Modernism

Modernism

Modernism was the leading design movement of the twentieth century. Modernism emerged due to growth in industrialization that happened from the nineteenth to the twentieth century. When the war was over, as the movement was started to grow, modernist theories and principles had an enormous influence in the planning of rebuilding a lot of the European cities. Le Corbusier’s work represents the best under-lying principles of modernism. Other prominent early modernists are Walter Gropius, Adolf Loos, Peter Behrens and Mies van der Rohe. 

Most of the time, the evolution of Modernism is explained architecturally, a symbolic point of architecture’s influence over craft and design at the time. Modernism started when people realized that the High Victorian style was a result of greed and corruption. A. W. N. Pugin and William Morris were amongst the first Modernists to take the initiative to reform society through a new approach of design, which promoted the ideas of developing well designed and executed products for everyday use. Despite the fact that both encouraged craftsmanship over industrial productions, they also encouraged that the importance of functionality, simplicity and appropriateness in the designs should be taken care of. However, they emphasized that the main responsibility of designers and manufacturers to produce such products. The idea that design could reform society was going to have a major impact on the evolution of the movement. In Adolf Loos’ book Ornament und Vebrechen (Ornament and Crime), he associated excessive decoration with the corruption of society, while Form ohne Ornament (Form without Ornament) highlighted the advantages of plain and rationally based designs. This insistence on the elimination of ornament was an idea promoted by the de Stijl movement. Whilst Futurism and Constructivism celebrated the machine, the Bauhaus was led by Walter Gropius to integrate arts and put the reforming ideals of Modernism into practice.

Adolf loos Glass Service 1931

Modernism was all about functionalism, using the newest and best materials, and industrial methods. The Bauhaus had a huge impact on Modernism due to the creation of a new method of designing things that included everything from interiors and furniture to ceramics, metal ware, graphics and architecture. An International Style of Modernism emerged by 1927 and was led by Le Corbusier. The Industrial Style and minimalism were two separate modernist characteristics of this new reductivist machine esthetic. Modernism soon lost its moral ideals, but not everything was lost. Scandinavian designers such as Alvar Aalto, which his work expressed forms through organic designs, was a source of inspiration for the new generation of modernist designers.

Artek Alvar Aalto 44 Armchair

The International Style that dominated America’s architecture in the 1920s and 1930s had since evolved into various confined trends, from Brutalism to Rectilinearism. With difference to the majority of design styles, Modernism didn’t have a single manifesto or “members”, instead it consisted of a variety of different people that shared the same interest for common values and esthetics. Modernism’s concept of modernity and eagerness to exploit the latest technology and materials was expressed with simple forms, use of white space, minimal surface modelling, smooth lines and lack of decoration.

Banister Back Chair                                     Gothic chair

MR Side Chair by Ludwig Mies van de Rohe

Both chairs above were manufactured in the same period of time, but one can see the big difference between them. The materials used are very different and even the design. The MR Side Chair has a very organic shape and contemporary look, whilst the Banister Back Chair is organic but looks like a chair from the Gothic era.

References:

Folio. 2014. Folio. [ONLINE] Available at:http://arthursfolio.blogspot.com/2010/03/ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe-caned-chair.html. [Accessed 19 November 2014].

Banister Back Chair. 2014. Banister Back Chair. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.nps.gov/museum/exhibits/elro/gallery/banchair_ELRO566.html. [Accessed 19 November 2014].

Antique Victorian Gothic Oak Chair With Leather Seat | 249814 | Sellingantiques.co.uk. 2014. Antique Victorian Gothic Oak Chair With Leather Seat | 249814 | Sellingantiques.co.uk. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.sellingantiques.co.uk/249814/antique-victorian-gothic-oak-chair-with-leather-seat/. [Accessed 19 November 2014].

Dark Princess. 2014. Dark Princess. [ONLINE] Available at:http://wandererintears.blogspot.com/. [Accessed 19 November 2014].

