Features of Italian design at the turn of the 19th century

The distinctiveness of Italian design was largely formed by the period at the turn of the 19th century. As a result of the reforms in the design sector that accompanied the emergence of the new statehood of Italy, modern art and style were called upon to affirm the national identity of the country, as well as to satisfy the ambitious goals of revenge at world level in the field of applied art. Design became a reflection of the dual nature of the regional Liberty style, which was evolving in a dialogue between traditions and innovations. The innovative processes of Art Nouveau accompanied the deeply rooted traditions of the ancient heritage as reminiscences of the great Renaissance. The feature of Italian design that became mainstream was authorship, which manifested itself as authored styles, authored design schools, and individual design and production associations. Individual creativity of the designer, devoid of the inertia of large design associations, was accompanied by freedom of creative experimentation, openness to innovative intellectual concepts and formal-plastic searches, which have not lost their relevance at the modern stage of Italian design.