Art Nouveau, Art Deco; Ruptures or Continuities?

Event Description

Speaker: Gilles Genty, art historian

Born in France between 1910-1915, at a time when Art Nouveau was running out of steam and collectors were looking for a new aesthetic, Art Deco marked an obvious break; the lines became more rigid, the forms more geometric, and the old masters, starting with Hector Guimard, were less successful. However, in Belgium, Germany, Austria, and even in France, the fracture lines are sometimes less clear; architects and designers, such as Henry Van de Velde, Peter Behrens, or Otto Wagner, create artworks with rectilinear forms directly preceding their past “Art Nouveau” period. So, ruptures or continuities?

Language: French. Online

In partnership with the Toronto Public Library.

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