Adolf Loos Glass Service | Neue Galerie Design Shop & Book Store. 2015.Adolf Loos Glass Service | Neue Galerie Design Shop & Book Store. [ONLINE] Available at: http://shop.neuegalerie.org/products/loos-glass-service. [Accessed 20 January 2015].

Houzz.com: Online Shopping for Furniture, Decor and Home Improvement. 2015. Houzz.com: Online Shopping for Furniture, Decor and Home Improvement. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.houzz.com/photos/products/alvar-aalto-baker. [Accessed 20 January 2015].

Art nouveau

Art nouveau

This was a movement which name attributed to a universal design style that developed in Europe in the late nineteenth century. It was a time when designers and architects were looking to establish a new type of art based on the new and got inspired by the ideals of British, Art and Crafts. This movement is considered as the first truly modern and international style because they rejected historicism and wanted to invent a new style which had nothing to do with the past.


In these two pictures one can see the way the artists decorated jewellery pieces and made prints. Insect representations were found everywhere, from jewellery to furniture. Organic foliate forms and curved lines represented nature and its flawness.

Characteristics:-

• Organic foliate forms
• Sinuous lines
• Curvilinear whiplash motifs
• Nature
• Animals and insects

Printed on this umbrella we can see three characteristics of that time, an elephant and organic forms and things found in nature.

 These characteristics inspired most significant forms of this unique style. Although the many regional variations and not to mention the impressive talents the individual designers had, the Art nouveau styles had shared a number of targets. Everyone was familiar with the introduction of new forms, embracement of mass production, and the focus of the natural as a source of inspiration. 

Japonisme  which is a style that has simplicity in form and uses white space, also played a crucical role in the progression of art nouveau. It was very evident especially in graphic design and can be clearly noticed in the work of poster artists such as Alphonse Mucha, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and Aubrey beardsley.

In England, France, Spain and America, art nouveau designs were influenced by curvilinear whiplash motifs, but at the same time in Scotland and Germany, their designs were known as rectilinear. Charles Rennie Mackintosh was the designer whose architecture, interiors and furniture for the Glasgow School of Art remained as some of the greatest examples of rectilinear art nouveau. Some other designers had a different perception of the style and chose to combine both rectilinear and curvilinear lines within their work.

Art nouveau did not represent the same ideals for everyone worldwide. In the UK this style was liberty, because they wanted to be free enjoying what they did best and not having to restrict their selves doing something they felt as a source of freedom. In the meantime in France the style was split

in two groups, the Nancy School, founded by Emile Gallé in 1901, and the Paris School,  which kept
developing as Victor Horta and Hector Guimard worked together. Gallé had a very good knowledge of agriculture and was very interested in the natural world. One can see this in his decorative use of insects and exotic plant forms, including his marquetry designs for his furniture. His curvilinear surface patterns of the mesh looking leaves are the typical examples of Nancy designs of that time.

Below one can see the designs of flowers, butterflies and if you look close enough you can see dragonflies aswell. Personally I don't really like these pieces very much but I can understand the way they saw this art. I think that they wanted to communicate freedom through these type of designs because nature is freedom and gives freedom to us. Galle is the artist for these pieces and through his works he has several pieces with insects, animals and flowers/ leafs. 

Art nouveau architecture remained dominant in Belgium, and
Horta's Hotel Tassel became on of the first architectural feedback to that style. In Belgium, the architect's ironwork and stemlike columns use, was being called the Horta Line. In France Guimiard's entrance for the Paris Metro had made a huge impact on people and on art nouveau, that it became known as Style Gumiard. The scene in Paris was centered on a group of artists who were brought together by Samuel Bing, and he used to exhibit their work in his gallery, L' Art Nouveau. Modernismo in Spain started to take shape, thanks to the work of Antoni Gaudi. The Germans chose the name Jugendstil to describe their interpretation of the style.

