The Wave
1896
Hans Christiansen captures the wild spirit of the *Jugendstil* movement in this dynamic 1896 illustration, likely created for the famous Munich magazine *Jugend* which actually gave the German Art Nouveau style its name. An ecstatic, long-haired woman rides atop a massive, serpentine sea creature as it bursts through the waves—fitting for a piece titled 'Die Woge' (The Wave)—her arms reaching toward the swirling, ornate lettering above. Signed in Paris, this piece perfectly blends the organic, flowing lines typical of the era with a sense of mythological drama.
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