| The French and the Belgians called it Art Nouveau or | | | | that he was so prolific and left a lasting legacy for all |
| the New Art. This period of integrated art may have | | | | to enjoy and draw inspiration from.Antoni Gaudi of |
| been short lasting a mere 24 years from 1890 to | | | | Spain had a limitless imagination and his buildings are a |
| 1914, however, the influence of that time has | | | | true testament to his creative energy and individual |
| continued to this day. The artists who were in vogue | | | | style. At first his undulating walls and fantastical |
| then are just as much in demand now: Alphonse | | | | creations were not well received as they were too |
| Mucha; Gustav Klimt; & Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec to | | | | unorthodox. Today, however, he is considered a |
| name just a few. They were considered ahead of | | | | genius and the irregular lines and one-of-a-kind |
| their time then and their art was regarded as exciting | | | | architecture have been embraced. Thousands annually |
| and new.The Paris World's Fair held in 1900 really was | | | | visit Barcelona for the sole purpose of seeing Gaudi's |
| the defining moment for this particular art form as | | | | Familia Sagrada, Casa Mila & Park Guere.Architectural |
| over 50 million people attended. Upon visiting Siegfried | | | | ToursToday, theme tours are very popular and many |
| Bing's pavilion, their interest and enthusiasm spread. | | | | of the great cities of Europe have specialty tours |
| As art dealer and entrepreneur he had opened a | | | | with an emphasis placed on Art Nouveau style and |
| gallery in Paris in 1895 and called it L'Art Nouveau | | | | architecture. Regarded by the locals as national |
| which gave the movement its name. His pavilion was | | | | treasures which they are only too proud to share |
| filled with every example of Art Design: wallpaper; | | | | and show off, Brussels, Prague and Riga in Latvia all |
| fabrics; furniture; jewelry; glassware; and metalwork. | | | | have excellent examples of Art Nouveau design. And, |
| Art Nouveau style could be identified by the flowing | | | | as if you needed an excuse to visit these varied and |
| and curving lines which were apparent in everyday | | | | interesting places, in the case of these cities it is like |
| household items as well as architecture and furniture. | | | | going to an open air museum. Of course, there are |
| Even women's fashions were created to reflect the | | | | many other locations across Europe which, if you had |
| new look.Charles Rennie Macintosh as architect and | | | | the time, you would not want to miss; Paris, Vienna, |
| furniture designer made furniture for specific spaces | | | | and Turin could easily whet your appetite. This wave |
| in the homes that he also designed. His architecture | | | | of creativity made its way around the world with |
| was so unique that equally unique furniture was | | | | Europe at the center.Below is a listing of just some |
| required to fill the spaces. The traditional furniture | | | | of the artists and architects of the Art Nouveau |
| available at the time would have appeared out of | | | | period with the cities where they lived or had |
| place in his homes. When Charles and his close friend, | | | | commissions shown opposite. These are the places |
| Herbie McNair met Margaret Macdonald and her sister, | | | | one must go in order to really appreciate their genius: |
| Frances, a very unusual, romantic and artistic liaison | | | | Charles Rennie Macintosh/Glasgow & Helensburgh |
| developed. All had studied art and would collaborate | | | | Scotland |
| together on many projects. Together they formed a | | | | Frank Lloyd Wright/New York, Pennsylvania, |
| powerful alliance and were known as the Glasgow | | | | Wisconsin, USA |
| Four with far reaching effect. In 1896 they were | | | | Antoni Gaudi/ Barcelona, Spain |
| invited to exhibit at the London Arts and Crafts | | | | Victor Horta/Brussels, Belgium |
| Society Exhibition. Herbie and Frances married in 1899 | | | | Hector Guimard/Paris, France |
| and moved to Liverpool. In 1900 Charles and | | | | Henry van de Velde/Netherlands, Germany |
| Margaret were married and in the same year | | | | Otto Wagner/Vienna, Austria |
| Macintosh's architectural masterpiece, The Glasgow | | | | J. M. Olbrich/Vienna, Austria |
| School of Art, was begun.The great Frank Lloyd | | | | C. Harrison Townsend/London, England |
| Wright is a wonderful example of someone who was | | | | Peter Behrens/Darmstadt, Germany |
| influenced by the Art Nouveau and Arts & Crafts | | | | Gustav Klimt/Vienna, Austria |
| movements. He designed not only the buildings but | | | | Alphonse Mucha/Prague, Former Czech Republic |
| also the furniture, stained glass windows and lamps | | | | Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec/Paris, France |
| which were an integral part of the overall design. His | | | | If you love the style of Art Nouveau, consider |
| commercial success not to mention his commercial | | | | surrounding yourself with it everyday. We offer a |
| designs for everything from a gas station, places of | | | | fine line of ceramic tile designed with the art lover in |
| worship and the Johnson Wax building to the | | | | mind. Our decorative tiles incorporate many of the |
| Guggenheim Museum sealed his fate as America's | | | | best loved artistic styles. Surefiretile. |
| favorite architect and icon of style! It is lucky for us | | | | |