Art Nouveau and Art Deco: Key Features & Legacy

The early 20th century witnessed the rise of two revolutionary design movements: Art Nouveau (“New Art”) (1890–1910) and Art Deco (1920s–1940s).

Art Nouveau: Organic Elegance

The beginning of Art Nouveau was a reaction against the rigid academic styles and industrialization of the Victorian era. Inspired by natural forms, Japanese woodblock prints, and the British Arts and Crafts Movement, it sought to harmonize art with everyday life. The style flourished across Europe, known as Jugendstil in Germany, Modernisme in Spain, and Stile Liberty in Italy. Art Nouveau embraced nature’s fluidity, characterized by sinuous lines, asymmetrical curves, and motifs inspired by flora and fauna. Think whiplash tendrils, stained glass, and ethereal female figures. The movement favored handcrafted artistry, reacting against industrialization’s mechanization.

Iconic examples of Art Nouveau include:

Alphonse Mucha’s decorative posters (e.g., The Seasons series, 1896; Stained Glass);

The Seasons (series), 1896, Alphonse Mucha

Stained Glass, Alphonse Mucha,

Gustav Klimt’s work (e.g. The Kiss, 1908, his most important work and a masterpiece of the Art Nouveau movement).

The Kiss, 1908, by Gustav Klimt

Antoni Gaudí’s Casa Batlló (1904–1906) in Barcelona represents Art Nouveau at its best.

On the roof of Casa Batlló (1904–1906)

Art Deco: Machine-Age Glamour

Born in the aftermath of World War I, Art Deco symbolized modernity, luxury, and technological progress. It took its name from the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris. Unlike Art Nouveau’s organic forms, Art Deco embraced modernity with geometric shapes, bold colors, streamlined forms, and machine-age aesthetics. Inspired by Cubism, ancient Egypt (post-Tutankhamun discovery), and industrial progress, it celebrated luxury through materials like chrome, lacquer, and marble.

Iconic examples of Art Deco include:

Tamara de Lempicka’s paintings, such as Auto-Portrait (1925), capturing Jazz Age opulence with sharp angles and metallic tones; Young Woman in Green (1927–30). Centre Pompidou, Paris,

Auto-Portrait (1925), by Tamara de Lempicka

Young Woman in Green (1927–30), by Tamara de Lempicka

Georges Lepape’s illustration for the cover of American Vogue in 1929.

The cover of American Vogue in 1929, by Georges Lepape.

William Van Alen’s Chrysler Building (1930) in New York, is celebrated by its spire adorned with sunburst motifs and steel eagles.

Chrysler Building (1930) in New York, by William Van Alen

The Legacy of Art Nouveau and Art Deco

Art Nouveau’s intricate craftsmanship became too costly for mass production. By 1910, its popularity waned with the rise of modernist minimalism and the devastation of World War I. Similarly, by the 1940s, Art Deco’s lavishness gave way to the austerity of Modernism as the Great Depression of the 1930s and World War II shifted priorities toward functionality over opulence. However, Art Nouveau laid the groundwork for modern design by rejecting historical revivalism. Its organic forms later inspired 1960s psychedelia and eco-design. In addition, Art Deco became synonymous with Jazz Age glamour and influenced postwar architecture, fashion, and Pop Art. Both movements endure as symbols of their eras—Nouveau as a romantic rebellion, Deco as a celebration of progress.