At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, a new style of "modernity" developed in Europe, affecting many aspects of society at that time. Modern in the fine arts, mostly in painting and sculpture, gave new impulses to the work of artists. Landscaping modernism required radical changes in the breakdown of parks and gardens. Significantly changed the interior design in homes, there were non-standard solutions in the design of living rooms, canteens and boudoir.
For the updated interior, a completely different situation was required, and thus the modernist style of furniture was formed in a short time . After baroque and rococo, it was not easy to find new forms for armchairs and sofas, however the master's furniture business successfully coped with this task. Modernity quickly conquered its place under the sun, organically fitting into the canons of the previous styles and gradually displacing them from circulation.
Confidently and powerfully manifested a new style of Art Nouveau in architecture. The architects abandoned the excessive symmetry, which resulted in the emancipation of small architectural forms, the facades of buildings became lively, the dominant contours became more diverse. In the new buildings there was no longer the same angularity. More precisely, the corners were rounded off. All these innovations gave the architect freedom of action, and the modernist style in architecture became a deeply creative process.
In full use of new opportunities in the construction of Antonio Gaudi, the famous Catalan, an unrivaledly talented architect. For him, modernism in architecture was a fertile ground for further development. One of the most beautiful cities in the world, Spanish Barcelona, is built up with houses in the Art Nouveau style. In all the work of Gaudi, there is a fascination with the novelty of the style. The fascinating splendor of the Sagrada Familia and the Park Güell leaves no one indifferent, the deep impression is left by the Casa Batlló, a rare beauty building, although it is an ordinary residential house. In the same row are the house Vicens and the house Calvet - both mansions are unique in their architectural merits. All without exception, the buildings of Gaudi are masterpieces in which the architecture of Art Nouveau is reflected.
Simultaneously with the Art Nouveau style, the so-called Northern Art Nouveau appeared in architecture. In the early 20th century, there was mutual interest between the Scandinavian countries and the northern capital of Russia - St. Petersburg. At the initiative of Maecenas SP Diaghilev held regular exhibitions of paintings. And later an architectural society of mutual interests was formed, which laid the foundation for the northern Russian modernity. The basis of the new trend was taken by the monumental buildings of ancient Novgorod and Pskov. At that time ornaments were introduced, which are a characteristic feature of the modernist architectural style .
The ornament became an organic addition to the Art Nouveau style in architecture. Its subjects could be very different, but in any case it bore the seal of abstractness, of some metaphysics. Images and patterns were repeated in strict sequence. With a fairly free architecture of the whole building, the Art Nouveau ornament brought a note of order eclecticism to the facade outlines, the style of Art Nouveau is unusual, but in modest doses it is very useful for it.