Illustrations © Guinevere von Sneeden
This month we asked our readers: Tell us what attracts you to Art Nouveau … and how it influences you today.
The biggest thing for me is it totally reminds me of my Grannie! She was born in 1900 and lots of her things still had the Art Nouveau style to them when I came along in the ’70s. I love all the natural lines and the way it incorporates so much of nature though everything! —Pamela Scott
This period evokes the divine feminine for me.
—@feelfreewithfood
I think the swirling images attract me most, whether it be women’s hair or ivy. I also like Art Nouveau because I associate the images with fairy tales.
—Kelly Tyler
The Art Nouveau period is my favorite because of the combination of incredible colors, nature, and predominant strong women, regally adorned. And the best examples, such as Mucha’s, have such amazing little design details. So many different designs frame the work. Amazing period.
—Mk Dugan
It honestly feels like the kind of art that a fairy would make. —@bubbly_child
There’s something beautifully feminine and magical about Art Nouveau. It’s all smoky filigree, luscious babes, muted colors. It feels like you’re riding an absinthe wave. —@mossyadventure
I love how during the Art Nouveau period, everyday objects that had practical use, like hair combs or subway fences, were decorated elegantly anyway. This way they gained a second use to inspire the eyes and mind.
—Olga Macska
Moving into summer with Art Nouveau feels perfect, as the intricate linear designs remind me of the flowing curvy petals of summer flowers here in Northern California. I love Art Nouveau also because of the strength of the designs within which a strong feminine factor slips easily in and around the natural forms. There is also a strong positive feng shui energy that surrounds Art Nouveau that I find missing from its lovely sister, Art Deco.
—Linda Thompson-Mills
The intricacy and flow of lines, the patterns, and the color palette of this time period are all very elegant. —@terrifoss
Art Nouveau, thou art my love! It is all about the organic flow of life, and it’s expressed through the organic flowing motifs and imagery that we see in our own world but in an otherworldly manner. The colors are soothing and enticing, which always makes me—and I’m certain, everyone else—smile. —The Glowing Mermaid
Because “I love Art Nouveau” sounds more adulty than “I want all my wall art and furniture to look like it was made in Rivendell.” —Lenore Katz
It was and still is iconoclastic. It was a fleeting moment in art history that changed people’s perceptions of what art could be. Posters, churches, fashion, architecture—it was everywhere. In its day it was seemingly so brave and modern and yet rooted in nature and historical reference. It was and still is beautiful, and that is why it connects with people, then and now. —@mrmaurizio1977
For me, the magic of Art Nouveau style lies in the elegant curves that create graceful movement, as well as the integration of natural elements like leaves, flowers, the moon, and stars. —@moondustandstarlight