Finishing this season’s series in conjunction with Roundtable.org in America, Michael is giving three lectures in December on Art Nouveau via Zoom

Art Nouveau, much like its Arts and Crafts forerunner, was more than merely a style — it was a dynamic, international movement that took on distinct forms in different parts of the world. While its aesthetic wasn’t entirely unprecedented, it cleverly borrowed from the past, and then elevated those ideas to create something revolutionary. Like other artistic evolutions, Art Nouveau arose from a deep desire to break free from the conventional, the academic, and the mundane. The dawn of a new century — Europe’s Belle Époque — fuelled this creative surge. It was an era buzzing with innovation: electric lights, cinema, and cutting-edge technologies were opening doors to endless possibilities.

In pursuit of this evolution, designers found themselves adopting two strikingly different paths: some, such as the Frenchman Hector Guimard, embraced the fluid, organic, and sinuous lines inspired by the natural world; while others, such as Scotland’s Charles Rennie Mackintosh, favoured the clean, geometric forms that anticipated modernism.

Join Michael Robinson to examine the many facets of Art Nouveau, exploring its rich diversity through architecture, furniture, objets d’art, jewelry, and graphic design. Though the movement’s aesthetic varied from place to place, its influence was undeniable throughout Europe and across the Atlantic.

In order to participate please click on this link https://roundtable.org/live-courses/arts/international-art-nouveau