It makes me sad when people dismiss Art Nouveau as being "for the rich" while acting as if things aren't really Solarpunk unless they're gritty or recycled looking. People act as if pretty things are only for the wealthy – which is just what the wealthy want you to believe.

Art Nouveau is perfect for the Solarpunk movement, and not just because of the plant-based themes. It's deeper than that.

Art Nouveau was an inherently anti-capitalist movement.

Art Nouveau found its roots in the Arts and Crafts movement in late 19th century England, when the industrial revolution was in full swing.

Artisans rejected the things which Victorian capitalism was all about. Things like mass production, profit over quality, and the dehumanisation that factory workers suffered.

Instead, their goal was to emphasise the human side of things. The attention to fine detail which capitalist factories would never bother with.

Art Nouveau grew across Europe in reaction to industrialisation.

It was never intended to be enjoyed in private. Artisans wanted to create beauty in public spaces, which is why train stations are still often full of Art Nouveau architecture. The Paris Metro is a well known example.

Even as the wealthy were trying to push industrialisation onto the world, the Art Nouveau movement was about trying to make things beautiful for all.

Another thing about Art Nouveau is that it was intended as a Gesamtkunstwerk – a German term for a "total work of art." Their goal wasn't just to make a few things pretty for a select few.

Their goal was to make literally EVERYTHING beautiful. Everything from buildings and public spaces to everyday furniture and eating utensils.