Titled "An Embrace". The vide poche features the heads and torsos of a man and a woman, sweeping up from the sides of the dish. Each of the lovers has an arm around the other. Circa 1900. Pictured in: Dynamic Beauty: Sculpture of Art Nouveau Paris, by Macklowe Gallery, The Studley Press, 2011, p. 57. Signed, "MAX-BLONDAT" Founder mark "Siot...
Category

Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Art Nouveau Period Collection

Materials

Bronze

Tiffany Studios New York Glass "Paperweight" Vase
By Tiffany Studios
Located in New York, NY
A Tiffany Studios New York Art Nouveau ‘paperweight’ glass vase. White blossoms with pink millefiori florets sprinkled throughout a green pulled-leaf motif, all featured on a clear b...
Category

Early 1900s American Art Nouveau Antique Art Nouveau Period Collection

Materials

Art Glass

French Art Nouveau Filigree Pedestal
Located in New York, NY
French Art Nouveau stripped floral filigree pedestal with square top.
Category

Late 19th Century French Art Nouveau Antique Art Nouveau Period Collection

Materials

Wood

Louis Majorelle "Caltha des Marais" Two-Tier Table
By Louis Majorelle
Located in New York, NY
This two-tiered "Caltha des Marais," or "Marsh Marigold," table with golden ormolu mounts and beautifully bowed legs was created at the height of Louis Majorelle's most fertile perio...
Category

Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Antique Art Nouveau Period Collection

Materials

Bronze

French Art Nouveau Table Lamp
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This is a very unique lamp. The base is ceramic and has a g Murano glass shade.
Category

Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Art Nouveau Period Collection

Materials

Ceramic, Murano Glass

Pair of Weller Ivory Planters on Stand
Located in Montreal, QC
Pair of Weller Clinton Ivory Art Nouveau Jardinaires, on Stand with Rosebud Design.
Category

Early 20th Century American Art Nouveau Art Nouveau Period Collection

Materials

Pottery

CAC/ Ceramic Art Company Lenox Hand-Painted Vase with Raised Paste Gold Tulips
By Lenox's Ceramic Art Company
Located in Great Barrington, MA
This jewel of a vase is a masterful example of Ceramic Art Company-Lenox, in the Art Nouveau style. Completely hand decorated with two colors of raised pas...
Category

19th Century American Art Nouveau Antique Art Nouveau Period Collection

Materials

Porcelain

Monumental Decorated Vase
By Johann Lötz Witwe
Located in Great Barrington, MA
This is a dramatic and impressive monumental handblown vase made in Austria. It is internally decorated with gold coils on the tall pink mottled trumpet shaped body. Overall subtle i...
Category

Early 20th Century Austrian Art Nouveau Art Nouveau Period Collection

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