Japonism and Art Nouveau
Phases of Japonism in Western Decorative Art
- Masterworks from the Collection of the Budapest Museum of Applied Arts

The first chapter of the exhibition introduces early examples of Japonism, which were among the most strongly Japanese-influenced works of art ever made in Europe. They are characterized by a Japanese-style approach to the decorative, use of line, flatness, and bold compositions. On the other hand, the pursuit of the beauty in the accidental cannot yet be seen, and in these finished products that are virtually perfect embodiments of their original designs, the stance of maintaining a certain distance from the subject being rendered, and the exacting preliminary calculation of decorative effects, connect these works to historicism in the context of Western artistic styles.

In traditional Western ceramics, the glazes and pigments that coat a piece of pottery are blended separately to suit each decorative element, and works with a high degree of polish and perfection are admired. On the other hand, in East Asia, conditions for achieving the artistic effect of a particular glaze are established, but the unexpected situations and accidents that occur during firing leave scope for creative freedom. Inspired by East Asian ceramics, in the pursuit of unique and extraordinary shades, many European artisans experimented with and succeeded in mixing various glazes, combining colors and patterns, and employing glazes that produce luminous and stunning effects. This chapter features works characterized by distinctive surface decoration.

At the height of its popularity, works of Japonism emerged one after another in fields such as literature, painting, graphics, and the applied arts, and related ideas and artistic techniques were linked to the Aesthetic Movement in Western Europe. Eventually, Japonism became one of the key sources of Art Nouveau and its influence expanded to all areas of art. The numerous ceramic and glass works exhibited in this chapter are grouped into four thematic categories: flowers, brilliant surfaces, traditional decorative motifs, and birds and animals.

Ceramic has been used for thousands of years as a building material for walls and roofs, or for ornamental tiles that cover walls. At the close of the 19th century, a new episode in this long history began. With the advent of mass production it became possible to manufacture larger-sized ceramic plates, and ceramic plates were made to decorate pillars, columns, arches, and attics and to cover walls, ornamenting the surfaces of reinforced concrete structures. The remarkably unique works of French ceramics shown in this chapter were part of the architectural décor of the so-called the Bigot Pavilion, designed and built by architect Jules Lavirotte for the 1900 Paris World’s Fair, which won a Grand Prix at the fair and was subsequently purchased by the director of the Budapest Museum of Applied Arts. Meanwhile, the Zsolnay Factory in Hungary was not only a world-class manufacturer of decorative art pieces, but also produced hundreds of architectural ornaments that were the creations of outstanding architects and sculptors. Also exhibited here are some of the frieze tiles that were among the many products of the Zsolnay Factory.

There were two main currents in Art Nouveau, which is considered to have been Europe’s last universal artistic style. One was botanical or floral Art Nouveau, and the other was geometric Art Nouveau, also known as Jugendstil. The latter developed primarily in the German-speaking world and was characterized by right angles and geometric details, often with symmetrical and stylized plant-based motifs. The tea set exhibited in this chapter occupies the border between these two styles. Splendidly decorated with orchids, it features both botanical and geometric elements, and the influence of Japanese art can be seen the striped and latticed background patterns.

This chapter features classic works of Art Deco, the style that gained popularity after Art Nouveau. In Art Deco, the botanical motifs of Art Nouveau evolved into something significantly more abstract. Crisply defined forms appeared, and color often played a crucial role. The opulent and elegant Art Deco style employed a large number of new materials. The works in this chapter show that the influence of Japan outlived Art Nouveau, as in a vessel in which a lovely pattern of thin gold leaf expands like a network of cracks between layers of glass. This highly modernist work was inspired by traditional makie (gold or silver powder-decorated) lacquerware from Japan.