 | Art Nouveau By: SarahMarie Bostron
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In the time of art nouveau ideas of modernism were established in the styles of art, architecture, fashion, and lifestyle. The ideas fought for were feminism, free love, trade unionism, and yes of course, socialism. When social changes take place it is inevitable that a dramatic change happens in art, fashion, and lifestyles. The period produced new ideas in lifestyle, industrialism, art and fashion, it created controversy, and it pushed the old styles and traditions to the side. Art became controversial; the ideas of the common man were changing for unity.
Art Nouveau was simply the aesthetic manifestation of a need for something new and different. Art Nouveau lived a short life, but created controversial thoughts of socialism, change, enlightenment, and modernism. Art Nouveau arose out of symbolism Art nouveau symbolized political social and psychological forces through nature, the female form, and feminine lines. Art Nouveau images were found in published posters, political pamphlets, and educational journals. The images simulated socialists, syndicalists and anarchists.
The focus of the Art Nouveau period was to create an international style. Before the turn of the century the ideals were that of tradition. The idea of art nouveau was to become urban, and decorative to the modern age. Theorist, Owen Jones (1809–1874), “advocated nature as the primary source of inspiration for a generation of artists seeking to break away from past styles. The unfolding of Art Nouveau's flowing line may be understood as a metaphor for the freedom and release sought by its practitioners and admirers from the weight of artistic tradition and critical expectations.”[1] At this time of the century culture had a gap, sentimental and sophisticated versus radical and rebellious. The more radical sect was interested in freeing our nation from smug sweet traditionalism.
“The whole life of women, their morals, literature and the art of love, was controlled by fashion. Feminine gestures supplied the subject matter for works of art.” (Maurice Rheims) Women were moving in the direction of suffrage and sexual freedoms. Women in the time belle époque, or femme nouvelle, expressed their freedom from their role in society. These women rejected the conventional ideas of submissive, domestic femininity. Art nouveau depicted the role of women to be that of the "new woman." Some women wanted to be among the working class in the turn of the century it wasn’t acceptable for women to write, work in factories or take any working role that a man would. Some women wore the hats, took off the corset, or wore pants to make a statement. The statement of becoming free in their liberties. Statements in fashion were now statements in our political ideals. Our clothing and our depictions expressed who we were and what we believe.
The period created the urban socialist’s lifestyle ideal. Socialist ideas of the turn of the century were in need of change. The controversy from the period was over freedom, and ideas that contradicted the traditions of our ancestors. Many historical events influenced the product of Art Nouveau. With ideas of freedom and unity, fashion and the apparel industries overtook a drastic change. In the Victorian era, industry had control of fashion monopolies. The workers began adopting communist and socialist ideals; they were tired of people with money pushing them around. The workers were needed to make fashion, to make the factories, ship the goods and pretty much make the world go round, so they went on strike. Propaganda posters influencing the strikers were painted with feminine forms and flowery lines to gain the attention of industrial workers with slogans stating, “workers strike NOW!”
Art Nouveau’s symbolism and inspiration pushed socialist ideals in fashion, literature, architecture, and the workplace into the forefront in the secular mind. Art Nouveau was the forerunner of Art Deco, which continued the ideals of Art Nouveau and built upon the foundation, which Art Nouveau had established in art, architecture, literature, socialism, and freedom.
“This Fabulous Century 1910-1920.” Time Life Books. Canada 1969
Stephen Schwartz Brotherhood of the Sea: A History of the Sailors' Union of the Pacific. Transaction Publishers. 1986
Gontar, Cybele. "Art Nouveau". In Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/artn/hd_artn.htm
“Globe Brand I.W.W. Enemy to Nation.” The Bisbee Daily Review. July 7, 1917
“Industrial Workers of the World.” I.W.W.org
Greenhalgh, Paul. The New Style for a New Age. www.nga.gov. National galley of Art. 2008.
< http:// www.nga.gov/feature/nouveau/exhibit_intro.shtm>
Rheims, Maurice. “The Flowering of Art Nouveau.” Harry N. Abrams Publishers. New York
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