Art Movements & Artists: Part 1 Art Nouveau

Apparently we have to choose an art movement and an artist as our reference in the future assignment that we have to submit by the end of our Semester. Before going further, here's a little description on art movement on my own understanding. An art movement is a norm, a style that is followed according to it's own era or phase. In another word - a trend.

It is fairly important as the movement signifies a change - due to culture of different generations. Some may say that change is bad but if the change gives into a good cause, why not? So that's why there's alot of art movements in different eras spread across different continents. These trends or movements happens when artists change their visual communications to express their thoughts and emotions regarding to an issue, and soon to be followed by other artists if they deemed the style is refreshing and acceptable.

The art movement that I am going to refer on will be Art Nouveau (main) and Lowbrow Art (pop surrealism)

ART NOUVEAU

Art Nouveau is a style of art that appeared in Europe during the late 19th century, though it's influence is global and continuous. The artistic style, which takes its name from the French, literally means "new art" and is characterized by the use of organic shapes and dramatic, curving lines that encompass many forms of art including paintings, glassware, furniture, and architecture. Many of its themes are taken from nature, though presented quite abstractly, and includes plants, flowers, and naturally curved lines. Some famous artists for this style include Aubrey Beardsley, Thomas Malory, and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. 

Besides nature, the Art Nouveau style also gleans inspiration from High Victorian, Roccoco, and Japanese art; in addition, this artistic style has affinities with the contemporary Pre-Raphaelite, Symbolism, and Arts and Crafts styles. The 19th century artistic style was succeeded in the 20th century by the emergent Art Deco style, which incorporated more geometrical shapes and had an even more stylized appearance; however, Art Nouveau still holds somewhat of an influence in certain decorative arts, especially jewelry. Art Nouveau had a few revivals throughout the Western world in the early 20th century, notably the artistic style known as Jugendstil in Germany and Scandinavia.

Commonly found in architecture and design, the art nouveau style can be seen in many of the world's cities, and perhaps most famously in the Parisian Metro stations. Art Nouveau also frequently appeared in paintings, illustrations, and advertisements of the 19th century, as well as many furniture pieces. 

In the category of painters, Alphonse Mucha was a Czech painter best remembered for his "new art" poster designs.


Alphonse Mucha is one of my personal favourite artists in this art movement, his work ranges from paintings and photography to posters and sculpture.

Moet & Chandon (1889)

Dance (1898 )

Four Season (1895)

Mucha's works frequently featured beautiful young women in flowing, vaguely Neoclassical-looking robes, often surrounded by lush flowers which sometimes formed halos behind their heads or the beautiful arched frames to focus on the main subject in the painting. In contrast with contemporary poster makers he used pale pastel colors. Mucha's work was a important influence on art and was a proieer for the beginning of the Art Nouveau movement.

Evening

Evening is among Mucha's works which depicts nature in human form. Sticking with Nouveau's style which consist human, animals and plats as the main subject, Mucha plays with the use of colour to explain the mood of Evening - a temperamental woman, which can be compare to the beauty of a flower. 


The flower in the frame could be Buttercup which can lead the meaning of sensitive - calming which is perhaps what is perceived in Mucha's understanding - what he thinks of how Evening would be if it is in a human form.

elements of design:

• Space: 
• There are two to three space dimensions - foreground, middleground and background.

• Lines: 
• Soft refine lines on organic form. Thick strong lines for geometry forms. Most of the lines are curved and wavy. This is to preserve the beauty and be in sync with femininity.
• Shape: 
• organic forms (woman, flora backgrounds) and geometry forms (the arch frames around the subject)
• Texture: 
• The texture are mainly visual texture / implied as the artworks are smooth / watercolour.
• Colours:
•  The colours used are soft pastel.
• The colours of the nature (grass and frame) is monochromatic
• The contrast colour in the background compliments the green
• Value: 
• The colour of the grass and background has very mild contrast - both of them do not rival each other  but just enough to make the main subject pops out from the middleground.
• Alignment: subject matter is in the middle as the main focus of the artwork

principle of design:

1. Hierachy
1. Starts from the subject- the woman in the picture and flows to the background before the frame/
2. Balance: -
1. Vertical.
2. balance in colours - the warmth contrast of red and the mild blue to the pale colour of the dress.
3. Unity - there is a flow of eye movement.
1. repetition - in the frame to give a strong base. - to make it look structured and strong.
4. scale / proportion: 
1. The proportion is a human scale and the scale are the same how a human would to the tree in the real world. 
5. proximity
1. presents as the surrounding colours and the two tree barks behind the women gives a nature feel to it- creates a forest setting.
6. Harmony:
1.  there is harmony with the colour green in different tones - monochrome 
2. Harmony with the contrast created- giving balance.

Lowbrow Art (part 2)