ART NOUVEAU

Historical Context

The Art Nouveau period, which spanned from 1890 to 1910, represents a significant and transformative era in art and design history. Drawing inspiration from nature, Art Nouveau is recognized for its fluid lines, organic motifs, and the intricate use of fine, curved metals. More than a mere aesthetic movement, Art Nouveau embraced a philosophical ideal: that art should be a way of life.

As mass production became increasingly prevalent during this time, jewelry design began to suffer a decline in both quality and originality. In contrast, Art Nouveau jewelers regarded themselves as artists, setting themselves apart through an emphasis on craftsmanship and conceptual depth. They poured care and precision into handcrafting their pieces, viewing jewelry not just as adornment but as expressive artistic statements.

Art Nouveau functioned as a quiet yet deliberate critique of the Industrial Revolution. In an age marked by mechanical reproduction and the expansion of factory systems, the movement championed creativity, delicacy, and the beauty of natural forms. Its aesthetic and philosophical values offered a stark contrast to the utilitarianism and harshness of industrialism.¹

Rejecting conventional hierarchies of material value and traditional technical training, Art Nouveau artists embraced semi-precious stones, enameling techniques, and hand-crafted forms. The emphasis was placed on the expressive qualities of the materials themselves, rather than their monetary worth. The goal was to move beyond machine-made, mass-produced jewelry and instead produce works of art that conveyed emotion, soul, and a sense of individuality. Art Nouveau brought artistic intentionality to everyday objects, forging a visual identity distinct from any other historical period.

Artists associated with the movement rejected established design rules in favor of developing an entirely new visual language. Their intention was to resist the aesthetics and values of industrialization and mass production associated with the Victorian era.² The Paris Exhibition of 1900 served as a pivotal showcase for the movement, placing Art Nouveau at the heart of an intensely colorful and refined cultural moment. The movement continued with minimal evolution until the onset of World War I in 1914.³

Despite their early resistance to mechanization, many Art Nouveau artists eventually began to collaborate with industry, recognizing the potential of thoughtful design within mass production. This shift marked a significant turning point: the beginning of a renewal in the applied arts and the emergence of industrial design as a modern discipline.⁴original from National museum collection

Photo credit: Greta Lindström / Nationalmuseum

Vegetative pendant

This necklace was crafted in France during the height of the Art Nouveau period and closely follows the aesthetic principles of the era. Art Nouveau jewelry is characterized by its soft, romantic qualities, often expressed through fluid lines, delicate curves, and light, ethereal color palettes. Among the most favored gemstones of the time was the pearl—valued not only for its elegance but for its gentle luster—though it was closely followed in popularity by pastel-hued gemstones, which harmonized with the movement’s refined and naturalistic sensibilities.

This particular necklace exemplifies the experimental spirit of the Art Nouveau movement, exploring innovative techniques and striking juxtapositions of materials. Jewelry of this period became a highly accomplished symbol of modernity—an art form capable of uniting technology and craftsmanship, culture and progress, elitism and accessibility. Moreover, it demonstrated the potential for jewelry design to influence broader categories of product design and applied arts.⁵

While gemstones were often included in these pieces, their use was primarily aesthetic rather than symbolic of wealth. The visual beauty and natural qualities of a stone were considered more significant than its market value. Art Nouveau artisans strove to create objects of beauty by selecting materials based on their inherent character and expressive potential, rather than their intrinsic worth. This emphasis on artistic intention and material honesty was central to the philosophy of the movement.

 re-designed necklace

RE-DESIGN

Art Nouveau emerged as a response to the machine-made and mass-produced aesthetics of the Industrial Revolution. Artists and designers of the period sought to celebrate the natural, the organic, and the feminine through intricate, hand-crafted jewelry. In the redesign of this necklace, I aim to highlight the remarkable potential that lies in the collaboration between additive manufacturing technologies and CAD-based design.

Art Nouveau jewelers were pioneers in their own right—experimenting boldly with materials, techniques, and forms. Jewelry of this period stood as one of the most accomplished symbols of modernity, representing a seamless fusion of art and technology, culture and progress, and even the tension between elitism and democracy.⁶

Building upon this historical lineage, my redesign continues the spirit of innovation by integrating the advanced capabilities of CAD design with traditional craft knowledge. CAD technology enables the creation of highly intricate, nature-inspired forms with exceptional precision. It allows for quick iterations, easy scaling of patterns, and detailed structural experimentation. When paired with the sensibility and intuition of a skilled craftsperson, this approach offers today's makers the freedom to realize complex, organic designs that honor the legacy of Art Nouveau while embracing the tools of the contemporary age.

process picture

3d-model of redesign

Footnotes

[1] https://loveyoutomorrow.com/history-art-nouveau-jewelry/

[2] https://howtobuyvintagejewelry.com/understanding-art-nouveau-jewelry

[3] Jewelry from antiquity to the present.pdf p 160

[4] Jewelry from art nova to 3d printing p 16

[5] Jewelry from art nova to 3d printing p 10  

[6] Jewelry from art nova to 3d printing p 10

This project was made possible with the support of