Featuring art work spanning 100-years, “Inspired by Nature: Graphic Design in the Art Nouveau Period,” is on display at the J. Wayne Stark Galleries.
The exhibit showcases both European and American art from the Art Nouveau Period, which took place from the 1800s to the early 1900s.
John Delulio and his wife loaned major art pieces for the exhibit
“The word ‘Art Nouveau’, which is French, just means new art,” Delulio said. “It could pertain to any period, but it just [became famous] in that period of time.”
Delulio said there was a significant difference between American and European art styles.
“You’ll notice the European style is more colorful and more flowing, where the American style is more realistic,” Delulio said. “But they were all done at the same period.”
Catherine Hastedt, director and curator of the University Art Galleries, said the Art Nouveau period had far-reaching effects.
“The Art Nouveau period is characterized by a stylized art aesthetic that created a new decorative language around the world,” Hastedt said. “It impacted art, architecture and the applied and decorative arts. Its most common features are organic forms — mostly flowers and plants — and curling lines.”
Hastedt said the American section within the exhibit explores how America was adopting Nouveau style as it was positioning itself to become a world power.
“Women were starting to break free from traditional roles as wives and mothers,” Hastedt said. “There was a rise in the middle class, and illustrators such as Charles Dana Gibson and Harrison Fisher were creating iconic images of beautiful women and the semi-aristocratic lifestyles that people aspired to live.”
Some of the featured artists from the Art Nouveau Period include Henry Toulouse-Lautrec, Alphonse Mucha and Harrison Fisher.
“The most expensive ones are Lautrec,” Delulio said. “He’s the most famous. I have in my collection quite a few of them. And next would be Mucha.”
Amanda Cagle, the collections manager of University Art Galleries, said she felt the “Job” piece, stands out among the rest.
“The Job piece is the crown jewel of the exhibit,” Cagle said.
Delulio’s passion for collecting art began at a young age.
“I started — this is going to make you drop dead — I was born in 1938,” Delulio said. “I bought my first series of prints after the 50s. That was a portfolio on Picasso. I paid half of what my father earned at that time. He was amazed at that, but he didn’t say anything because it was my own money.”
Today Delulio and his wife continue their passion of collecting artwork.
“I have been doing it for maybe 40, 50 years now,” Delulio said. “My wife and I are both into this. We probably have in our home here 500 or 600 pieces of art hanging.”
John and Cindy Delulio will speak at 5:30 p.m. Thursday.