Art Nouveau 1890-1910

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source blog.lemonshortbread.com

This poster is typical of Art Nouveau; swirled foliage, flat abstract images and minimal use of colour. It has a Japanese handmade feel to it, with the forms being quite organic and not completely contained within the frame. The print has a nice sense of movement to it and the font used is also typical for this design period.

1890 Illustration
posterclassics.com

This lovely picture has all the elements of Art Nouveau. The Grecian hairstyle, the swirl of birds adding movement to the picture and the side profile all add grace to this illustration. The restrained use of colour and the organic font, combined with the image not being constrained by the border are all typical Art Nouveau details.

I like this type of design for the fresh, organic shapes and colours used. The fonts used in this time are really nice and the Japanese influence is great, adding a sense of freedom to the artworks.

Arts & Crafts Movement 1850-1900

Charles Rennie Mackintosh
Design for a wall decoration 1896-1897
sourced from artcyclopedia.com

This illustration, although leaning towards Art Nouveau, shows typical elements of Arts & Craft influence: the natural colours, the medieval floral vines, flat 2D appearance, simple form and handmade look. It has a distinct folk style, drawing on the oriental influence apparent at the time. Although this was produced as a design for use on a larger scale, it is an artwork in its own right, with an appeal that lasts today due to its simplicity.

William de Morgan
Ceramic tile produced between 1839-1917
sourced from worldcollectorsnet.com

This beautiful tile has the vibrant colours used in the Arts & Crafts movement and the leafy natural background that was also widely used. This artist worked with William Morris, which shows in the composition of the image, and the medieval influence. He was also inspired by Persian designs which  you can see in the paisley-esque shape of the flowers.

This style of design is one that I love because of the use of natural images, the harmonious colour combinations, handmade look, and the simple graphic style.

Victoriana 1840-1900

1875-1900 advertisement for "Magical Pain Extractor" sourced from tidbitstrinkets.com.

This image shows many Victoriana details e.g. curved lettering on a ribbon banner, romantic portrayal of people which has nothing to do with the product, framing around the image and a faded symmetrical background. The clothing worn is also overdone, particularly the hats, and the sleigh is very ornate.
 This image has a very traditional emphasis, but the colouring is quite nice and the winter scene is reminiscent of a festive atmosphere.

1867 original cover of the first Harpers Bazaar fashion magazine sourced from their website.

This shows classic Victorian details such as the illuminated font of illustrated capitals portraying an idyllic country scene and cherubs. The subtitle is on a lacy banner and the whole thing is on a background of twining leaves with very little white space. The full length illustrations further down the page are also very sentimental in feeling and the background shows the Victorian love of symmetry and ornate architecture. It is also drawn with soft shading which gives the idealised romantic feel that Victorians indulged in.

This is not a style I like, because of the sentimentality and unrelenting filling of every available space, but elements of Victorian style can be interesting when used in a modern artwork.