Description
ART NOUVEAU
Art Nouveau (/ˌɑːrt nuːˈvoʊ, ˌɑːr/; French: [aʁ nuvo]) is an international style of art, architecture, applied art, especially the decorative arts, known in different languages by different names: Jugendstil in German, Stile Liberty in Italian, Modernisme català in Catalan, etc. In English it is also known as the Modern Style. The style was most popular between 1890 and 1910 during the Belle Époque period that ended with the start of World War I in 1914. It was a reaction against the academic art, eclecticism and historicism of 19th century architecture and decoration. It was often inspired by natural forms such as the sinuous curves of plants and flowers. Other characteristics of Art Nouveau were a sense of dynamism and movement, often given by asymmetry or whiplash lines, and the use of modern materials, particularly iron, glass, ceramics and later concrete, to create unusual forms and larger open spaces.
One major objective of Art Nouveau was to break down the traditional distinction between fine arts (especially painting and sculpture) and applied arts. It was most widely used in interior design, graphic arts, furniture, glass art, textiles, ceramics, jewelry and metal work.
The first Art Nouveau houses and interior decoration appeared in Brussels in the 1890s. It moved quickly to Paris, where it was adapted by Hector Guimard, who saw Horta’s work in Brussels and applied the style for the entrances of the new Paris Métro. It reached its peak at the 1900 Paris International Exposition, which introduced the Art Nouveau work of artists such as Louis Tiffany. It appeared in graphic arts in the posters of Alphonse Mucha, and the glassware of René Lalique and Émile Gallé.
From Belgium and France, it spread to the rest of Europe, taking on different names and characteristics in each country (see Naming section below). It often appeared not only in capitals, but also in rapidly growing cities that wanted to establish artistic identities (Turin and Palermo in Italy; Glasgow in Scotland; Munich and Darmstadt in Germany), as well as in centres of independence movements (Helsinki in Finland, then part of the Russian Empire; Barcelona in Catalonia, Spain).
By 1914, and with the beginning of the First World War, Art Nouveau was largely exhausted. In the 1920s, it was replaced as the dominant architectural and decorative art style by Art Deco and then Modernism. The Art Nouveau style began to receive more positive attention from critics in the late 1960s, with a major exhibition of the work of Hector Guimard at the Museum of Modern Art in 1970.
MANDALA ART
What is a Mandala?
The meaning of mandala comes from Sanskrit meaning “circle.” It appears in
the Rig Veda as the name of the sections of the work, but is also used in
many other civilizations, religions and philosophies. Even though it may be
dominated by squares or triangles, a mandala has a concentric structure.
Mandalas offer balancing visual elements, symbolizing unity and harmony. The
meanings of individual mandalas is usually different and unique to each
mandala.
The mandala pattern is used in many traditions. In the Americas, Indians
have created medicine wheels and sand mandalas. The circular Aztec calendar
was both a timekeeping device and a religious expression of ancient Aztecs.
In Asia, the Taoist “yin-yang” symbol represents opposition as well as
interdependence. Tibetan mandalas are often highly intricate illustrations
of religious significance that are used for meditation. From Buddhist stupas
to Muslim mosques and Christian cathedrals, the principle of a structure
built around a center is a common theme in architecture.
In common use, mandala has become a generic term for any diagram, chart or
geometric pattern that represents the cosmos metaphysically or symbolically;
a microcosm of the universe.
Representing the universe itself, a mandala is both the microcosm and the
macrocosm, and we are all part of its intricate design. The mandala is more
than an image seen with our eyes; it is an actual moment in time. It can be
can be used as a vehicle to explore art, science, religion and life itself.
Carl Jung said that a mandala symbolizes “a safe refuge of inner
reconciliation and wholeness.” It is “a synthesis of distinctive elements in
a unified scheme representing the basic nature of existence.”