References:-

Pewter Art Nouveau Moth Bracelet | Overstock.com Shopping - The Best Deals on Pewter Bracelets. 2015. Pewter Art Nouveau Moth Bracelet | Overstock.com Shopping - The Best Deals on Pewter Bracelets. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.overstock.com/Jewelry-Watches/Pewter-Art-Nouveau-Moth-Bracelet/4243660/product.html. [Accessed 20 January 2015].

 Art Nouveau Pattern #1 at Emporio Moffa Posters | Zazzle . 2015. Art Nouveau Pattern #1 at Emporio Moffa Posters | Zazzle . [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.zazzle.com/art_nouveau_pattern_1_at_emporio_moffa_posters-228224041434262234. [Accessed 20 January 2015].

 Cans, advertising signs and nostalgic collectibles : Auctionata Magazine. 2015. Cans, advertising signs and nostalgic collectibles : Auctionata Magazine. [ONLINE] Available at:https://magazine.auctionata.com/2013/11/15/cans-advertising-signs-and-nostalgic-collectibles/. [Accessed 20 January 2015].

Ecole de Nancy - E.Gallé. 2015. Ecole de Nancy - E.Gallé. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.ecole-de-nancy.com/web/index.php?page=emile-galle-en. [Accessed 20 January 2015].

Emile Gallé (1846-1904). 2015. Emile Gallé (1846-1904). [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.art-nouveau-around-the-world.org/en/artistes/galle.htm. [Accessed 20 January 2015].

. 2015. . [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.arcadja.com/auctions/en/galle_emile/artist/37307/. [Accessed 20 January 2015].

KATAGAMI Style -Paper Stencils and Japonisme | Green tour Kyoto | travel information in JAPAN. 2015. KATAGAMI Style -Paper Stencils and Japonisme | Green tour Kyoto | travel information in JAPAN. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.greentour-kyoto.net/arts/katagami-style-paper-stencils-and-japonisme/. [Accessed 20 January 2015].

Japonisme. The fascination with Japanese art | CaixaForum | Exhibitions | Time Out Barcelona. 2015. Japonisme. The fascination with Japanese art | CaixaForum | Exhibitions | Time Out Barcelona. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.timeout.com/barcelona/attractions/japonisme-the-fascination-with-japanese-art. [Accessed 20 January 2015].

. Musée de Vernon : Entre japonisme et arts décoratifs « Article « Le Démocrate. 2015. . Musée de Vernon : Entre japonisme et arts décoratifs « Article « Le Démocrate. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.ledemocratevernonnais.fr/2012/12/19/musee-de-vernon-entre-japonisme-et-arts-decoratifs/. [Accessed 20 January 2015].

art nouveau pattern | Patterns + florals | Pinterest. 2015. art nouveau pattern | Patterns + florals | Pinterest. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.pinterest.com/pin/351773420865942916/. [Accessed 20 January 2015].

Esthetic Movement

Esthetic Movement

During the second half of the nineteenth century, art, design and architecture had a series of developments in Britain, which gave form to the Esthetic movement. This movement was a modern Victorian design style which was similar to the Arts and Crafts movement. The practitioners of the Esthetic movement wanted to make every object a work of art. This movement was formed because they had had enough of the excess of the Gothic revival. Unlike the Arts and Crafts movement, estheticism had a different idea about art, they didn’t accept the idea of art being a social or moral principle. Architecture was decorated with plain materials, and decorative arts by the arts and craftsmanship of Japan and China. The Esthetic movement was initially showing contrast to the abundance of classical styles, having honesty, simplicity and plainness as its primary objectives. Decorative interpretation combined with Japanese and ethnic influences, led to the corruption of the original beliefs. Owen Jones and Christopher Dresser were the two who started this movement. They both believed that good design should be fit for purpose and appropriate to function. Having recently opened to the West, the high quality craftsmanship and use of geometric and abstract forms that defined Japanese design also had an enormous influence on the style. Whilst E. W. Godwin was using Japanese and Chinese forms to create his Anglo - Japanese furniture, others were adaption oriental shapes and forms on ceramics and Tiffany & Co, NY, were producing silver pieces with Japanese motifs.  This movement was all about moving away from the traditional rigidity of the early Victorianism and to have a freer view about art and design. 

