Week 2: Art Nouveau Architecture (A picture a day)

Close up of the Municipal House, Old Town Prague

Municipal House, Old Town Prague

In the late 1800s, there were many European artists, graphic designers, and architects who rebelled against the classical and formal approaches to design. They believed that the most wonderful beauty could be found in nature itself. Art Nouveau is French for “New Style”. Usually Art Nouveau buildings have characteristics such as asymmetrical shapes, extensive use of arches and curved forms, mosaics, stained glass and Japanese motifs.

The two photos above are taken from the Municipal House in Old Town Prague. These two buildings are from the Art Nouveau architecture of the 18th to 19th century. A tour of the Municipal House is sure to delight. This Art Nouveau beauty is detailed with mosaics, curved glass, sculptures, stained glass, and other artistic touches throughout. Leading turn-of-the-century Czech artists collaborated on designing parts of the Municipal House in the beginning of the 1900's.

I chose this particular architecture because I like to read up on western architecture design especially those in the 18th and 19th century. It is almost impossible to find any of these kind of buildings in Singapore. I love how the exterior design of the Municipal House has many fine details such as motifs on walls, the design of the metal gates complement each other beautifully. In my opinion, this stunning design has a bit of Victorian classical style to it. The painting on the main entrance is so pretty that I wish I was there to observe it up close. If given the opportunity, I would love to travel to Old Town Prague to enjoy the beautiful sights of these traditional architectures.