Reading Comprehension: Six

[1] A common theme of the early twentieth century found in Roth, Harwood, and Massey set the tone for an understanding of styles in architecture and design influenced by fine art. Selecting either Arts + Crafts or Art Nouveau, TRACE the influences of the selected style in more than two nations. In your answer, you should include evidence from the readings and at least two annotated images as support for your analysis of influences.

“Despite its individual manifestations, Art Nouveau design displays some common characteristics. Line, whether curving and sensuous or straight and geometric, is an important principle that designers explore and exploit... Designers reduce traditional and naturalistic forms and motifs to their essence, transforming them and ascribing to them their design intentions in appearance and meaning. Expressions strongly emphasize decoration, particularly surface decoration, which may be linear rather than plastic” (Harwood, p.485).

“To an even greater degree than others before them, Art Nouveau designers see no separation between the fine arts of painting and sculpture and architecture and the decorative arts, such as glass, ceramics, and furniture. They strive for unity in design to create complete expressions, or what they call total works of art” (Harwood, p.485).

While short lived it still managed to dominate the arts in Europe and the United States during the late 1800’s and early 1900’s.  Art Nouveau emerged first in France, and moved to Belgium where Victor Horta, Henry van de Velde, and Gustave Serrurier-Bovy were the leading designers. It can also be traced to Scotland (in some parts), Germany with Bauhaus, Austria, Spain with Arte Modern or Modernismo as it was referred to as, and Italy during this time, and later moved to England and the United States. It makes its way through these countries through the widespread exhibitions.  The United Kingdom to some degree, however rejected it, and was only accepted in some parts such as Glaslow with the practitioners Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Herbert McNair, and sister Margaret and Frances MacDonald. The U.S. was also somewhat apprehensive except in places such as Chicago with the Chicago school.  Tiffany glass was born out of this movement with Louis Comfort Tiffany and Tiffany Studios.

(p.34 Massey) Victor Horta, Tassel House

(p.58 Massey) Charles Rennie Mackintosh Library; Glaslow School of Art

“Art Nouveau lays important groundwork for subsequent modern movements in its attempts to throw off the past, its stress in total works of art, and its emphasis upon new technology and contemporary materials” (Harwood, p. 484).

[2] Originating at the Bauhaus and in the work of LeCorbusier, the so-called Modern movement deeply influenced design and architecture of the twentieth century. The great debate raised by this new approach to design involved the presence of the machine in the design process and final products. SPECULATE about the implications of “machines for living” and the famous dictum “less is more” on design today. Use at least one ARTIFACT, SPACE, or BUILDING in your answer, providing a salient image (cited) and annotation to help bolster your argument.

“Turning away from symbolic allusions and national building traditions, the purely pragmatic and utilitarian approach to design was to let functional requirements and structural solutions determine the result” (Roth, p.520).

LeCorbusier argued that “twentieth-century machines possessed the same elegance of form and function” as the Parthenon (Roth, p.530).  He also “extolled the mechanical perfection of the modern airplane, steamship, and automobile as supreme expressions of the beauty of from determined by absolute response to modern function” (Roth, 530).

With the example of the Citrohan house named after the Citroen, a popular French car he “hoped that such houses, using standardized factory architecture components, would be as easy and cheap to build as low-priced automobiles and, similarly, available to everyone” (Roth, p. 530). This did not quite happen, in that it was much more expensive and unattainable by the masses. The point is that it was the hope, the desire for the new design wave to be affordable, somewhat mass-produced, and available to all to be enjoyed. It was not practical. The same can be said for today. We are currently trying to become sustainable and have been for decades. The problem is that it is not yet mainstream affordable. We have certainly made advances and made certain things available to masses, especially with the given tax breaks when using “green” or “eco-friendly” products or renovations to your home or business. We are still living out this ideal of making new innovations available and inspiring.

(Roth p.530) LeCorbusier, Citrohan House

“The ultimate aim of all visual arts is the complete building…Together let us desire, conceive, and create the new structure of the future, which will embrace architecture and sculpture and painting in one unity and which will one day rise toward heaven from the hands of a million workers like the crystal symbol of a new faith” (Roth, p.523).

[3] From the assigned pages in Roth, Harwood, and Massey, SELECT an image that you believe explodes the notion that Modern interiors and objects were black and white. Fully RENDER your own design exploration of that image through color, material, and light and appropriately annotate and cite the image to prove this point. [5 POINTS POSSIBLE]

(Harwood p.604) Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Tugendhat House