The Art Nouveau period started in France and Belgium. It was focused on thinking outside the box and not going by tradition. During this time Europe was in a period of peace and prosperity. Since there was a lot of economic growth going on, it supported the experimental part of the period. They used the flowing line technique that the Arts and Crafts period used. Artists such as Van Gogh and Edvard Munch shared an interest in Japanese art that soon became very popular.
This period was very cohesive and everyone was involved in the process of designing. The use of modern materials, electric lighting and fine arts became key parts to the period. You will see a lot of ornamentation in these designs such as vines and shells.
Henry Van de Velde was a prominent figure in Belgium. He designed his own house in 1894. He got more into the furniture, silverware, and product design.
These are some of the chairs he designed. The lines and curves on them are very significant and make them unique.
One of the things I thought was very interesting in France with this period was the Metropolitan signs. They are so different and make a statement when you walk by them. Hector Guimard designed the signs and I must say he did a fabulous job!
Current Applications:
Responses:
I looked at Justine's blog and I liked how she talked about Paris and Belgium separately. It showed how they compared to one another. The current applications she showed were phenomenal, the design that went into them was so articulate.
I also reviewed Natalie's blog and I liked how she looked at the specific places such as the Tassle and Horta house. It showed the characteristics of the period in detail and clarified with me what it looked like all put together in a room.
Here is a video that gives a good representation of what the architecture looked like during this period!
The Arts and Crafts Movement was an important time in which the rebellion of the Victorian period began. It started in England in the 1850's. William Morris was an important contribution to this period. He believed you shouldn't have anything in your house that isn't useful. Everything has a purpose and is strategically placed in the design. The use of lines was very popular in the Arts and Crafts Movement. The goal of this movement was to get back to the manufacturing side of design. Some were really skilled in crafting and could manufacture items by themselves or you can also do it in groups. The working conditions however were really poor during this time.
In this picture, the vertical rails along the stairs and the bricks on the fireplace give the room more height and dimension.
The furniture in this period had a geometric form to it but still looked very simple and clean. The chairs kind of reminded me of the Frank Lloyd Wright designs from the tall backs and wooden structure.
This is an example of the Argyle chair. The lines on the back give it height and style. They don't have arm rests which make it look very clean.
The rooms above are examples of the Arts and Crafts style in the past. Some of the things I noticed were there was a lot of wooden furniture. There was also less detail and clutter than they had in the Victorian period.
Here are some examples of current Arts and Crafts interiors:
They still have that wooden aspect to them but are more updated and adapted to today's society.
Below is a video I found that presents examples of all kinds of Arts and Crafts homes, decorations and designs that I thought really described what the movement was like.
Reactions:
I looked at Emily's blog and I liked how she talked about the history of this movement and how it all started. The current applications she showed were something I would like my house to look like! Also, the video she posted was very helpful in learning more about the movement and the furniture they used.
I also looked at Nicole's blog and she explained the characteristics of the furniture really well. The pictures she provided for examples were a good representation of the Arts and Crafts movement. I learned a lot from reading her blog and got a better understanding period in general.
The Middle Renaissance in the English Period was a time of restoration. Sir Christopher Wren, the most well known English architect, was the one who stepped up and set new standards for design such as zoning and construction regulations. One of his greatest accomplishments was the St. Paul's cathedral.
St. Paul Cathedral London, England
During the time of William and Mary the cancellation of the Edict of Nantes occurred by Louis XIV which denied equality to the Protestants. It was the effort to grant religious liberties to the French Protestants. While that was happening, French furniture craftsmen came to England to complete the Baroque period. They still had the outline of the Baroque style but without all of the decoration and ornamentation. How the William and Mary period came about was when Mary married her husband William III. There were new standards for furniture, comfort being one of them. You start seeing a lot of upholstery and walnut. The legs of furniture were straight turned legs with a low cross stretcher or a curved cross stretcher.
Here are the William and Mary chairs. The detail on the back of the chair and the upholstery really represent what this period is about.
