The 40 different names of Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau is a popular term for the variously named but closely related styles that had a pervasive impact on architecture, painting, and sculpture as well as applied design of every kind, from jewelry and typography to furniture and infrastructure. It burst onto the European scene around 1880, but soon it could be found everywhiere with its distinctive undulating lines, swirling excesses, and propulsive forms.
Compared to Art Deco, which only has one name, Art Nouveau makes it more complex. Test your skills in finding the differences between Art Deco and Art Nouveau by clicking here.
Since Art Nouveau became popular in various countries in Europe, the movement gained different regional and sometimes even local names. The most popular names are Art Nouveau, Jugendstil, Secession, Modernisme and Modernisme, but more name exist all over the world.
- Austria: Secessionstil, Sezessionstil, Secession, Sezession or Viennese Secession
- Belgium: Art Nouveau
- Catalonia: Modernisme
- Czech Republic and Hungary: Secession or Secese
- Denmark: Skønvirke, Jugend or Jugendstil
- England: Tiffany Style, Style Liberty, Liberty Style or Modern Style
- Finland: Kansallisromantiikka, Romantic Nationalism or Jugend
- France: Art Nouveau, Style Métro or Style Guirnard
- Germany: Jugendstil, Secession, Viennese Secession, Wellenstil, Lilienstil or Reformstil
- Hungary: Hungarian Szecesszió
- Italy: Stile Floreale or Liberty
- Latvia: Jugendstil
- Lithuania: Moderas
- Netherlands: Paling Stijl, Slaoliestijl, Amsterdam School style or Niewe Kunst
- Norway: Jugendstil or Skønvirke
- Poland: Secesja, Young Poland or Nova Polska
- Portugal: Arte Nova
- Russia: Stil Modern, Russian Модерн or Modern Style
- Scotland: Glasgow Style
- Serbia: Secession
- Slovakia: Secesia
- Slovenia:Secessionist style
- Spain and South America: Modernismo
- Sweden: Nationalromantik or Swedish Art Nouveau
- Ukraine: Art Nouveau
- US: Tiffany Style
Some people call other names like arte nouveau, art nouvea or others, but these are only spelling mistakes 😉
These names identify similar styles that emerged in many countries at about the same time, mainly in Europe. You can also find Art Nouveau in the following countries:
- Algeria
- Argentina
- Armenia
- Australia
- Azerbaijan
- Belarus
- Brazil
- Chile
- China
- Costa Rica
- Croatia
- Cuba
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- Estonia
- Finland
- Georgia
- Iceland
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Mexico
- Moldova
- Morocco
- Namibia
- Peru
- Romania
- South Korea
- Switzerland
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Uruguay
The 40 names of Art Nouveau: Amsterdam School style, Art Nouveau, Arte Nova Glasgow, Style Hungarian, Szecesszió, Jugend, Jugendstil, Kansallisromantiikka, Liberty Style, Lilienstil, Moderas, Modern Style, Modernisme, Modernismo, Nationalromantik, Niewe Kunst, Nova Polska, Paling Stijl, Reformstil, Romantic Nationalism, Russian Модерн, Secese, Secesia, Secesja, Secession, Secessionist style, Secessionstil, Sezession, Skønvirke, Slaoliestijl, Stil Modern, Stile Floreale, Style Guirnard, Style Liberty, Style Métro, Tiffany Style, Viennese Secession Wellenstil and Young Poland. Probably there are more names than those, if you have other namings please share with us so we can add to this list.
Victor Horta designed palaces for nouveau riche Belgian oligarchs. Its extraordinary applicability, from high art to utilitarian design was one of its innovative characteristics. This novel aesthetic caught on so completely because it presented modernism garbed in the raiment of pure pleasure, not the hair shirt of social obligation or moral uplift. It was also more than a bit vulgar and on occasion blatantly sexy, qualities that have never dampened mass appeal.
Plenty of names for an Art style that changed the world at the turn of the 19th into the 20th Centuries. Be inspired by the pre-war Art Nouveau Heritage by clicking HERE.