La Belle Époque

The Allure of Art Nouveau episode 3 – Vienna: Stephen Smith explores how Vienna’s artists rebelled against the establishment in the late 19th century and brought their own highly sexed version of art nouveau to the city.     In a story that combines scandal and revolution, cultural correspondent Stephen Smith explores how Vienna’s artists rebelled against the establishment in the late 19th century and brought their own highly sexed version of art nouveau to the banks of the Danube. Looking at the eye-watering work of Gustav Klimt, Smith discovers that Viennese ‘Jugenstil’ was more than just a decorative delight […]

The Allure of Art Nouveau episode 2 – British Cities: Britain’s art nouveau heritage is excavated as cultural correspondent Stephen Smith unearths the bright. Stephen Smith explores Britain’s art nouveau heritage, from the controversial life of Aubrey Beardsley to the work of Mary Watts and the influence of Arthur Liberty.     On a mission to uncover lesser-known stars of Britain’s version of this continental fin-de-siecle style, he explores the stunning work of Mary Watts and the massive influence of department store entrepreneur Arthur Liberty. In Scotland, he celebrates the innovative art nouveau of Charles Rennie Mackintosh, but looks harder

The Allure of Art Nouveau episode 1 – Paris: The delicious objects of Parisian Art Nouveau are explored by cultural correspondent Stephen Smith. Stephen Smith explores the objects of Parisian Art Nouveau and learns how some of the 19th century’s most glamorous, controversial figures inspired an extraordinary movement.     Uncovering how the luscious decorative style first erupted into the cityscape, Stephen delves into the city’s bohemian past to learn how some of the 19th century’s most glamorous and controversial figures inspired this extraordinary movement. Revealing the story behind Alphonse Mucha’s sensual posters of actress Sarah Bernhardt, looking at the