What is Art Nouveau ? The term Art Nouveau first appeared in the Belgian art journal L'Art Moderne in 1884 to describe the work of Les Vingt, a society of 20 progressive artists that included James Ensor. These painters responded to leading theories by French architect Eugene-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc and British critic John Ruskin, who advocated for the unity of all arts. In December 1895, the German-born art dealer Siegfried Bing opened a gallery in Paris named Maison l'Art Nouveau. Branching out from the Japanese ceramics and ukiyo-e prints for which he had become known, Bing promoted this new art in the gallery, selling a selection of furniture, fabrics, wallpaper, and objets d'art.