Art Nouveau

Emerging at the turn of the twentieth century, Art Nouveau sought to erase the boundaries between art and everyday life, bringing beauty, craftsmanship, and inspiration from the natural world into everything from grand public buildings to household objects. This accessible survey opens with an introduction to the movement’s origins, defining ideas, and lasting influence. It then presents nearly fifty masterworks in generous reproductions accompanied by illuminating commentary. Readers encounter many of the movement’s most celebrated figures, including Antoni Gaudí, Alphonse Mucha, Gustav Klimt, Louis Comfort Tiffany, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Hector Guimard, René Lalique, and Émile Gallé, while discovering the extraordinary range of their achievements. From The Kiss and Sagrada Familia to Tiffany’s luminous glass, Guimard’s Paris Métro entrance, and Lalique’s exquisite jewelry, these iconic works demonstrate how a distinctive visual language transformed architecture, painting, illustration, furniture, fashion, lighting, and the decorative arts. Beautifully produced in a portable format that’s easy to enjoy at home, on the go, or in the gallery, this affordable volume delivers an outstanding introduction to one of the most influential movements in the history of art.