Allegorische Frauengestalten Circa 1900

“Allegorische Frauengestalten – Darstellung Weiblicher Handarbeiten” is a breathtaking circa 1900 original lithograph by renowned Belgian Art Nouveau artist Privat-Livemont. This elegant composition is a striking celebration of femininity, seasonal beauty, and traditional craftsmanship, rendered in the lush, flowing aesthetic that defined the Belle Époque.

Composed of four vertical panels, the poster depicts allegorical female figures, each engaged in a different form of delicate needlework or handcraft. Framed by blooming branches and set against pastel backdrops, the women appear dreamlike—goddesses of domestic artistry. Their elaborate hairstyles, soft drapery, and floral adornments echo the organic elegance typical of the Art Nouveau movement.

Each figure exudes grace and purpose: one spins thread, another embroiders, one weaves, and another ties a ribbon. Their expressions are serene, lost in creative concentration, embodying an idealized vision of harmony between nature, beauty, and labor.

This work was published in Germany and printed by E. Höchstädt, Stuttgart, as part of a decorative arts portfolio titled “Decorative Models” (Decorative Vorbilder), intended to inspire design and aesthetic sensibility at the turn of the century. The text at the bottom, "Nach Originalen von Privat Livemont", confirms it was based on original designs by Livemont himself.

As both artwork and social document, this poster serves as a poetic tribute to the cultural role of women’s handiwork at the time—elevating it from domestic necessity to an art form in its own right.

Today, “Allegorische Frauengestalten” is admired not only for its artistic merit but also as a collectible slice of Art Nouveau visual culture, echoing the stylistic grace of Livemont’s contemporaries like Alphonse Mucha. A rare and delicate original, it remains a sublime example of early 20th-century decorative illustration.

Art nouveau

Decorative Vorbilder XIV

Good condition, slight soiling