Art Nouveau

It was in the late 19th century that it began to assert itself. For several decades, stylistic development had been at a standstill. Instead of new forms and expressions, old elements were reused and stacked upon one another, increasingly resulting in pastiches rather than anything that could be considered forward-looking. But there was a way forward, and it led like a path straight into nature. For it was from the plant and animal kingdoms that the architects, designers, and artisans of the new era drew their inspiration. On the continent, this artistic expression was called art nouveau, while in Germany and further north, it came to be known as jugend.

At Hälsinglands Auction House, we now get a glimpse of jugend's diverse manifestations with a collection of around 30 examples. The selection includes everything from fairly restrained Finnish-made furniture to centerpiece bowls and more continental busts. Several pieces of early 20th-century lighting design add yet another dimension to the theme.

A warm welcome to explore Jugend!