Lalique: Social and Cultural Influences

Question 1

Arts and Crafts Movement

Answer 1

Art Nouveau can be traced back to the Arts and Crafts Movement in England during the second half of the 19th century. Arts and Crafts were seen as a response to growing industrialisation in Europe and the rise of factory mass production at the perceived expense of traditional craftsmanship. As with the Arts and Crafts Movement, it was held in the Art Nouveau period that aesthetic values should be combined with high standards of craftsmanship, and that works of art should be both beautiful and functional. The boundaries between fine art and the applied arts became blurred in the fields of furniture design, silverware and architecture, paintings, graphic art, jewellery, fashion and glassware.

Question 2

Japonism

Answer 2

In the second half of the 19th century, Japan exerted a major influence on European art and culture. After Japanese ports had resumed trade with the West in 1853, an unprecedented volume and variety of Japanese goods arrived from the East. These included porcelain, silks, fans, kimonos and woodblock prints. Enamelling was a technique imported from Japan and was used extensively by Art Nouveau designers. Unlike costly and rare gemstones; enamel can be manufactured using a type of glass made from sand or flint, soda or potash and red lead. Metallic oxides are added, or the proportions of all the ingredients are changed to produce different colours.

Question 3

The Natural World

Answer 3

A central inspiration in Art Nouveau was the natural world and manifested in diverse ways. Perhaps prompted by mass urban migration, Art Nouveau designers using stylised floral and organic forms to bring nature back to modern life. Crustaceans and dragonflies, orchids and irises, poppies and tulips: many flora and fauna appeared on Art Nouveau glassware, ceramics, interiors and in book illustrations.

Question 4

The Female Form

Answer 4

Women’s roles and status in society developed significantly during the late 19th century. Women became more independent and a growing number of metropolitan middle-class women enjoyed a disposable income. During the same period, Art Nouveau artist and designers depicted women in highly idealised, feminine and seductive forms. Slender, attractive - and often naked- women with flowing hair featured heavily in Art Nouveau jewellery, paintings and printed works.