This is an example of a Settee chair. It has very elaborate upholstery and low stretchers.
Another popular designer during this time was Thomas Chippendale. He is one of the most well known names in furniture design. His style is very different and every piece is unique. The Chippendale chair has some influence from the Queen Anne. The chairs have cabriole legs, they are heavier and have more of a curve to them.
These pictures Wendy showed on the powerpoint are very helpful in seeing the different types of Chippendale chairs. (Gothic, Chinese and Ribbon left to right).
Here are some examples of interiors with Chippendale furniture today. I love this design because it stands out and makes for a great addition to a room.
For this blog I looked at Katrina's. I liked how she talked about the Early, Middle and Late English period and highlighted the main points of each. It is interesting to see how design changed throughout. I also looked at Ariana's. She talked about the style of the homes such as the tudor house. She also talked about how the English got their influence and how they came about this certain style.
The French Renaissance was when interior design really took off. I mainly focused on designs and interiors of the Baroque style because that stood out to me the most. It was known to be very classic and traditional yet stands out and catches your eye. Every design had a statement piece such as bright tapestries and rugs. This period was strictly materialistic and ornate. One of the main buildings during this period was the Palais de Versailles. It was used as a hunting lodge by Louis XIII. It housed 10,000 people and was very intricate in design. Everything in the interior was symmetrical and balanced. The color inside the rooms emphasized the architecture and the furniture was always against a wall. The public rooms in the Palais de Versailles were very sophisticated.
This is the Hall of Mirrors in the Palais de Versailles. This room is one of my favorites because of all the symmetry and ornamentation.
Here is a picture of the Salon de la familie in the Palais de Versailles. It is very detailed and ornamented. The decorations and bright colors really makes it a statement space and catches your eye.
This is the Queen's room in the Palais de Versailles. It is also very bright and ornamented. The colors attract your attention and that is what makes this period so unique.
The furniture during this time was very different and steered away from the other designs we have learned about in the past. It was interesting to see the movement and how the design changed.
Here is a picture of a Louis XIV chair. It leans back in its form and is very rich in decoration. The curved arms and heavy upholstery are what makes it so unique.
Below are some modern applications of the French Renaissance period.
Arch de Triumph Hotel
Home in Manhattan
Modern French Bedroom
This is a video of the history of the Palais that is definitely worth watching!
I reviewed Flor's blog and I loved how she talked about the history of the French Renaissance and the importance of the period and all the achievements that took place. Her modern applications were also very interesting to look at because I never would have thought those would have been from the French Renaissance prior to learning about it. Her video she provided was also very useful!
I also reviewed Ariana's blog and she talked more about the Chateau and Louis XIV which was very interesting. I love learning about the history of buildings and finding out what they used to be used for compared to now.
This period is the period Emily and I presented on. It was very interesting to research all of the Spanish history and design elements. The Spanish Renaissance was influenced by the Moorish, Medieval and the Italian Renaissance. They had very successful navigators during their time that discovered the Americas and led to them finding gold and silver that was later incorporated into their buildings. The 16th century was the most important era in Spanish history. They converted the Moors to Christianity, those who didn't convert were expelled. The Alhambra was the last of the Spanish buildings created before the expulsion.
The Alhambra is a beautiful Spanish palace that has courtyards, gardens and pools. It was a great achievement of Moorish architecture.
There were two phases during the Spanish Renaissance, the Plateresco and the Desornamentado phase. The Plateresco was a Gothic influence and very delicate in its look. It resembled the look of a silversmith.
The plateresco phase is on the left, it is more ornamented and delicate. The desornamentado is pictured on the right and it is more plain and simple in appearance. It is usually used on the outside of court and public buildings.
The Escorial is a royal place for monarchy and was completed by Juan de Herrera. It is a highly moral building and very simple in its completion. The overall look of it is breathtaking and pleasing to the eye.
The residential design of this time period used colored tiles and iron grilles to accent the homes. The homes were generally very plain on the exterior so those helped to balance it out. The iron grilles were very popular during this time and can be found on many of their buildings.
