Galeries Lafayette: Celebrating 130 years in an art nouveau splendor

The Art Nouveau dome of the iconic Parisian galleries transforms into the stage for an exclusive gastronomic celebration. Galeries Lafayette is poised to mark its 130th anniversary with an array of events and experiences as distinguished as the building itself. Among the most anticipated surprises is the breathtaking installation of a suspended dining table beneath…

guimard, paris, art nouveau

Exposition “Hector Guimard, architectures parisiennes” in Paris from 20 Sept to 20 Dec.

This year, Paris pays tribute to architect Hector Guimard (1867-1942), a leading figure of Art Nouveau in France. In collaboration with the Cercle Guimard, the Archives de Paris are hosting an exhibition featuring original documents from their collections, including architectural plans, photographs, and more. The exhibition showcases Guimard’s Parisian career through a selection of buildings…

Grand Hotel Europa Prague W

Re-discovering Prague: A deep dive into art nouveau

Prague is often seen as a global hub for Art Nouveau, though it’s common for people to confuse it with the Secessionist style at first glance. A key way to distinguish Prague’s Art Nouveau architecture is by spotting the organic decorative elements that adorn the exteriors. You’ll often find motifs inspired by nature—trees, flowers, vines,…

The origins of art nouveau and Belgium’s colonial past: A complex intersection

The rise of Art Nouveau in Belgium is inextricable from the concurrent exploitation of Congo, its people and its rich natural resources. Architecture is always rooted in a political, social, and economic context and visitors should know that most Brussels’ most famous Art Nouveau structures were commissioned by individuals whose wealth was built on exploiting…

Sara Bernhardt - Paris

Sarah Bernhardt, the great star of the French posters

Young and stunning, with perfectly sculpted eyebrows and a head of rich brunette curls, French actress Sarah Bernhardt first captured the hearts of Paris’s theatre-going elite in the 1870s. It wasn’t long before the rest of the world took notice. Critics, reaching for poetic metaphors, likened her voice to pure gold, a nightingale, silver dawn,…

art nouveau or art deco

Can you distinguish Art Nouveau and Art Deco? (test your skills)

Art Nouveau is based on the agile, the fluid, on the movement provided by curves and asymmetry. Art Deco seems obsessed with geometric shapes, with straight lines and angles, with mass and symmetry as constant values. But there is more than that. Although they are two styles with very different characteristics, often are confused. Both Art…

beautiful mucha painting

“Alphonse Mucha: Master of Art Nouveau”at Cedar Rapids Museum until Sept 1st

The exhibition “Alphonse Mucha: Master of Art Nouveau”, featuring pieces from the esteemed Dhawan Collection in Los Angeles, will grace the Petrik Gallery until September 1st. This event mirrors the significance of the previous Mucha exhibition, which attracted visitors from across the country to the museum’s relocated site following the 2008 flood. The exhibit at the…

Long-Lost Klimt Portrait Surfaces and Fetches £26 Million at Auction

Gustav Klimt’s “Portrait of Fräulein Lieser,” thought lost for nearly a century, recently emerged and fetched £26m at auction in Vienna. Held by im Kinsky auction house, the bidding commenced at £23m, ultimately settling within the anticipated range of £25m-£42m. The buyer’s identity remains undisclosed. The auction house hailed the rediscovery as a sensation, emphasizing…