123 years ago today, on April 20, 1902 (March 13, 1902 lunar calendar), Art Nouveau was on display in Paris. Table lamps of the Art Nouveau era On April 20, 1902, at the French National Exhibition of Fine Arts, the essence of Art Nouveau, which had been conceived for a quarter of a century, was revealed to Parisians. The French word for "Art Nouveau" was originally the name of Samuel Bean's decorative art shop in Paris. Influenced by Japanese painting and 19th-century Rococo and Gothic art in the revival period, Art Nouveau was characterized by powerful, long and winding lines. Two of the most influential people to put Art Nouveau to practical use were the French architect and furniture designer Hector Guimar, whose work is best known for the fancy metal cast doors at the entrance to the Paris metro station, and Rene ́ Lalique, whose glassworks and jewelry were exciting during the exhibition. Architecture belonging to the Art Nouveau period