Art Nouveau Research Paper

Hard Wood Floors—Art Nouveau—Force: Artistic

Elaboration of Key Force:

From 1880-1910 a new movement was introduced that sought to make a break from traditional styles. Art Nouveau burst on the scene with exaggerated—whiplash—curves, sinuous lines, and organic forms. Proponents argued that nature should be the model if they were to successfully create a completely original style. Artists such as Aubrey Beardsley and Alphonse Mucha drew inspiration from the botanical and deep sea illustrations found in Ernst Heinrich Haeckel’s Kunstformen der Natur. Beardsley sums up the movement when he discusses his work. “I try to get as much as possible out of a single curve, or a straight line.” (Lawrence, 1897) Japanese art also influenced art nouveau

Steam-powered machinery meant that products would be made quickly, uniformly, and inevitably lead to lower prices for the consumer. Improvements were also seen in the home. Central Heating became used more often in homes as an added comfort and cooking stoves replace hearth cooking in the kitchen (Bielanko, 2012). The electric light bulb was invented by Thomas Edison in 1879, started to make a more common appearance in homes as well. Tongue and groove construction for wood flooring also becomes popular as it redefines how flooring is produced (Wahlgren,

Tired of the strictness and rigidness of the Victorian era, great minds of the day longed for the freedom of expression and release. The design reform that took hold of England produced two movements; the arts and crafts and the aesthetic movement. These ideas would percolate until just before the 20th century when Art Nouveau would be in full swing. Names such as Charles Keeler would advocate simplicity and honesty of materials. “Art for art’s sake” was also a popular idea being circulated. These ideas propelled the Art Nouveau movement and dramatically shifted the world’s view on art, design, and daily living (Gontar, 2008).

How Design Response Relates to Force:

In concordance with the inspiration of nature, wood floors were left in the open as a celebration of its material. They were not covered up as the Victorian style previously did, but rather showcased. Charles Keeler expounded on this idea in his book The Simple Home. “Wood is a good material if left in the natural finish, but is generally spoiled with the use of paint or varnish.” Wood types common to the time were oak, ash wood, and pine. They were left relatively untreated so that their natural beauty could shine through. Though because of the expense they were kept to the most social rooms of the