The classical beauty of Art Nouveau

Art Nouveau appeared in a wide variety of strands, and, consequently, it is known by various names, such as the Glasgow Style, or, in the German-speaking world, Jugendstil.
Art Nouveau was aimed at modernizing design, seeking to escape the eclectic historical styles that had previously been popular. Artists drew inspiration from both organic and geometric forms, evolving elegant designs that united flowing, natural forms resembling the stems and blossoms of plants.
The emphasis on linear contours took precedence over color, which was usually represented with hues such as muted greens, browns, yellows, and blues.

In jewelry, René Lalique, Louis Comfort Tiffany, and Marcel Wolfers created some of the most prized pieces of the turn of the century, producing everything from earrings to necklaces to bracelets to brooches, thereby assuring that Art Nouveau would always be associated with fin-de-siecle luxury, despite the hope that its ubiquity might make it universally accessible.

read more: The Art Story

An Art Nouveau silver, mother of pearl and gem-set pendant necklace, by Němec 

Opal necklace, design by Alphonse Mucha

Designed as a sculpted gold maiden, wearing a cream and blue enamel dress and cape, decorated by rose-cut diamond star motifs, reaching for a sculpted gold and old European-cut diamond star, within a blue plique-à-jour enamel sky surround, to the scrolling gold borders accented by cabochon sapphire detail, suspending an old European-cut diamond and pearl pendant, mounted in 18k gold, circa 1895, with French assay mark.

Georges Fouquet (French, 1862–1957)

An Art Nouveau 14k gold, amethyst, enamel and pearl necklace, circa 1895.

An Art Nouveau gold, polychrome and plique-à-jour enamel, opal and pearl brooch, circa 1900.

Lalique

René Lalique

RENÉ LALIQUE Pendentif Anémone des bois, 1905

Hessisches Landesmuseum Darmstadt - Art Nouveau Georges Fouquet, fuchsia brooch, 1902, Paris Z

Diamond, Plique-a-Jour Enamel, Gold Jewelry Suite via Heritage Auctions

An Art Nouveau gold, enamel and pearl necklace by René Lalique, Paris, 1899-1900. Centred with a profile portrait of a woman. The unusually long chain is set with baroque pearls alternating with pierced gold motifs.