Art Nouveau
(c. 1890-1910)
Other terms used for this style/period include Jugendstil (in Germany), Sezessionstil (Austria), Stile Floreale or Stile Liberty (Italy) or Modernismo (Spain).
Building Types:
Public buildings
Houses
Churches
Commercial buildings
Features/elements/characteristics:
Nature-inspired details
Designs with leaves and vines
Curving lines
Asymmetrical patterns
An organic, often elegant appearance
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| Hotel Tassel. Photo by Karl Stas. CC BY-SA 3.0. Resized. |
Hotel Tassel. 1892-93.
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| Hotel Tassel Stairway. Photo by Henry Townsend. Public Domain. Resized. |
Located in Brussels, Belgium, this house was designed by Victor Horta, one of the earliest Art Nouveau architects. This building is often discussed by art historians as the first Art Nouveau house.
In this video, between 9:23 and 14:33, Prof. Lynne Porter talks about Hotel Tassel.
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| Horta Museum. Photo by Paul Louis. CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized and reformatted. |
Maison & Atelier Horta. 1898-1901.
This house and studio were designed by and lived in by Victor Horta in Brussels.
Watch this video on Horta's house and studio.
To see more images visit the UNESCO World Heritage site.
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| Secession Building, 2016. Photo by Thomas Ledl. CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized. |
The Secession Building. 1897-98.
Located in Vienna, Austria, the building was designed by Joseph Maria Olbrich for a group of artists called the Vienna Secession. These artists included the architects Olbrich, Joseph Hoffmann, and Otto Wagner; artists Gustav Klimt, Max Kurzweil, and Wilhelm Bernatzik; and designer Koloman Moser.
The group's motto is placed above the entrance: "To every age its art, to every art its freedom."
The building was emptied during World War II. It was restored when interest in the Austrian Secession was renewed in the 1970s.
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| Carson, Pirie, Scott & Company Building. Photo by Christopher Goedert. 2016. |
Carson, Pirie, Scott & Company Building. 1899, 1902-03.
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Located in Chicago, Illinois, this building was designed by Louis Sullivan.
Watch this video on the Carson, Pirie, Scott, & Company Building.
For more on Louis Sullivan, watch this video.
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| Familia Sagrada. Photo by C messier. CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized. |
Familia Sagrada or Basilica de la Familia Sagrada. 1882-.
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| Familia Sagrada Columns. Photo by Robertgombos. CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized. |
Located in Barcelona, Spain, this Catholic Church was begun in 1882. When the first architect resigned in 1883, Antoni Gaudi took over its design and construction. As of 2020, the building has not been officially completed, although it was consecrated by the Pope in 2010.
Watch this video which shows several views of the interior and exterior.
What earlier styles of architecture seem to have influenced Gaudi? What features make Gaudi's design unique compared to other buildings we have studied?
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| Casa Batllo. Photo by ChristianSchd. CC BY-SA 3.0. Resized. |
Casa Batllo. 1904-06.
Located in Barcelona, Spain, this house was designed by Antoni Gaudi.
Watch this video on the restoration of the facade of the house.
