Art Nouveau More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Art Nouveau — generally considered to have begun in the late 1800s and ended with the start of World War I — was a movement in the decorative arts that drew inspiration from natural forms, such as trees, flowers and, of course, the human figure. The three main themes present in Art Nouveau jewelry and watches were flora, fauna and women.
Art Nouveau, which reached its pinnacle in the year 1900, spawned from artists who rejected the historicism of their predecessors to create an entirely new visual vocabulary. As compared to Art Deco jewelry’s geometric patterns and sharp lines, the extravagant style of antique Art Nouveau jewelry is characterized by curvilinear forms and whiplash lines, vibrant materials and dramatic imagery.
The first art and design movement of the 20th century, Art Nouveau was also a reaction against the Industrial Revolution, and took its inspiration from the theories of the Symbolists, the art of the Pre-Raphaelites, the ideas of John Ruskin and his follower William Morris and, most importantly Japanese crafts. (The country was a fertile ground for inspiration after it was opened to the West in 1854.) The Art Nouveau style touched all manners of the arts, including the most exultant jewelry.
Nature was a favorite muse for artists going back to the 18th and 19th centuries, but in the hands of 20th-century artists, it was depicted in new ways. For example, a withering flower was considered just as beautiful as one in full bloom. Winged creatures, such as insects and birds, were also a popular subject. Dragonflies and butterflies were particular favorites because they morphed so dramatically in different life stages.
This was also a reference to women, whose role in society was evolving. It was not uncommon to see a piece of jewelry that would at once reference a woman as a winged creature (think René Lalique’s famous Dragonfly brooch, circa 1897–98, at the Gulbenkian Collection in Lisbon). However, just as women’s roles were ambiguous, so was their image, as the femmes nouvelle were simultaneously eroticized and romanticized.
In addition to Lalique, vital figures in Art Nouveau jewelry included Louis Comfort Tiffany in the United States, Vladimir Soloviev, who designed jewelry for Peter Carl Fabergé in Russia, Fuset Grau of Spain, Karl Rothmuller of Germany and Philippe Wolfers of Belgium.
Art Nouveau jewelers used every “canvas” imaginable, looking beyond brooches and necklaces to belt buckles, fans, tiaras, dog collars (a type of choker necklace), pocket watches, corsages and hair combs. Multicolored gems and enamel could complete this vision better than diamonds. Jewelers also favored pearls, particularly baroque pearls, for their large size and irregular shape. However, opal was the most popular stone — its iridescence harmonized perfectly with the enamel, and it could be carved into any shape. Art Nouveau jewelry was primarily set in yellow gold.
Find a range of antique Art Nouveau jewelry today on 1stDibs.
1910s French Vintage Art Nouveau More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Crystal, Opal, Gold, 18k Gold
Late 19th Century French Antique Art Nouveau More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Crystal, Gilt Metal
Early 1900s French Antique Art Nouveau More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Bronze
Early 1900s Antique Art Nouveau More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 1900s French Antique Art Nouveau More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Gold Plate, Silver Plate, Brass, Bronze, Gilt Metal
Mid-20th Century Italian Art Nouveau More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Gold Plate, Silver, Enamel
1890s European Antique Art Nouveau More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Pearl, Gold
19th Century French Antique Art Nouveau More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Steel
Late 19th Century Czech Antique Art Nouveau More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Early 1900s Unknown Antique Art Nouveau More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Crystal, Brass
Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Silver
Early 1900s Unknown Antique Art Nouveau More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Gold
Early 20th Century German Art Nouveau More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Silver, Enamel
Early 1900s Antique Art Nouveau More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Diamond, 18k Gold
Early 1900s French Antique Art Nouveau More Objets d'Art and Vertu
2010s Italian Art Nouveau More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Silver Plate
Early 1900s Unknown Antique Art Nouveau More Objets d'Art and Vertu
14k Gold
Early 1900s Unknown Antique Art Nouveau More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Silver, Brass
Early 1900s French Antique Art Nouveau More Objets d'Art and Vertu
1910s French Vintage Art Nouveau More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Silver
Early 1900s French Antique Art Nouveau More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Silver
Early 20th Century Austrian Art Nouveau More Objets d'Art and Vertu
2010s Australian Art Nouveau More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Opal, Black Opal
Early 1900s French Antique Art Nouveau More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 1900s Unknown Antique Art Nouveau More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Silver, Brass
Early 1900s Russian Antique Art Nouveau More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Quartz, Carnelian, Gold, Enamel
Early 1900s French Antique Art Nouveau More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 1900s French Antique Art Nouveau More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Bronze
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Art Nouveau More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1890s French Antique Art Nouveau More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Oriental Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1910s French Vintage Art Nouveau More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Opal, Crystal, Gold, 18k Gold
Early 20th Century American Art Nouveau More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Gilt Metal
1940s Vintage Art Nouveau More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Amethyst, Yellow Diamond, Brown Diamond, Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, Spin...
Early 1900s French Antique Art Nouveau More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Diamond, 18k Gold, Vermeil
Early 1900s Dutch Antique Art Nouveau More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Blue Sapphire, Diamond, Oriental Pearl, 15k Gold
1890s American Antique Art Nouveau More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Natural Pearl, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
