Art Nouveau : Eugène Grasset

A Swiss decorative artist, he was considered as the lead in the Art Nouveau movement which influenced Alphonse Mucha.  Grasset is a combination of Pre- Raphaelism and Japanese Art. He designed ceramics, tapestry, fabrics and jewellery, but he was more into posters and stained glass.

He used to portray woman with long flowing hair and he used to include the ambience in which he lived in into the artworks, for example the motifs where a representation of the flora in the nearby forests.

Poster for an exhibition at Grafton Gallaries                        Spring                                      

Grasset is a stained glass worker which shows clearly in the posters he designed. In this specific poster one could see the re semblance between the poster and the stained glass. It was developed and certain characteristics where added but it shows clearly.

Paris Chamber of Commerce & Industry Stained glass window, 1903

Is one of the most important stained glass windows by Grasset. One could clearly see the industrial landscape; railways, factory chimneys, pollution, labourers and more, which are all symbolic to the ‘Industrial Revolution’ period. 

It’s a monochrome stained glass which has identical scrolls in the banner and intricate detail used. One could definitely notice the use of natural flora surrounding the figures. His designs are full of elaborate details and the use of thick & bold black lines makes the artwork protrude. 

References:

• Angelstar Creations, a Short Biograph about Eugene Grasset. 2013. [ONLINE] Available at: http://angelstarcreations.com/writings/grasset/paper.htm. [Accessed October 2013].
• Eugene Grasset, The Father of Art Nouveau | . 2013. [ONLINE] Available at:http://ctgpublishing.com/eugene-grasset-the-father-of-art-nouveau/. [Accessed October 2013].
• Widmann, M.P.W, 2012. Eugène Grasset: A Passion for Design. CTG Publishing.