Art Nouveau designers—from all parts of the world—would often "reach-back" in their local history to find aesthetic themes for their contemporary, Turn-of-the-Century works. Artists would mine literary, cultural, historic or ancient aesthetic motifs, reviving them for an audience which probably would recognize them. For example, English Arts & Crafts artisans might lift characters, scenes or verbiage from Medieval literature (like The Knights of the Round Table). In America, Arts & Crafts artists might utilize ancient Native American symbology. In Germany, a Gothic sensibility permeated much of their Jugendstil design.
The hammered steel cigar casket, shown above, has the rustic sensibility of hand-wrought Gothic design. Nine round, shield-form "bosses" are hammered and affixed with metal riveting. They provide the fortified appearance of Gothic metalwork—and provided a nod to the earlier German aesthetic they were reviving. Click on the photo above to learn more about this very handsome box.
Though our Greenwich Village store is now permanently closed, LEO Design is still alive and well! Please visit our on-line store where we continue to sell Handsome Gifts (www.LEOdesignNYC.com).
We also can be found in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, at The Antique Center of Strabane (www.antiquecenterofstrabane.com).
Or call to arrange to visit our Pittsburgh showroom (by private appointment only). 917-446-4248