This is an iron grille that is usually found on the exterior of windows. It adds depth and design to it that you normally don't see.
The Spanish furniture was usually heavy in proportion and very rectangular. Silver was used for ornamentation and the walnut wood was commonly used for the tables.
Above is a picture of a vargueno, it is Spain's most distinctive cabinetwork. It is commonly known for being used as a desk, but could be used for storage as well.
These are some modern applications of Spanish Renaissance. The detail and ornamentation of these rooms is remarkable.
I looked at Justine's blog and I like how she talked about the architecture and the castles during this time period. They are all just so detailed and a lot of work went into planning and constructing them. She also talked about the Plateresco and Desornamentado phases. She distinguished the two very well and talked about their different qualities. Her current applications were also very cool to look at.
I also viewed Lindsey's blog and I mostly liked how she talked about the current applications. The Spanish design is very bright and detailed. Her interior pictures were very relatable to Spanish design.
Here is a video we presented in class for our Day in the Life presentation. It takes you through Pedraza, Spain and their typical community life.
Renaissance, meaning rebirth, takes old styles and adapts them to generate new ideas. They reformed churches, invented the printing press and moved their focus from religious architecture and building to more residential. Everyone in Italy during this time was interested in art no matter what their social status was.
The Italian Renaissance Palace, also known as the Palazzo was one of the proudest achievements of the Italian Renaissance. It has three divisions, compound windows and a heavy project cornice. It is simple yet very intriguing and pleasing to the eye.
The Palazzo Davanzati located in Florence, Italy was a transition from the Gothic period to the Italian Renaissance. Inside it contained frescoes on the walls, tapestries and fireplaces. All of which were centered around a courtyard. It stands tall at 4 floors and has a kitchen and salon on the upper levels.
Interior spaces during this time had decorative moldings, painted wall and ceiling decorations, elaborate fireplace mantels and lots of pilasters. The floors were usually made of brick or marble and the furniture was portable and if you had the finest furniture it was probably made of walnut.
The Sedia chair has straight rectangular legs attached to floor stretchers. The seat was upholstered in velvet, tapestry or ornament leather.
The Sgabello is a dining and all-purpose style stool with a back. It is very basic, the seat is a rectangle or octagon supported by three legs.
Current Applications:
I reviewed Katie's blog and I like how she focused a lot on Michaelangelo and what he went through to get to where he did. She talked about his life and the projects he worked on and how he was viewed during that time. She also did a good job at describing the interior design part of the era and what that was like. The current applications she provided were so astonishing and breathtaking. I also looked at Flor's blog and I specifically liked how she broke it up and talked about the walls, floors and ceiling separately and really focused on each. She talked about the detail that went into each and how they changed during this time which I found very interesting.
Here is a video summarizing the Italian Renaissance. It is very long but very useful!
In the Americas, civilization was divided up between the nobles and the commoners. The elites lived in nicely decorated homes and wore the most elegant clothes while the commoners lived in so-called homes made of sticks and mud. Religion during this time was found through carvings and figurines. People thought bloodletting brought them closer to the Gods. The term polytheistic means the belief of multiple deities, supernatural immoral beings.
The Teotihuacan civilization dating from 250 B.C-900 A.D was remarkable. It was abruptly deserted and we don't know why. The ceremonial center was huge it marked a whole 2 miles in length. The central part of it was known as the "road of the dead". Below is a picture of the layout of the center and the surrounding areas. It is breathtaking to look at and shocking that it was just deserted.
The art in the Teotihuacan civilization was also very impressive, the motifs that were included in these pieces consisted of birds, butterflies and flowers. The simple shape of these pieces is somehow intriguing and makes you want to learn more about the process that went into it.
Another ceremonial site that is very overwhelming to think about how much went into it is the Chichen Itza created by the Mayans. It means the "mouth of the well of the Itza". The four sided pyramid within this site is called the Castillo standing 75 feet high.
Here are some modern designs that reflect the Incan style. Stone walls are very popular in modern homes today.
