Art Nouveau in Modernism
Art Nouveau is an important aspect of modernism art. This style of art movement was developed in Europe with the primary purpose of eradicating conventional modes of art. When society began to modernize, artists became concerned with the portrayal of art, which seemed bland and out of step with the craft (Silverman, pg. 19).
Innovative Craftsmanship of Art Nouveau
Unlike previous paintings and sketches, Art Nouveau used enthralling decorative elements. It aimed to revolutionize the way prototypes were created in terms of craftsmanship (Madsen, p.277).
Will Bradley: A Significant Figure
Will Bradley was a significant figure in the Art Nouveau movement. Of most importance to Bradley’s work was his ability to create innovative and appealing graphic designs that were mainly inspired by English sources such as William Crane and Herbert Horne (Hornung, p.6).
Bradley's Inspiration and Transformation
Just like with many artists, Bradley started by studying Art Nouveau from magazines and books. Much of his inspiration in this work was from Art Nouveau artists. He borrowed a lot of concepts from Beardsley’s who was also a contributor to this movement. He started by working as an engraver and his need to cause positive transformation led him to become a typographic designer at the age of nineteen years. A significant characteristic of his images was that they overlapped and appeared as though they were reversed. He could bring out the meaning of his worked in ways that were not seen before. His work was what was required to illustrate how modern art should look like. Many contemporary artists have emulated various concepts from his work. Due to such attributes, Bradley is always remembered as an essential and significant contributor towards the American Art Nouveau.
Research Thesis: Bradley's Influence
As a master of innovative designs, Will Bradley caused a lot of influence on the American Art Nouveau illustration. Even though his work was based on concepts that were inspired by other artists, he incorporated some elements that made it unique and appealing to many people. This explains why he was highly rated and recognized in America and beyond. Bradley influenced Art Nouveau in different ways. First, he contributed towards the achievements of the Art Nouveau movement that run from 1890 through 1910. The primary goal of this movement was to make significant changes that would see art and craftsmanship match with modernism. Therefore, it would abolish art designs and elements that were used in the past and incorporated new ones that were more creative. Bradley was directly involved in seeing that these goals were met through his work.
Bradley's Contribution to Modern Art
Secondly, he created a background upon which modern art should be based. He was a typographic designer who used stylistic elements in his work. In as much as Art Nouveau has its roots in Europe, Bradley combined some features that were borrowed from the Japanese culture of art. He embarked on innovation that was positively received by the society. Most importantly, Bradley made his work public. He published books to show other people the elements of his work and the backgrounds behind them (Lindsay). Notably, through the progress of his work, it becomes clear to many people that one must have passion and commitment to their work. He also shows that for an idea to receive a positive reception in the society, innovation must be an integral component. Many artists nowadays look up to Bradley. Even though they might not implement his concepts entirely, they have gained a lot of art knowledge from his work.
Annotated Bibliography
Art Institute of Chicago. Catalogue of designs by Walter Crane. Chicago: Art Institute of Chicago, 1892.
In this book, the authors provide a collection of the pieces of work that were done by Walter Crane. Crane was a very prominent contributor towards the creation of children books that are still used up to date. The collection is divided into three major parts which include the book designs, the decorations, and pictures. Notably, some of the models are colored while others are black and white. Crane provides a comprehensive account of his career as an artist. His work started by designing toy books for children such as The Fairy Ship and This Little Pig (Art Institute of Chicago, p. 4). Most importantly, the author claims that his work was received well due to the use of a distinctive style that took a lot of practice to achieve. He would begin by drawing with a pen, and then take photos which would be engraved in a book. He also acknowledges that changes in the society impacted the elements and features of his work. As modernism started characterizing the community, he had to incorporate brighter colors into his work. The characters used in his work had to relate to what children would love. Through his innovative work, Crane remains to be a great influencer in Art.
Lindsay, Martin S. “Will H. Bradley, Master of American Art Nouveau.” n.d.
