German painter and Art Nouveau designer, Hans Christiansen was one of the most important German artists of Art Nouveau and the classical modern style. He began his artistic career as a decorative painter in Flensburg, from 1881 to 1885. He then went to Munich in 1888, in order to study at the Kunstgewerbeschule. Later, he traveled to Italy, published a book and decided to continue with further studies at the Académie Julian in Paris, after he had discovered the glass works by Tiffany in Chicago.

As a painter, Christiansen was deeply influenced by the Nabis and the French Art Nouveau. His artistic breakthrough, however, was caused by his designs for front pages and advertising. In...