Art Nouveau Brooches

(from 1890 to 1910)

With its vegetal, curved shapes and fairytale-like designs, Art Nouveau jewellery continues to inspire to this day. Its picturesque quality allows us to immerse ourselves in bygone times and trace the esprit of the turn of the century. Art Nouveau brooches in particular offer versatile options for integrating a piece of history into our own everyday lives today. Find out more 

The dawn of a new era

With the end of historicism, an innovative design language inspired by flora and fauna was postulated for the first time. Art Nouveau brooches were therefore characterised by organic-ornamental forms, which were mostly accentuated by coloured gemstones, pearls and enamel. Abstract, linear designs are just as common as figurative, naturalistic motifs. The artistic effect of an object always took centre stage, meaning that high-quality Art Nouveau brooches made of gold could also be set with glass stones.

Unique materials and craftsmanship

Art Nouveau brooches were produced in a variety of designs at the beginning of the 20th century. In contrast to later Art Déco, no specific metal was preferred during this period: jewellery was made from gold doublé, silver and gold in equal measure.

One outstanding stylistic element of antique Art Nouveau brooches, however, was the so-called window enamel (plique-à-jour). In this technique, the enamel was not applied to a surface, but was inserted into a kind of framework and only held in place by bars. It was therefore translucent like a coloured stained glass window, which created dreamlike effects that were also beautifully applied to Art Nouveau necklaces.

Art Nouveau brooches - a real all-rounder

Today, brooches are often considered to be outdated, yet they offer all kinds of design possibilities to complement your own outfit. The "place of use" is entirely up to you. Whether on a hat, scarf, collar, lapel or bag: a single Art Nouveau brooch can be used in different ways depending on the occasion and instantly adds finesse to an otherwise simple look. Brooches can also be wonderfully combined with other pieces of jewellery, for example Art Nouveau rings.

Art Nouveau jewellery at Halsbandaffaire

Our antique jewellery range offers selected Art Nouveau objects, professionally cleaned and prepared as well as art historically researched and described. We would like to invite you to buy our jewellery in Munich or browse through our online shop.