In this article, Lindsay Martin provides an analysis of the events that took place in the career of Bradley. She begins by giving his familial background whereby she states that Bradley was born in 1868 to Aaron and Sarah. His career as an Art Nouveau artist started when he was 14 years where he worked in a printing office. The author also notes that the expertise of Bradley was as a result of his work experience in institutions like J. Manz & Co, Rand McNally and Knight and Leonard. His work revolved around printing and engraving. Later on, he became a freelance designer. The public gave him positive reviews about his work and was able to publish his books to showcase his work. An essential part of his career is when he was able to establish his own publishing company known as the Wayside Press (Lindsay). Through this analysis, the author confirms that indeed, Bradley was an innovative designer who contributed towards Art Nouveau. He was recognized in different magazines such as the Chicago Evening Post whereby his work was exhibited.
Amaya, Mario. Art Nouveau. New York: E.P. Dutton, and London: Studio Vista Limited, 1966.
This book provides information about how modernity led to the development of art nouveau. He relates its emergence to the changes that were occurring in the social, political, artistic and economic scopes of the society. Notably, he uses different events to show the factors that prompted the formation of this form of art. For instance, he talks about artists whose frustrations towards traditional forms of art pushed for modern and innovative artistic styles (Amaya, p.19). He also notes that art nouveau is what countries needed to grow economically. Due to the traditional forms of art, craft production in the country was becoming uncompetitive. The design of jewelry and furniture no longer represented the modernity that was being experienced in the world. As a result, their prices fell (Amaya, p.54). This called for the formation of modern craftsmanship that would be achieved through art nouveau. The author has succeeded in relating modernity as an integral contributor towards the establishment of this art.
Aslin, Elizabeth. The aesthetic movement: prelude to Art Nouveau. New York: Frederick A. Praeger, 1969.
Aslin has achieved in explaining the rise in recognition and expertise in the field of art by some artists. Pieces of work such as posters, illustrations, designs, and decorations have been presented to show how influential and talented artists were in their careers. Moreover, these collections have been used to give a clear description of this type of art nouveau in the modern world. Through the images, a comprehensive approach towards how artists contributed towards art nouveau has been provided. The primary focus is on the stylistic aspects of their work such as the typographic designs, decorative and innovative illustrations (Aslin, p.14) among others. This book has provided insights on what modern artists should focus on to achieve their goals in their art careers. The illustrations show that art nouveau pieces of art were outstanding through the incorporation of creative elements in the designs. The examples provided help readers in knowing and acknowledging the works of innovative designers.
American Type Founders. American line type book borders and ornaments. Boston: American Type Founders, 1906.
In this text, the author provides various components and aspects of art nouveau and the multiple artists who contributed towards its growth. The primary focus is on how creativity was brought about in art. Through the description provided by the author, it is clear that this type of art is what was required to represent designs in a society that was growing fast. With its development, artists started changing the manner in which jewelry, sculptures, paintings, and architecture in general (American Type Founders, p.17). The text is informative and provides a clear picture of the factors and impacts that art nouveau had on the society. The people well received the adoption of new, innovative and distinctive styles of art. Most importantly, the illustrations used to enable one to get a comprehensive understanding of what art nouveau entails. Additionally, the focus on various artists who led to the growth of this invention depicts its importance.
Works Cited
Amaya, Mario. Art Nouveau. New York: E.P. Dutton, and London: Studio Vista Limited, 1966.
American Type Founders. American line type book borders and ornaments. Boston:
American Type Founders, 1906
Art Institute of Chicago. Catalogue of designs by Walter Crane. Chicago: Art Institute of Chicago, 1892.
Aslin, Elizabeth. The aesthetic movement: prelude to Art Nouveau. New York: Frederick A. Praeger, 1969.
Lindsay, Martin S. “Will H. Bradley, Master of American Art Nouveau.” n.d.
Hornung, Clarence P., ed. Will Bradley’s Graphic Art. Mineola: NY, Dover Publication, 2017.
Madsen, Stephan Tschudi. The Art Nouveau Style: a comprehensive guide with 264 illustrations. United States, US: Courier Corporation, 2013.
Silverman, Debora L. Art nouveau in fin-de-siècle France: politics, psychology, and style. Los Angeles, LA: University of California Press, 1992.