Christopher Dresser 1834 - 1904

Dresser was a Scottish designer who worked independently and was one of the best designers of that time. He was a pioneer of design and had worked with over fifthy different manufacturers to spread the principles of good design. Dresser designed amazing works of art with an economic perception which were reasonable priced and widely available for consumers. His beliefs that form should be superior to decoration resulted in very fundamental designs, when compared to contemporary Victorian taste. 

 

Toast Rack                                                                Teapot

Edward William Godwin

Edward William Godwin was one of the greatest architects and designers of the nineteenth century. The beginning of his career started as an architect but later he turned to furniture design. He was one of the artist who had purchased Japanese objects after the Internal Exhibition which was held in 1862. Godwin became very interested in the Japanese culture and from that point in time he established the Anglo - Japanese movement. He worked along side Christopher Dresser and Thomas Jackyell by designing extremely modern furniture in 1867. Some of his most important works of art are; Dromore Castle, Grey Castle and The Fine Art Society Building in London.

 

Dromore Castle                                                       Coffee Table

This contemporary sofa has a relation to Japanese design in my opinion. It has the tin louvers which remind me of the Japanese doors which are similar to the design of the sofa's structure. The round corners give the sofa a contemporary and organic look but it still has elements from the Esthetic movement.

   References:

Christopher Dresser | Oscar Graf. 2014. Christopher Dresser | Oscar Graf. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.oscar-graf.com/artist/christopher-dresser. [Accessed 11 November 2014].

Edward William Godwin | Oscar Graf. 2014. Edward William Godwin | Oscar Graf. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.oscar-graf.com/artist/edward-william-godwin. [Accessed 11 November 2014].

Lord Belmont In Northern Ireland: Dromore Castle. 2014. Lord Belmont In Northern Ireland: Dromore Castle. [ONLINE] Available at:http://lordbelmontinnorthernireland.blogspot.com/2013/08/dromore-castle.html. [Accessed 11 November 2014].

. 2014. . [ONLINE] Available at: http://findcoffeetables.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/4076156296_f1a92dac98.jpg. [Accessed 11 November 2014].

Introducing The Design Book | Design | Agenda | Phaidon. 2014.Introducing The Design Book | Design | Agenda | Phaidon. [ONLINE] Available at:http://de.phaidon.com/agenda/design/articles/2013/july/03/introducing-the-design-book/. [Accessed 11 November 2014].

Dr Christopher Dresser - SMP Silver Salon Forums. 2014. Dr Christopher Dresser - SMP Silver Salon Forums. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.smpub.com/ubb/Forum26/HTML/002418.html. [Accessed 11 November 2014].

Stylish Equipment and Spa Interiors - European Spa Magazine. 2015.Stylish Equipment and Spa Interiors - European Spa Magazine. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.europeanspamagazine.com/design-archive-july-2014.html. [Accessed 20 January 2015].

Stylish Equipment and Spa Interiors - European Spa Magazine. 2014.Stylish Equipment and Spa Interiors - European Spa Magazine. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.europeanspamagazine.com/design-archive-july-2014.html. [Accessed 11 November 2014].

Oriental Japanese Furniture for Home Interiors - Home Design Ideas. 2014.Oriental Japanese Furniture for Home Interiors - Home Design Ideas. [ONLINE] Available at: http://hepok.com/oriental-japanese-furniture-home-interiors/. [Accessed 11 November 2014].

