Nature in Full Bloom: The Triumph of Art Nouveau Arrives at the Dayton Art Institute
Tuesday, October 14, 2025
MEDIA RELEASE: For Immediate Release
CONTACT: Erin Wood, Marketing Communications Manager
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“The Triumph of Nature: Art Nouveau from the Chrysler Museum of Art” opens October 18, celebrating the elegance, innovation and organic beauty of the groundbreaking artistic movement.
(DAYTON, OHIO) – October 14, 2025 – This fall, the Dayton Art Institute (DAI) invites visitors to step into a world where art and nature intertwine with The Triumph of Nature: Art Nouveau from the Chrysler Museum of Art, on view October 18, 2025–January 11, 2026.
“This exhibition demonstrates why Art Nouveau is admired today as one of the most elegant and beautiful movements in the history of art,” said DAI Head Curator and Curatorial Affairs Director Jerry N. Smith. “The Triumph of Nature showcases the imaginative, modern artists working in Europe and America who transformed the very concept of everyday objects into opulent and sensuous works of art.”
Featuring more than 120 exquisite works by masters such as Louis Comfort Tiffany, Alphonse Mucha, Émile Gallé and Aubrey Beardsley, this major traveling exhibition explores the curving lines, natural forms and refined craftsmanship that defined one of the most beautiful and influential movements from the turn of the twentieth century. The DAI is proud to be the exclusive Ohio venue for this exhibition.
Drawn from the internationally significant collections of the Chrysler Museum of Art, The Triumph of Nature highlights the elegance and innovation of Art Nouveau through furniture, paintings, sculpture, mosaics, books, posters, prints, lamps, glass art and more. Together, these works showcase the movement’s fluid design language in which vines, flowers and the human figure merge into a seamless, lyrical style.
Bridging art, design and craftsmanship, The Triumph of Nature also serves as a window into a pivotal moment in cultural history when artistic innovation flourished at the dawn of a new century, just before the First World War transformed the world.
“Artists were inspired by artwork coming out of Japan in the late nineteenth century, especially Japanese woodblock prints, as well as by nature, particularly the unruly aspects of nature,” said Smith. “Their designs in glasswork, furniture, ceramics and printmaking are rich in ornamentation and detail, featuring sinuous lines and whiplash curves. Our guests will see how Art Nouveau shaped modern design and decorative arts as we know them today.”
A companion publication, also titled The Triumph of Nature: Art Nouveau from the Chrysler Museum of Art, accompanies the exhibition and will be available for purchase in the DAI’s museum store. Published by the Chrysler Museum of Art, International Arts & Artists and D. Giles Limited, the beautifully illustrated volume includes essays by American art historian Gabriel P. Weisberg; Chrysler Museum of Art Chief Curator and Irene Leache Curator of European Art Lloyd DeWitt; and the Barry Curator of Glass, Carolyn Swan Needell, along with photographs of all 124 featured artworks.
RELATED EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
Several related educational programs will be offered in conjunction with the exhibition. These programs are sponsored by AES Ohio Foundation. They include:
- Guided Tour: The Triumph of Nature: Art Nouveau from the Chrysler Museum of Art
Explore the depth and inspiration of the DAI’s newest special exhibition, The Triumph of Nature: Art Nouveau from the Chrysler Museum of Art, in this guided tour experience.
Dates: Select Saturdays: October 25; November 8, 22 and 29; and December 13 and 27, from 1–2PM
Cost: Members: Free | Non-members: Included with the price of admission
Location: Special Exhibition Gallery
Ages: All - Special Exhibition Workshop Series: Making Mosaics
Create your own Art Nouveau-inspired mosaic coasters in this two-session workshop led by Jes McMillan, founder of the Mosaic Institute of Dayton. Bring the beauty of nature into your home with functional works of art inspired by the elegant curves and natural motifs of the Art Nouveau era.
Dates: November 13 & 20, from 6–8 PM
Cost: Members: $60 | Non-members: $65 (includes both sessions)
Location: DAI Studios
Ages: 18+
About the Artist: Jes McMillan is an Artist Activist and founder of the Mosaic Institute of Dayton, a nonprofit dedicated to inspiring, empowering and unifying communities through collaborative art. Since 2015, McMillan has led more than 30 permanent public mosaic projects in the Miami Valley, including the 8.4 Memorial Mosaic that involved over 5,000 participants.
“What started as a focus on creating beautiful mosaic art together has become a focus on the conversation we cultivate at the table,” says McMillan. “When we come together through creativity, we connect to empathy, understanding and change.”
