Art Nouveau (say it “art noo-VOH”) was a bold artistic style that flourished from about 1890 to 1910, featuring flowing, curved lines inspired by nature. Walk into a building designed in this style and you might see iron railings twisted into vine shapes, stained glass windows with flowers and peacocks, or doorways that curve like waves.

Artists and designers of this movement rejected the rigid, boxy styles that came before. Instead, they looked to plants, insects, and flowing water for inspiration. An Art Nouveau poster might show a woman's hair swirling like smoke, or leaves spiraling into decorative patterns. The style appeared everywhere: furniture, jewelry, buildings, illustrations, and even subway station entrances.

The name means “New Art” in French, and it lived up to that promise. Famous examples include the Paris Métro station entrances with their green metal designs resembling plants, and the colorful posters by Alphonse Mucha showing elegant figures surrounded by flowers and geometric patterns. Antoni Gaudí's buildings in Barcelona, with their wavy roofs and mosaic decorations, represent the style's most imaginative possibilities.

Though Art Nouveau's popularity faded after World War I, you can still spot its influence in illustrations, architecture, and design today. The style reminds us that even everyday objects like lamps, doorknobs, and chairs can become works of art when designers combine creativity with craftsmanship.