A Life of Form and Ornament Hans Christiansen emerged from Flensburg in 1866, beginning a career that would weave through the most significant decorative movements of his era. His early training as a decorative painter provided a foundation for a life spent navigating the boundaries between fine art and functional design. After studying at the School of Applied Arts in Munich and later at the Académie Julian in Paris, he moved beyond the canvas to embrace the tactile world of ceramics, glass, and metalwork. His path was shaped by a notable encounter at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition i…