What are the characteristics of Art Nouveau?

To add the some of the characteristics of Art Nouveau's actual art on canvas is:

-An artist should work on everything from architecture to furniture design so that art would become a part of everyday life. By making beauty and harmony a part of everyday life, artists make people's lives better. This approach has been represented in painting, architecture
-typical flat, decorative patterns
-nickname 'the noodle style'
-flat, decorative patterns, intertwined organic forms of stems or flowers
-curving lines characterize Art Nouveau, right-angled forms are also typical
-Principal subjects are lavish birds and flowers, insects and polymorphic femme fatale
-Abstract lines and shapes are used widely as a filling for recognizable subject matter.
-beautiful objects of art, but not necessarily very functional.
a very cute web page is very helpful;
www.huntfor.com/arthistory/c19th/artnouveau.htm

Hope it helps you :-