Art Nouveau and the birth of design
A heartfelt ode to nature, this artistic movement flourished throughout Europe. Pioneers of design, these artists shared Perrier-Jouët’s passion for excellence.
The Art Nouveau spirit
A heartfelt ode to nature, this artistic movement flourished throughout Europe in the late 19th century. The artists that powered the Art Nouveau movement transcended disciplinary boundaries, pioneering the practice we now know as “design” and sharing Perrier-Jouët’s passion for excellence.
Nature as Inspiration
Keen botanists as well as champagne lovers, the founders of Maison Perrier-Jouët left an exceptional legacy for subsequent generations: one of the most admired vineyards in Champagne and a great cultural heritage. Over time, this combination of winemaking know-how, horticultural expertise and enthusiasm for Art Nouveau has coalesced to form a vision of champagne inspired by nature, embodied in the House’s elegant, complex, floral wines.
The Art Nouveau style took shape in France and Belgium in the late 19th century, but its influence soon spread throughout Europe. Making abundant use of swirling, scrolling motifs, Art Nouveau drew inspiration from botany, zoology and biology. It also looked to the human form for inspiration, often in the guise of beguiling, ethereal women. The exponents of this artistic movement also explored the principles of ergonomics, seeking to successfully combine functionality and aesthetic quality. In doing so, they laid the foundations of design.
More than a style, Art Nouveau was a vision of the world in which art, nature and everyday life existed in harmony.
Breaking down the boundaries between disciplines
Artists also rediscovered and championed traditional craftsmanship, working with glass, wood, metal and even leather. This spirit of renewal was felt in architecture as well as contemporary paintings, with vibrant colours making a welcome return.
Art Nouveau thus succeeded in marrying what had previously been regarded as “high art” and “low art” in the same movement. Disciplines such as poster-printing and cabinet-making were now elevated to the pantheon of fine arts.
Art Nouveau thus succeeded in marrying what had previously been regarded as “high art” and “low art” in the same movement. Disciplines such as poster-printing and cabinet-making were now elevated to the pantheon of fine arts.
Masters of Art Nouveau
Leading exponents of the Art Nouveau movement in France included architect Hector Guimard (famous for designing many of the most famous entrances to Parisian metro stations), cabinet-maker and interior decorator Louis Majorelle, master glass-maker and jeweller René Lalique and of course Eugène Grasset, architect, decorator and creator of celebrated engravings and prints.
One particular figure in the movement, master glass-maker, cabinet-maker and ceramicist Émile Gallé, is inextricably linked to the history of Maison Perrier-Jouët.
One particular figure in the movement, master glass-maker, cabinet-maker and ceramicist Émile Gallé, is inextricably linked to the history of Maison Perrier-Jouët.
A passionate and knowledgeable amateur botanist, Gallé’s vast gardens were home to more than 3,000 species of plants, including more than 400 hailing from Japan.
In 1902 he was asked to decorate four magnums by Octave Gallice, and turned to his Japanese anemones for inspiration. Evoking the distinctive floral notes of Chardonnay, they would go on to become the emblem of the Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque cuvée, and indeed the House itself.
In 1902 he was asked to decorate four magnums by Octave Gallice, and turned to his Japanese anemones for inspiration. Evoking the distinctive floral notes of Chardonnay, they would go on to become the emblem of the Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque cuvée, and indeed the House itself.
The embodiment of Art Nouveau
Maison Belle Epoque
Located in Epernay, the birthplace of Perrier-Jouët, La Maison Belle Epoque houses one of the largest private collection of French Art Nouveau. From furniture to interior design and decorative items, it is home to a host of rare masterpieces by some of the leading names in the movement.
The collection includes three exceptional works by Art Nouveau master, Hector Guimard. Although they were originally designed for different interiors, they illustrate the artist’s vision of the house as an indivisible whole, a total work of art.
The collection includes three exceptional works by Art Nouveau master, Hector Guimard. Although they were originally designed for different interiors, they illustrate the artist’s vision of the house as an indivisible whole, a total work of art.
Émile Gallé and the Living World
Among the treasures of the Maison Belle Epoque collection, Émile Gallé’s dragonfly table stands as a striking expression of his reverence for nature. Here, the dragonfly is not merely decorative but a defining structural element, seamlessly uniting artistry and function.
Timeless Masterpieces
In the visual arts, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec will forever be synonymous with his scenes of Parisian nightlife in the Belle Epoque. His portrait of Yvette Guilbert, painted on a ceramic plaque, has become an emblematic example of the Art Nouveau style.
One of the jewels in the crown of this outstanding collection is a work by Auguste Rodin, specifically a bronze version of his Eternal Springtime. The creation of this famous sculpture coincided with the Art Nouveau movement, although Rodin himself was not affiliated with the latter. It was a gift presented to Henri Gallice by the House’s employees on the occasion of the centenary of Maison Perrier-Jouët in 1911, and thus held great sentimental value.
One of the jewels in the crown of this outstanding collection is a work by Auguste Rodin, specifically a bronze version of his Eternal Springtime. The creation of this famous sculpture coincided with the Art Nouveau movement, although Rodin himself was not affiliated with the latter. It was a gift presented to Henri Gallice by the House’s employees on the occasion of the centenary of Maison Perrier-Jouët in 1911, and thus held great sentimental value.
The Belle Époque Era
A period defined by its joyful insouciance, when opera, theatre and cabaret made Paris the entertainment capital of the world, the Belle Epoque era stretched from around 1895 to 1914. It was a particularly fruitful period for France, a time of scientific progress and artistic abundance. In an age of rapid industrialisation, the movement emphasised the importance of craftsmanship in the decorative arts.
The movement came to the end with the outbreak of the First World War, making way for the crisp, geometric contours of Art Deco.
The movement came to the end with the outbreak of the First World War, making way for the crisp, geometric contours of Art Deco.