Nouveau Antique Art Venue

ART NOUVEAU, French for "New Art" (pronounced New-Vo), spread throughout Europe and major American cities from circa 1890 to World War I, when it fell out of fashion. Appearing just before the Art Deco era it was, in many ways, a response to the Industrial Revolution. Artists, seeing machines and mass production as an enemy of art and design, turned to nature, fantasy, and curvilinear motifs to express their rejection of industry. Art Nouveau artists were among the first to create "art for art's sake" and its influence was found in paintings, architecture, glass, textiles, furniture, silver, china, jewelry, and others. Art Nouveau designers believed that all arts should work in harmony to create a "total work of art". After World War I, the Art Deco style took over and Art Nouveau was soon forgotten. However, it remains one of the most imaginative and intriguing styles in the history of art. After many years, it was discovered in the 1960's and helped pave the way to many forms of modern art.