Art Nouveau Period Collection
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.
Late 19th Century French Art Nouveau Antique Art Nouveau Period Collection
Marble
Early 20th Century American Art Nouveau Art Nouveau Period Collection
Iron
20th Century Dutch Art Nouveau Period Collection
Lacquer, Mother-of-Pearl
Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Period Collection
Bronze
20th Century English Art Nouveau Period Collection
Early 20th Century American Art Nouveau Art Nouveau Period Collection
Pottery
1950s Chinese Chinese Export Vintage Art Nouveau Period Collection
Porcelain, Wood
Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Antique Art Nouveau Period Collection
Ceramic
20th Century European Greco Roman Art Nouveau Period Collection
Concrete
19th Century Italian Antique Art Nouveau Period Collection
Statuary Marble
1960s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Art Nouveau Period Collection
Concrete
1930s Asian Vintage Art Nouveau Period Collection
Hardwood
Mid-20th Century Swiss Mid-Century Modern Art Nouveau Period Collection
Concrete
19th Century French Classical Greek Antique Art Nouveau Period Collection
Iron, Metal
1980s North American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Art Nouveau Period Collection
Iron, Stainless Steel
Late 19th Century English Antique Art Nouveau Period Collection
Porcelain
Early 20th Century British Art Nouveau Period Collection
Pine
Late 20th Century Neoclassical Art Nouveau Period Collection
Iron
Read More
This Lavish 18th-Century Chimneypiece Comes from a Historic Scottish Estate
The exceptionally crafted mantel was saved despite the home’s regrettable demise.
A Pair of Monumental Stone Tigers Protect and Guide Wandering Souls
The Qing dynasty beasts honored the dead and warned off malicious spirits.
Andrés Monnier’s Stone Tub Makes Bathing a Rite of Renewal
The dramatic piece transforms a daily scrub into an act of communion with the elements.
Meet the Siblings behind the Exquisite Outdoor Furniture of McKinnon and Harris
Anne and Will Massie apply the lessons of the past to create alfresco pieces as timeless as the traditions that inspire them.
35 Wondrous Outdoor Dining Spaces
Eating meals alfresco is one of the great pleasures of warm weather, and a beautifully appointed space only heightens the experience. Get inspired by these delectable dining areas as you think about creating your own outdoor oasis.
In These Chic Homes, Indoors and Outdoors Freely Mingle
Through potted plants, garden furniture, nature-inspired art and architectural apertures, designers are bringing the outside in.
24 Perfect Patios with Fire Pits and Fireplaces
In these stylish spaces, the outdoor season extends year round.
40 Spectacular Spaces Warmed by Fireplaces
As the days grow colder, the desire to gather around the fire grows stronger. Take a peek at these well-appointed rooms featuring extraordinary sculptural and historic fireplaces.