Art Nouveau & Art Déco
Around 1900, two successive styles revolutionized the aesthetics of everyday life — and both had their origin or heyday in France.
Art Nouveau (Jugendstil, ca. 1890–1910)
Art Nouveau sought to merge art and life. Inspired by natural forms — plant tendrils, blossoms, flowing lines, insect wings — the style permeated everything: architecture, furniture, jewelry, glass art, posters, metro entrances.
- Hector Guimard designed the famous Paris Metro entrances (Abbesses, Arts et Métiers) with their cast iron plant forms — they are the most famous Art Nouveau symbol worldwide
- Émile Gallé and Louis Majorelle in Nancy created glass art and furniture of breathtaking beauty. The École de Nancy made the Lorraine city the center of French Art Nouveau
- René Lalique revolutionized jewelry: His dragonfly brooches and orchid necklaces made of gold, enamel, and gemstones are artworks that hang in the world's greatest museums
Art Déco (ca. 1920–1940)
Art Déco was the geometric response to the organic curves of Art Nouveau. Clear lines, symmetrical patterns, luxurious materials (marble, chrome, exotic woods), stylized forms. The name comes from the Exposition internationale des arts décoratifs in Paris 1925.
- The Palais de Chaillot and the Palais de Tokyo in Paris are monumental Art Deco buildings
- The department store La Samaritaine (renovated 2021) combines Art Nouveau and Art Deco under one roof
- Robert Mallet-Stevens created an ensemble of cubist villas with the Rue Mallet-Stevens in the 16th Arrondissement
- The ocean liners Île-de-France and Normandie were floating Art Deco palaces
Today, Art Deco is experiencing a revival: Hotels, bars, and restaurants in Paris enthusiastically embrace the style.
