Art Nouveau vs Pictorialism
アール・ヌーヴォー / ピクトリアリズム
Art Nouveau comes from Historical Styles and Pictorialism from Photography Movements. Both are read here as style. They are reached for with some of the same intent, which is where they get confused.
Art Nouveau
Joins letters, figures and ornament into one flowing, plant-like line.
Pictorialism
Presented photography as art equal to painting, through soft focus, staged scenes and handworked prints.
| Art Nouveau | Pictorialism | |
|---|---|---|
| Era | 1890s–1910s | late-1800s–c.1914 |
| Family | Historical Styles | Photography Movements |
| Kind | Style | Style |
| Cues | Botanical curves / Ornamental frames / Female figures / Muted natural colors | Soft focus / Mist and backlight / Painterly composition / Handcrafted prints |
| Best used for | Speaking of craft and handwork · Leading with beauty and narrative | Portraits meant to be atmospheric pictures rather than records · Landscapes sold as works, with the handmade print part of the value |
| Type | Curvilinear serifs or hand lettering | Title and sign by hand in the print margin, never on the image |
| Composition | Vertical formats, frame compositions, a central figure | Move the subject off center, gather the light in one area, sink the rest |
| Material | Dusty greens and gold, line work, paper texture | Soft focus, backlit mist, hand coated printing that keeps the paper texture |
| Caution | Stock vine ornaments stay superficial. Carry the line through the whole composition. | Applying blur uniformly afterwards leaves no trace of anyone following the light, and the result is simply a photograph out of focus. |