A revolutionary reaction to the eclectic historical styles of nineteenth-century art, the turn-of-the-century Art Nouveau movement drew much of its inspiration from nature. Applying its sinuous, curvilinear motifs to the decorative arts, graphics, architecture, sculpture, and painting, artists and crafters attempted to create a style suitable for a "modern" age.
This treasury of rare Art Nouveau decorative ornaments offers an unusual selection of the genre's most strikingly imaginative graphics. Originally published in Paris in 1899 and sold by subscription, the collection features fifty...

First published in 1842, this volume made an important contribution to the nineteenth-century Gothic Revival, during which English artists rediscovered decorative styles from their country's medieval past. Few published sources of the Victorian era offered information on historic designs, and The Encyclopedia of Ornament was warmly received and widely praised for the meticulous rendering of its plates. Modern-day graphic artists and designers, art historians, and students of the history of style and decoration will likewise prize this extensive treasury of authentic...

At the turn of the twentieth century, the Art Nouveau movement swept the world of decorative arts toward an excitingly modern direction. Inspired by both organic and geometric forms, the new trend abandoned historical styles in favor of flowing, natural forms accented by angular contours. Art Nouveau's curves and floral and animal motifs were particularly suited to adaptations in precious stones and rare metals. The elegant, royalty-free illustrations of this collection, reprinted in their original colors from a rare German edition, offer authentic representations of the craftsmanship and...