Jugendstil

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Around 1880, a new decorative style developed in Europe that radically broke with prevailing artistic conventions. Variations of this style included Art Nouveau in France and Arts & Crafts in England. The variety that emerged in German-speaking countries became known as Jugendstil, literally ‘youth style’, typified by its flowing lines, stylizsed floral compositions and rich use of detail and colour. The importance and quality of this style is clear: it swiftly came to dominate practically all forms of European applied arts and architecture, and it survived well into the 1920s.