Art Nouveau

Scope and Content

Small sketches dating from the late 19th century, wall paper samples and a number of photocopies of designs. 'Art Nouveau' refers generally to the style of painting, architecture, and the decorative and applied arts that flourished in Europe and the United States from about 1890 to 1910. The style is typically characterised by an emphasis on fluid, undulating, or serpentine lines or contours based on organic forms and the use of modern materials such as iron and glass. Some designs have been attached in multiples to one sheet of paper. In such cases, no dominant colour has been recorded.