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>Introduction
>Brief Boom in Elitist Publications
>The German Luminaries
>Art Nouveau: Decoration of Decadence
>True Reactionaries or Embarrassing Kitsch?

Typography in the Art Nouveau Period

Book cover by Heinrich Vogeler, 1903
Book cover by Heinrich Vogeler, 1903
Arthur H. Mackmurdo, title page, 1883
Arthur H. Mackmurdo, title page, 1883

Introduction

In the second half of the 19th century there was a cold, ugly academic tendency making itself evident in all areas of design. It manifested itself in the incompetent repetition of earlier styles and considered that enough. But then young artists all over Europe started to break out of this torpidity and create something completely new.

The origin of this renewed vigor lay in the philosophy and achievements of an outstanding figure of the times, William Morris (1834-1896). His goal was a redesign of society to make a closer connection between life and art possible again.


Handicraft vs. Machine
After Morris had founded a socialist party, created the arts and crafts movement and wrote a number of novels, he went on to design three typefaces. He also published 67 volumes according to his own designs through his Kelmscott Press in London and they are among the most beautiful and intriguing in the history of book printing. His work was consciously done in an arts and crafts style, through which he wanted to signify his opposition to industrial mass production. He saw the machine as the archenemy of every human society.

Despite being shortlived, this renewal movement (ca.1895-1905) was nonetheless fierce and international. There were centers in every European country which vehemently proclaimed the separation from historic styles and thus paved the way for the Moderns. Names like Henry van de Velde, Aubrey Beardsley, Alfons Mucha, and Peter Behrens represent national styles and their similarities.

Two of the most important goals of the Art Nouveau movement were the reestablishment of the unity of art and handicrafts as well as the radical renunciation of historicism. The artists again took up handicrafts as a career.

more ... Brief Boom in Elitist Publications

A selection of Linotype Art Nouveau Fonts:
 
Arnold Boecklin™ Font Family (Linotype Originals)
Digital data from: Adobe
OpenType ComOpenType ProOpenType StdWindows TrueTypeWindows PostScriptMac PostScript
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  Arnold Boecklin™ Font Family  
     
Auriol® Font Family (Linotype Originals)
Digital data from: Linotype
OpenType StdWindows TrueTypeWindows PostScriptMac PostScript
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  Auriol® Font Family  
     
Belwe™ by Adobe Font Family (ITC Collection)
Digital data from: Adobe
OpenType StdWindows TrueTypeWindows PostScriptMac PostScript
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  Belwe™ by Adobe Font Family  
     
ITC Benguiat® by Adobe Font Family (ITC Collection)
Digital data from: Adobe
OpenType StdWindows TrueTypeWindows PostScriptMac PostScript
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  ITC Benguiat® by Adobe Font Family  
     
Bernhard Fashion by Linotype Font Family (Assorted Collection)
Digital data from: Linotype
OpenType ComWindows TrueTypeWindows PostScriptMac PostScript
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  Bernhard Fashion by Linotype Font Family  
     
Hobo Font Family (Linotype Originals)
Digital data from: Adobe
OpenType StdWindows TrueTypeWindows PostScriptMac PostScript
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  Hobo Font Family  
     
Hotmetal Pi™ Font Family (Linotype Originals)
Digital data from: Linotype
Windows PostScriptMac PostScript
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  Hotmetal Pi™ Font Family  
     
Liberty™ Font Family (Assorted Collection)
Digital data from: Linotype
Windows TrueTypeWindows PostScriptMac PostScript
More details ... More details ...
 
  Liberty™ Font Family  
     
Metropolitaines Font Family (Assorted Collection)
Digital data from: Linotype
Windows TrueTypeWindows PostScriptMac PostScript
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  Metropolitaines Font Family  
     
Mojo™ Font Family (Assorted Collection)
Digital data from: Adobe
OpenType StdWindows PostScriptMac PostScript
More details ... More details ...
 
  Mojo™ Font Family  
     
Plaza™ Font Family (ITC Collection)
Digital data from: Linotype
OpenType ComOpenType StdWindows TrueTypeWindows PostScriptMac PostScript
More details ... More details ...
 
  Plaza™ Font Family  
     
F2F Poison Flowers™ Font Family (TakeType Collection)
Digital data from: Linotype
OpenType StdWindows TrueTypeWindows PostScriptMac PostScript
More details ... More details ...
 
  F2F Poison Flowers™ Font Family  
     
ITC Rennie Mackintosh™ Font Family (ITC Collection)
OpenType ComOpenType StdWindows TrueTypeWindows PostScriptMac PostScript
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  ITC Rennie Mackintosh™ Font Family  
     
Revue™ Font Family (ITC Collection)
OpenType StdWindows TrueTypeWindows PostScriptMac PostScript
More details ... More details ...
 
  Revue™ Font Family  
     
Rialto™ Font Family (ITC Collection)
Digital data from: Linotype
Windows TrueTypeWindows PostScriptMac PostScript
More details ... More details ...
 
  Rialto™ Font Family  
     
Tarragon™ Font Family (ITC Collection)
Digital data from: Linotype
Windows TrueTypeWindows PostScriptMac PostScript
More details ... More details ...
 
  Tarragon™ Font Family  
     
Victorian™ Font Family (ITC Collection)
OpenType ComOpenType StdWindows TrueTypeWindows PostScriptMac PostScript
More details ... More details ...
 
  Victorian™ Font Family  
     

Arnold Boecklin, F2F Poison Flowers and Hotmetal Pi are trademarks of Linotype GmbH and may be registered in certain jurisdictions. Auriol is a trademark of Linotype GmbH registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and may be registered in certain other jurisdictions.

Mojo is a trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated which may be registered in certain jurisdictions.

Belwe, ITC Rennie Mackintosh, Plaza, Revue, Rialto, Tarragon and Victorian are trademarks of International Typeface Corporation and may be registered in certain jurisdictions.

ITC Benguiat is a trademark of International Typeface Corporation registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and which may be registered in certain other jurisdictions.

Liberty is a trademark of Monotype Imaging Inc. and may be registered in certain jurisdictions.

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Page last edited: 2009-07-03