Art Nouveau Lace Patterns

Illustration: Mathilda Hrdlicka. Lace design, 1904.

A number of traditional mediums saw a re-emergence of their creativity during the latter half of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth. This creative period was in close proximity to the two style eras that followed each other and in many cases overlapped namely the Arts & Crafts and Art Nouveau movements.

Lace design and designers took on the task, though very often with outside help, of producing work in the general style of Art Nouveau as a means of keeping the tradition both alive and relevant to the contemporary world that it found itself in. This does not of course imply that the traditional design work, much of it centuries old in origin, disappeared to be replaced by Art Nouveau inspired decorative work in lace, but the craft did make efforts to integrate some of the more obvious design motifs that were part of the prevailing fashion of the Art Nouveau movement.

Illustration: L Marchandise. Lace design, 1906.

The European lace design pieces shown in this article are all from the first decade of the twentieth century and all show, admittedly in varying degrees, some element that can be easily identified as belonging to the decorative style of Art Nouveau. Flora and fauna dominate these pieces which range from relatively complex floral work, to images of the one insect that most would probably associate with the movement, that of the dragonfly.

Illustration: L Saint Martin. Lace design, 1906.

Many nations in Europe had traditional centres of lace making which at various times in their history had gone through a patchwork of growth, subsidy and depression. Much of the lace decorative work was locked into the fashion industry, though there were periods when domestic household lace was extremely popular. Because of the transient nature of this popularity, it was often difficult to keep the industry alive and functioning. Its traditional stance and slow reaction to contemporary forces could also make it appear unattractive, timid and even staid to a contemporary audience, hence part of the drive by certain sectors of the craft to move it into some of the modern design styles and movements.

Illustration: M Gelliaume. Lace design, 1906.

The Arts & Crafts movement was the first to really recognise the potential to reform and re-energise a whole raft of traditional crafts, making them more attractive to a contemporary market and thus perhaps saving at least some of the skills from the threat of oblivion. Lace making saw an influx of contemporary designers who, with the assistance of lace makers themselves along with the retail trade, helped to advance the prospect of Arts & Crafts and later Art Nouveau lace, giving the tradition a new image to a new contemporary market.

Illustration: Katharine Lord. Lace fan mount, 1910.

Although, this new style was only ever considered to be a part of the traditional output of the craft of lace making, it did make certain inroads and was seen, along with the revitalised embroidery craft industry, as an important focus for lace making, as well as being part of the larger craft industry and its continuing struggle to portray itself as a relevant, contemporary and integral part of the life of the twentieth century.

Further reading links:
Art Nouveau: Utopia: Reconciling the Irreconcilable (Taschen's 25th Anniversary Special Editions Series)
ART NOUVEAU (LCT)
Art Nouveau Motifs and Vignettes (Dover Pictorial Archive Series)
305 Authentic Art Nouveau Jewelry Designs
Art Nouveau Designs (Design Source Books)
The Art Nouveau Style Book of Alphonse Mucha
Art Nouveau: An Anthology of Design and Illustration from "The Studio" (Dover Pictorial Archive Series)
Art Nouveau (World of Art)
Art Nouveau Floral Patterns and Stencil Designs in Full Color (Dover Pictorial Archive Series)
Treasury of Art Nouveau Design & Ornament (Dover Pictorial Archive Series)
422 Art Nouveau Designs and Motifs in Full Color (Dover Pictorial Archive Series)
Art Nouveau Borders & Motifs (Design Source Books)
Art Nouveau Stencil Designs in Color (Dover Pictorial Archive Series)
Art-Nouveau Prague
Art Nouveau (Art and Ideas Series)
Art Nouveau (Dover Pictura)
300 Art Nouveau Designs and Motifs in Full Color (Dover Pictorial Archive Series)
ART NOUVEAU BING PARIS STYLE 1900