Published to accompany a major new exhibition at the Sainsbury Centre, this book examines the spectacular and controversial vision of art practice that raged across the Western world from the end of the 19th century: Art Nouveau.

The role of nature is a key focus of the exhibition. The common theme of translating plants into patterns will be explored as a defining feature of the modern style. Art and objects will represent Art Nouveau from different countries, where it appeared characterised as flowing, tensile line, and dramatic movement, or by organic imagery combined with an informal geometry.

Artists and designers include Rene Lalique, Edgar Degas, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, William Morris; Alphonse Mucha and Gabriel Dante Rossetti.

About the Author
Paul Greenhalgh is the inaugural Director of the Zaha Hadid Foundation and former Director of the Sainsbury Centre. His most recent publications include 'Ceramic, Art and Civilisation' (Bloomsbury, 2020) and 'Encounters with Ceramic: The Writings of Tony Birks' (Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts, 2021).


Book Information
ISBN 9781916133617
Author Paul Greenhalgh
Format Paperback
Page Count 152
Imprint Sainsbury Centre
Publisher Sainsbury Centre