Mastercrafts - Introduction

Technical artistry was a feature of Art Nouveau decorative arts. Glassmakers returned their work to the furnace many times, adding layers of textures and decorative elements. Historical techniques were revived and new ones invented, creating radiant colours and iridescence such as the favrile glass of Louis Comfort Tiffany. In pottery and ceramics, there were experiments with forms and glazes. Jewellers styled fashionable pieces for their elite clients. Chokers, pendants, bracelets and earrings featured semi-precious materials, sculptured ivory, tortoiseshell and enamelling. Across Europe, the new style was seen in the Netherlands (Brantjes and Rozenburg), Germany (Meisenthal and Koepping), Hungary (Zsolnay), Bohemia (Harrach, Loetz), and Scandinavia.