Art Nouveau Design - Essay Example

There have been different technical interpretations of Art Nouveau which include the use of very costly materials and cherished high technique while others utilized low-cost materials and mass reproduced.

            My design was a woman playing the guitar with a peace sign in the background. It belongs to the period of Art Nouveau because it was a symbol of beautifying an object and an activity which are part of the everyday life of the people. It was a deviation from the idea of neoclassical forms. My design was composed of flowing lines and flowers which does not stick to the preciseness of geometry, the main rule during the neoclassical period.

            During the late nineteenth century, the period was characterized by symbolism as a response to realism and positivism. Art Nouveau which started during the early twentieth century can be considered a continuation of this reaction to realism but part of a larger argument between materialism and idealism (Willette, “Defining Art Nouveau”). The purpose of Art Nouveau was not to simply describe nature but also to suggest and express sensual impressions (Willette, “Defining Art Nouveau”). The era suggests a different approach to how we see and understand the world. According to Willete, this means seeing the world as subjective, mental, personal, and emotional (2010). Art Nouveau drew questions on values as it explored issues of personal and sexual freedom, women's rights, youth revolution, mythology, psychology, mass-manufactured art, narcotics, and religion (“Sense and Sensuality” 2014).

            The design I have depicts the women’s call for peace. During the Art Nouveau period, women were viewed as irresistibly sexual, disreputable, ethically compromised, and even extremely threatening (Hoffman, “Quick History”). Thus, my design wanted to convey how women were struggling to gain peace and not just solely an image of “sex.” Art Nouveau promulgates the idea of art and design as part of daily life. During the period when Art Nouveau was developed, women were seen as dangerously independent, sexual, and scandalous (Hoffman, “Quick History”). One of the most popular works of Alphonse Mucha is the color lithograph known as ”Job” which was used for Job cigarette papers. This shows how women were objects for sex such that the woman in the ad was pictured in a state of voluptuous pleasure (Hoffman, “Quick History”). In contrast, I designed my art as a simple representation of the other women who were struggling to break free from this impression. Although many of them were involved in these scandalous acts, some women wished to be given the peace and respect they longed to have. This is the purpose of my design.