Vintage May be older art nouveau silver ( unfortunately no Hallmarks) pill box

Vintage May be older art nouveau style silver ( unfortunately no Hallmarks) pill box. This exquisite small box is adorned with repousse flowers although no Hallmarks. I believe this is silver. The feel, weight and the way it closes with a lovely click and the beautiful decorations show it's quality ( unfortunately have to sell as white metal). Some minor age related wear.

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3 cm square 2 cm tall

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Art Nouveau ("New Art") was an international design style that flourished from the 1890s to World War I, reacting against historicism and mass production by creating a new, modern style inspired by nature's organic, sinuous forms. It aimed to unify fine and applied arts into a single "total work of art" (Gesamtkunstwerk), influencing architecture, furniture, jewelry, and graphic arts like posters and illustration, though its influence waned by 1914, eventually replaced by Modernist styles.

Origins and Development

Arts and Crafts Influence:

Art Nouveau emerged from the Arts and Crafts Movement in Britain, which championed craftsmanship and rejected industrialization.

Rejection of Historicism:

Art Nouveau was a deliberate break from the revival of past historical styles that dominated the 19th century, seeking something entirely new.

Inspiration from Nature:

The style took inspiration from the natural world, incorporating organic forms, plant-like motifs, and sinuous lines, sometimes described as "whiplash" curves.

International Movement:

Although it began in Britain and the decorative arts in Brussels and Paris were epicenters, Art Nouveau spread rapidly across Europe and to the United States under different names in various countries.

Key Characteristics

Fluid Lines:

A defining feature is the use of graceful, flowing, and asymmetrical lines, particularly "whiplash" curves.

Organic and Floral Motifs:

Common motifs include plants, leaves, flowers, and insects, abstracted into stylized, decorative patterns.

Integration of Art and Craft:

There was a strong intention to unify fine and applied arts to create a holistic and beautiful environment.

Synthesis of Materials:

Architects and designers utilized a wide array of materials, including iron, glass, wood, and ceramics, to create detailed and innovative forms.

Decline

World War I:

The outbreak of World War I marked the end of Art Nouveau's dominant period.

Rise of Modernism:

By the 1920s, the style was replaced by new movements like Art Deco and Modernism.

Key Figures and Examples

Architecture: Victor Horta and Paul Hankar in Brussels, and Hector Guimard in France.

Graphic Arts: Alphonse Mucha's ornate poster designs and Aubrey Beardsley's decorative drawings.

Applied Arts: Designs for jewellery, glass, and furniture.

Repoussé is a metalworking technique that creates a raised design by hammering from the reverse side of a malleable metal. The name comes from the French word repoussé, meaning "pushed up". This technique is often used in conjunction with chasing, where hammering is done from the front to define details and sink the metal. Repoussé was utilized by ancient civilizations to decorate jewelry, plaques, and religious artifacts and is still practiced today by jewelers and metalworkers.

How it works

1. Support the metal:

The piece of malleable metal, such as gold or silver, is placed on a supportive, often slightly warm, surface like pitch.

2. Hammer from the back:

Punches are struck against the back of the metal, pushing and stretching the material outwards to form a raised design.

3. Refine with chasing:

Once the basic forms are created through repoussé, chasing is used on the front side of the metal to add detail, refine the design, and define the edges of the raised areas.

Key Characteristics

Reverse side work:

The defining characteristic is that the design is formed by hammering from the backside of the metal.

Relief design:

The process results in a tactile design with a textured, embossed quality that stands out in low relief from the metal's surface.

Ancient technique:

It's one of the oldest metalworking methods, originating with civilizations in ancient Egypt, Greece, and Mesopotamia.

Used with chasing:

Repoussé is frequently combined with chasing, where the front of the metal is hammered to create details and contours.