Art Nouveau in America

 Art Nouveau swept Europe during the late nineteenth century, and eventually captured the attention of those in America. The presence of this movement did not have the same impact as places such as Belgium and France but, designers such as Louis Sullivan and Louis Comfort Tiffany shaped this movement within the states. Sullivan was a talented architect, designer, and drawer who built some incredible early skyscrapers in the 1890s. The goal behind Sullivan's architecture style was to create something new, and American with ornate detailing that would appeal to new wave of design. While some may think he drew inspiration from European design with the detailing in his projects, he actually made these details more American and different. While Sullivan focused primarily on architecture, Louis Comfort Tiffany focused on furniture and lamp designs. Tiffany came from a family of merchants, jewelers, and designers and picked up the talent along the way. He was inspired by his family and Romanesque art and his designs began to reflect these principles. Many of his pieces, such as the ten-light lily lamp, were staple pieces in the Art Nouveau style in America. 

Sullivan's Carson Pirie Scott Store, Chicago, Illinois

Tiffany's Ten-light lily lamp 

One Step Further: Louis Sullivan

Louis Sullivan has been considered the "father of skyscrapers" and the "father of modernism". I chose to research Sullivan because he has had such an impact on design and there are plenty of examples right here in Chicago.  Sullivan attended the Chicago School for architecture and has had a deep impact on the architecture and architects in the Chicago area. He was the architect that architects such as Frank Lloyd Wright and Henry Hobson Richardson. He had a very modern and American design approach and wanted to create something fresh and new. He had moved to Chicago during what was known as building boom shortly after the Great Chicago Fire. Sullivan was focused on verticality in his designs, and with the boom of cheap steel available he was able to create the height desired. The Prudential (Guaranty) Building was an early skyscraper in his portfolio and has now been declared a historical landmark which, shows how influential and valuable his works have become. Along with designing early skyscrapers, he also showcased ornate detailing in almost all of his buildings. The Carson Pirie Scott Store is a great example of how much thought and detailing went into his designs. To me this detailing is his way of connecting to the Art Nouveau in Europe. While they were not necessarily nature motifs, they followed the same organic and curvilinear forms. 

Prudential (Guaranty) Building, Buffalo, New York

Modern Applications

1. Skyscrapers

Sullivan started the wave of skyscrapers in the 1890s, these have been very much elevated since then. Achieving grand heights with better materials and technology to within stand the building weight. The city of Chicago, where Sullivan's career was based, has become almost entirely skyscrapers largely impart of Sullivan's designs. 

2. Tiffany's Lamps

Tiffany was a talented furniture designer who produced many lamps, many featuring stained glass and jewels. This type of lamp is still in use today, in my own home we have desk lamps that showcase a stained glass look that is inspired by Tiffany. The lamp below is one from my home and it shows that Louis's lamp design has resonated into modern times. The detailing on the stand resembles leaves, the stands of his lamps often had detailed such as this.