The History of Art Nouveau Jewelry (1890 to 1910)

Art Nouveau jewelry was made from about 1890 to 1910 and is defined by flowing, organic lines and motifs from nature: flowers, vines, dragonflies, peacocks and the faces of women with long, swirling hair. It was a deliberate break from the heavy, formal jewelry of the Victorian era, and its makers valued artistry and color over the size of the stones.

What defines Art Nouveau jewelry

• Nature in motion. Flowers, leaves, vines, insects, birds and sea creatures, all drawn with movement.
• The whiplash line. A long, curving S-shaped line, like the crack of a whip, is the signature of the style.
• The female form. Profiles and figures of women, often merging into flowers or wings.
• Enamel. Rich color in enamel, especially plique-à-jour, a translucent enamel with no backing that glows like stained glass.
• Stones chosen for color and glow. Opals, moonstones, pearls and colored stones were favored over large diamonds, with diamonds often used as accents.
• Unexpected materials. Glass, horn and ivory appear alongside gold, valued for their artistic effect rather than their cost.

The designers who led the movement

• René Lalique. The great name of Art Nouveau jewelry, famous for combining glass, horn and enamel with gold in dreamlike designs.
• Georges Fouquet. A Parisian jeweler known for lavish enamel work, who collaborated with the artist Alphonse Mucha.
• Alphonse Mucha. The Czech painter and poster artist, who designed jewelry for Fouquet, including pieces for the actress Sarah Bernhardt.

How to recognize Art Nouveau jewelry

Look for movement and asymmetry, nature motifs, enamel and gold worked into curves rather than geometric shapes. In America, many Art Nouveau pieces were made in yellow gold, as brooches, stick pins, watch pins and rings. Art Nouveau overlaps with the late Victorian and Edwardian eras, so a piece can share features with both, but the flowing line is the giveaway. By about 1910 the style gave way to the cleaner lines that led to Art Deco.

Explore

Browse our antique Art Nouveau jewelry, or read about the eras on either side: Victorian jewelry and Edwardian vs. Art Deco jewelry. Questions about a piece? Ask us.

Written by Shawn Eshaghian, appraiser and co-owner of The Antique Parlour in Great Neck, New York, which he runs with Natasha. He writes and signs The Antique Parlour's certificates of appraisal.