Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau was a new style in art, design and architecture that flourished in Europe and North America (1890-1910) with aims to escape from the historical styles of the 19th century. With evolvement of technology, Art Nouveau designers aspired that all arts should work harmoniously to become a universal artwork (Gesamtkunstwerk) in order to culminate the supreme work of art. Floral and curvilinear patterns are mainly used in Art Nouveau that features aesthetic lines, feminine figures, curly hair, curves, waves and so on. In addition, geometric and rectilinear lines were employed especially in the form of architecture. This movement can be seen as a response to the Industrial Revolution as many artists welcomed developments of technology and used machine-made materials such as cast iron for their artworks. However, it is hard to accept that Art Nouveau was the “positive” reaction towards the Industrial Revolution because many artists in Art Nouveau also believed that mass production of machine-made artifacts is invaluable and degrading the standards of craftsmanship and design. On the other hand, there are some artists who were able to produce remarkable artworks by using technology.