The florid, languorous curves, natural motifs, and refined elegance of
Art Nouveau have fascinated generations of collectors and museumgoers since this brief but intense movement took place in the years around the turn of the 20th century. Known as Jugendstil (youth style) in Germany and Stile Liberty in Italy, Art Nouveau鈥檚 radical exuberance overthrew many of the Victorian age鈥檚 orthodoxies of art and design, exploding age-old strictures with its fanciful, organic approach. At the same time, Art Nouveau embraced new technologies and incorporated non-European鈥攎ost notably Japanese鈥攕tylistic influences. With approximately 120 Art Nouveau treasures drawn from the rich holdings of the Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk, Virginia, this exhibition features prints, paintings, furniture, ceramics, glass, silverware, and jewelry. Many of the pieces were once part of the collection of Walter P. and Jean Chrysler, whose homes were the showrooms for these opulent works of art.