Sex and Sensibility: The Allure of Art Nouveau Starts 22nd March BBC4

Stephen Smith leads this series which looks at how the Art Nouveau Movement flourished in the burgeoning cities of Europe at the end of the 19th century.

By introducing Art Nouveau & The Aesthetic Movement as inspired by the ‘youth’ , suggests these Bohemians were the first hippies. No wonder many Art Nouveau images were picked up in the 1960′s.

To the left are examples of Art Nouveau furniture available at Roomscape - a decorative firescreen and a un ique p air of Aesthetic Movement armchairs, early 20th Century.

The programme introduced us to the work by Mary Watts. The chapel she designed, tucked away behind a Surrey hill, was spiritual on an entirely new level.

We have always been inspired by Aubrey Beardsley and this series goes into his brief and controversal career.

In Scotland, Stephen Smith celebrates the innovative art nouveau geometric forms of Charles Rennie Mackintosh & his wife Margaret MacDonald. There are even hints to the birth of the Art Deco look & spirit. This is continued in the third episode about Vienna.

Sex and Sensibility: The Allure of Art Nouveau