EXHIBITION SPONSORS
This exhibition was made possible by the generous support of Presenting Sponsor Wanda Lukens; Benefactor Sponsors The Linda Black Kurek Family Foundation and Linda Lombard & Paul Marshall; Patron Sponsor The Bill & Jackie Lockwood Family Foundation; Promoting Sponsors Martha & Mark Shaker and University of Dayton; Additional Support Ron Anderson and Robb Sloan-Anderson. The Media Sponsors are Discover Classical and Think TV PBS. Special thanks to Bernstein’s Catering and The Flower Shoppe. The DAI also recognizes and thanks Ohio Arts Council, Montgomery County and Culture Works as Ongoing Sponsors.
ADMISSION & MUSEUM INFORMATION
Admission to The Triumph of Nature: Art Nouveau from the Chrysler Museum of Art is included in the museum’s general admission, which includes access to all Special and Focus Exhibitions currently on view, as well as the museum collection galleries. General admission is $15 adults; $10 seniors (60+), active military and groups (10 or more); $5 students (18+ w/ID) and youth (ages 7–17); and free for children (ages 6 & younger). Admission is free for museum members. Membership information can be found online at www.daytonartinstitute.org/membership.
CURRENT EXHIBITIONS
Other current and upcoming Exhibitions at the museum include Wonders in Color: Art by Alexander Calder & Others (on view until October 26, 2025); Contemporary Japanese Ceramics from the Horvitz Collection (on view until January 3, 2025); Strange Worlds: Photographs by Jay Hoops (on view until January 4, 2026); Themes in Yoshitoshi’s 100 Aspects of the Moon: Love & Longing (on view October 25–January 25, 2026); Engaged: Rings from around the World (on view November 8, 2025–April 19, 2026); and Dayton Printmakers Cooperative: Dayton/Kyoto Invitational (on view December 6, 2025–February 22, 2026).
For more information about planning a visit, including current museum hours and updates, go to www.daytonartinstitute.org/visit or call 937-223-4ART (4278). Connect with the Dayton Art Institute on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube for additional information, behind-the-scenes photos and videos, and exclusive offers.
ABOUT DAYTON ART INSTITUTE
MISSION: Through art, we create transformative and diverse experiences, strengthen community connections and inspire imagination.
VISION: Through art, we will be a community leader recognized as a welcoming, thought-provoking and collaborative place that nurtures inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility.
The Dayton Art Institute (DAI) is the Miami Valley’s premier fine art museum, offering a full range of programming in addition to exhibiting its collection. The museum is currently open Wednesdays, 11 AM–5 PM; Thursdays, 11 AM–8 PM; Fridays & Saturdays, 11 AM–5 PM; and Sundays, noon–5 PM. Go to www.daytonartinstitute.org/visit for the latest museum information and updates. Museum admission is $15 adults, $10 seniors (60+), active military and groups (10 or more), $5 students (18+ w/ID) and youth (ages 7–17), free for children (ages 6 & younger) and free for museum members. Admission includes access to all Special Exhibitions, Focus Exhibitions, The Lange Family Experiencenter and the museum’s collection galleries. Some events and programs may carry an additional charge and include museum admission as part of that price. Free parking is available at the museum, and the facility is fully accessible. The DAI’s Museum Store and Leo are open during regular museum hours, offering unique shopping, as well as drinks and tasty treats. The Museum Store also offers online shopping at www.daimuseumstore.org. For more information about the DAI, visit daytonartinstitute.org or call 937-223-4ART (4278). The Ohio Arts Council helps fund this organization with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. The DAI also receives support from Culture Works and the Montgomery County Arts and Cultural District.
ABOUT THE CHRYSLER MUSEUM OF ART
The Chrysler Museum of Art is one of America’s most distinguished mid-sized art museums, with a nationally recognized collection of more than 30,000 objects, including one of the great glass collections in America. The core of the Chrysler’s collection comes from Walter P. Chrysler, Jr., an avid art collector who donated thousands of objects from his private collection to the museum. The museum has growing collections in many areas and mounts an ambitious schedule of visiting exhibitions and educational programs each season. The Chrysler has also been recognized nationally for its unique commitment to hospitality with its innovative gallery host program.
The Perry Glass Studio is a state-of-the-art facility on the museum’s campus. The studio offers programming for aspiring and master artists alike in a variety of processes, including glassblowing, fusing, flameworking, coldworking and neon. In addition, the Chrysler Museum of Art administers the Moses Myers House, a historic house in downtown Norfolk, as well as the Jean Outland Chrysler Library. For more information on the Chrysler Museum of Art, visit chrysler.org.
ABOUT INTERNATIONAL ARTS & ARTISTS
International Arts & Artists in Washington, DC, is a nonprofit arts service organization dedicated to increasing cross-cultural understanding and exposure to the arts internationally, through exhibitions, programs and services to artists, arts institutions and the public. Visit www.artsandartists.org
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