Blog 4:

Jugendstil and Art Nouveau 

The beginning of the new art movement which was spread throughout Europe had a reformed style which was rooted from the English Art Nouveau and the Japanese prints along with abstract art out of the Viennese work. This Movement is the Jugendstil which means young style in German, Art Nouveau in French, Modern style in English, Liberty in Italian and Modernismo in Spanish. All of these countries where somewhat influenced and made use of the Jugendstil style. The name Jugendstil was derived from a magazine which was published in Munich which means: 'Die Jugend' - Youth. This magazine featured Art Nouveau designs.

Some of the characteristics of Art Nouveau are made through connections between art and life. This means having the ability of making the everyday life interesting by the arts and crafts. Normally organic forms are used and  most of the time are dominating forms which makes it more interesting for the viewer and should inspire the artist's imaginative creations. The beautiful thing about this style, Art Nouveau, is that every work of art is an intense relationship between the viewer and his current life and situations. 

Applying the artists design to the everyday objects found around us and make it available to the client is the most important aspect of Art Nouveau. 

Some architects from Art Nouveau times are the two famous Victor Horta and Hector Guimard. These two architects where derived from the art nouveau movement and made use of this style fro several years, which was shown in their work. 

Victor Horta begain designing in the 19th Century and his very famous Hotel Tassel was the most iconic architectural reference for the Art Nouveau style. In fact this was the first Art Nouveau architecture from the decorative arts. Thus hotel made use of iron material for two parts of the building process. For the construction of the hotel and for the decoration on the inside of the same hotel. The beginning of 'open floored' plan layouts emerged and Horta made use of it in the Hotel Tassel.

Interior of the Hotel Tassel

Hotel Tassel Stairs

Hotel Tassel Door

This Hotel which is situated in Brussels, makes use of Botanical forms, which means it incorporated iron and curvilinear forms. Along with Art Nouveau style, this architectural piece has its origins from Gothic Architecture and Rococo Style. Both style are incorporated in this iconic Hotel and all styles compliment each other. 

Glass, wood and iron are the main materials used in this hotel which seamlessly flows through the whole plan, along with wall decorations and floor mosaics. 

Floor mosaic of  the Hotel Tassel

Hector Guimard was very much influenced by Viollet-le-Duc, John Ruskin and William Morris and the English arts and craft movement. His works where known for the use of modern constructive techniques which made use of innovative materials at that time and made iconic architecture, just like Horta. Materials used where iron, steel, glass and prefabricated elements which where made in factories and then build on site. 

Guimard unique Castel Beranger had an impeccable interior design and decoration. His approaches on architecture where quite familiar to Horta's style but with more energy and 'life' to his ornamentation. This was build in 1895 and completed in 1898 and was a symbol for the Art Nouveau in Paris. The façade of this castle is made out of millstones (metal and stones) and bricks which are all light coloured. The railings are done in metal and crafted with sea horses in wrought which are seen climbing up the building façade. 

Normally metals and bricks where considered as cheap material and since this was a free hand commission which was given to the architect he chose to use cheap material to this building. Having cut stones for shells and prefabricated materials for the balcony railings.

Front door for the Castel Bergander

Catel Bergander Stairs

Interior of the Castel Beranger

Hand Crafted sea horses made of iron climbing up the building 

Reference:

Unjourdeplusaparis.com. (2016). Le Castel Béranger : the first Art Nouveau building in Paris | Un Jour de plus à Paris. [online] Available at: http://www.unjourdeplusaparis.com/en/paris-insolite/le-castel-beranger-art-nouveau-paris [Accessed 11 May 2016].

Visual-arts-cork.com. (2016). Hector Guimard: Biography of French Architect. [online] Available at: http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/architecture/hector-guimard.htm [Accessed 11 May 2016].

Art-nouveau-around-the-world.org. (2016). Hector Guimard (1867-1942). [online] Available at: http://www.art-nouveau-around-the-world.org/en/artistes/guimard.htm [Accessed 11 May 2016].

Visual-arts-cork.com. (2016). Victor Horta: Biography of Belgian Architect. [online] Available at: http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/architecture/victor-horta.htm [Accessed 11 May 2016].

Centre, U. (2013). Major Town Houses of the Architect Victor Horta (Brussels) - UNESCO World Heritage Centre. [online] Whc.unesco.org. Available at: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1005 [Accessed 11 May 2016].

Encyclopedia Britannica. (2015). Jugendstil | artistic style. [online] Available at: http://www.britannica.com/art/Jugendstil [Accessed 11 May 2016].