About the time period: Art Nouveau is a decorative style that began in the 1890s and lasted until the early 1900s, taking its name from the Parisian gallery of Samuel Bing: Maison de l’Art Nouveau. Art Nouveau artists reacted against what they saw as the uninspired mass-produced copying of historic styles, choosing instead to focus on flowing lines, asymmetry, and superior craftsmanship. They took inspiration from the natural world and the arts of Japan, often utilizing insect, floral and female motifs. Soon, copies of artisan pieces were being mass-produced and extravagant style began to decline.
