Jugendstil aimed at combining material and function. Plant motifs from nature were stylised as ornaments.
Applied art was the centre of attention. In his writings, William Morris called for a revitalisation of crafts and trades.

Gustav Klimt was a classic example of a Jugendstil painter, and Henry van de Velde's work exemplified Jugendstil design.
At KPM, Hermann Seger became a pioneer of Jugendstil through his development of soft porcelain compounds and new glazes (lustre, sang de boeuf).
In 1912, Theodor H. Schmuz-Baudiss created the Ceres dinner service, and, in 1906, Adolph Amberg designed an elaborately-figured centrepiece for the wedding of Crown Prince Wilhelm of Prussia (produced in porcelain 1908-11).