Arts and Crafts

Arts and Crafts movement

The Arts and Crafts movement was formed in the United Kingdom due to the effects of industrialization.  This movement was formed because the artists wanted to keep the traditional craftsmanship alive whilst still producing good quality products unlike the products that were being manufactured at that time. Examples of professionals which formed part of this movement included artists, architects, designers, writers and craftsmen. These professionals believed that handcrafted products were superior to machine made products. The believed that machine production ruined both consumer and creator.  The movement’s characteristics were very simple designs, which they’ve made use of linear shapes to show the natural unity between form, function and decoration combined together.

 

Augustus W. N. Pugin was among the first designers to realize that the esthetic standards were declining and that people needed something different in their everyday life which was more user friendly. He thought that good design could reform society. Pugin is best known for the new House of Parliament (1835 – 1837). Pugin’s architecture and artifacts served as an ongoing inspiration for designers such as John Ruskin, William Morris and William Burgess that were some of the leading Arts and Crafts practitioners. The Arts and Crafts Movement had two phases in England. When the movement started Morris led the first ones which were inspired from animal, bird and plant forms. One can see them in the wallpaper designs Morris was doing at that time. The designers that were in the second phase, among them Arthur Mackmurdo of The Century Guild, took a more abstract approach. Some added movement in their designs, while others got inspiration from exotic, mythical creatures.

Here are some examples of the characteristics of this latter approach.

William de Morgan Ceramic Designs

  Walter Crane’s Pottery Designs

 Charles Ashbee

Advocates of the Arts and Crafts decided to form a series of guild and crafts societies. Every society had their leaders, style and specialization to discuss and share ideas. The aim of these guilds was to advance education in all the visual arts and crafts. They wanted to give lectures, demonstrations, meetings, discussions and other methods. They also wanted to teach to foster and maintain high standards of design and craftsmanship, in any way that could help the community.

The Art Workers Guild was formed by two existing groups; The Fifteen, a group founded by writer and designer Lewis F. Day and designer/ illustrator Walter Crane and a group of five young architects known as The St. George Society. This guild had an impressive membership which included the likes of Morris, Ashbee, Mackmurdo and Charles Voysey.

                             

Original chair from the Arts and Crafts Movement

          This is a chair that can be bought from a company. They have a lot of similarities which shows how we are going back to their designs. It also shows how much the designers of that time were really ahead of us.

References:

William De Morgan 1839-1917 - ArtiFact :: Free Encyclopedia of Everything Art, Antiques & Collectibles. 2014. William De Morgan 1839-1917 - ArtiFact :: Free Encyclopedia of Everything Art, Antiques & Collectibles. [ONLINE] Available at: http://gaukartifact.com/2013/03/18/william-de-morgan-1839-1917/. [Accessed 03 November 2014].

Michael W Moses Pottery: Walter Crane (1845-1915) Victorian Artist. 2014.Michael W Moses Pottery: Walter Crane (1845-1915) Victorian Artist. [ONLINE] Available at: http://mwmosespottery.blogspot.com/2011/04/walter-crane-1845-1915-victorian-artist.html. [Accessed 03 November 2014].

 C. R. Ashbee Bird Brooch _ Arts & Crafts Jewelry ( Jewellery ). 2014. C. R. Ashbee Bird Brooch _ Arts & Crafts Jewelry ( Jewellery ). [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.tademagallery.com/BritishAC1900/Ashbee_Bird_Brooch.htm. [Accessed 03 November 2014].

 Earthly Basics Dining Room Furniture Amish Pedestal Tables Chairs | Earthly Basics. 2014. Earthly Basics Dining Room Furniture Amish Pedestal Tables Chairs | Earthly Basics. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.earthlybasics.com/furniture/dining-room/tables-chairs/. [Accessed 03 November 2014].

 The Art of the Americas Wing: Level 2 Galleries. 2014. The Art of the Americas Wing: Level 2 Galleries. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.mfa.org/americas-wing/descriptions_02.html. [Accessed 03 November 2014].