De Stijl

De Stijl, also known as Neoplasticism, was a dutch movement founded in 1917.  The movement proposed abstraction and simplicity, using horizontal and vertical lines, rectangular shapes, bold, primary colours and the three non-colours (black,white and grey).  The works avoid any kind of symmetry and balance.

Gerrit Rietveld was a Dutch furniture designer and architect.  He was one of the principal members of the De Stijl movement.  He is very well known for his Red and Blue Chair and the Rietveld Schroder House.

Rietveld Schroder House 1924

Red and Blue Chair By Rietveld
1918

The De Stijl movement was greatly influenced by Cubist painting.  The movement was also influenced by The Bauhaus style and The International style however, it did not abide by their principles. (Taken from Wikipedia)

Today, De Stijl members still hold various exhibitions around the world.  Museums such as the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam and Gemeente Museum in The Hague, have a vast collection of works from this style.

Modernism

The Modernist movement acted against the over decorative elements of Art Nouveau and the decline in standards of craftsmen.  They encouraged bold, geometric forms and asymmetric layouts and they linked art to industry.

Some believe that modern architecture developed as a result of social and political upheaval.  Others, however believe that technology and engineering developments gave rise to this movement.

Because of the industrial revolution gave rise to knew building techniques as new materials like steel, iron and glass could be used in for architectural purposes in many different ways.  Much attention was given to the different properties, uses and qualities of materials.  In the immediate years before World War 1, designers started to become aware of the challenges industrialisation will create on society.  The Eiffel Tower (1889) which is situated in Paris, France is one very good example of how designers began to see the beauty of engineering.

One important figure in this movement is louis Sullivan who was the first great modern architect.  He coined the phrase "Form Follows Function".  He believed that functionalism expressed the purpose of a building.  This idea let to the designing of buildings 'inside out' where the buildings essentials dictated its external appearance.

Wainwright Building, St.Louis By Louis Sullivan

This architectural landmark marked the beginning of modern skyscraper designs.  The building represented a revolution against the dependence on European precursors and influences in architecture which were expressed in tall steel frame buildings.

The Wainwright Building demonstrates perfectly how by casting aside historical ways of designing buildings and influences, managed to come up with a new style and way of doing things.  By using a 'knitting' method Sullivan was able to do what no one else could.  He created visual unity in a tall building.






Viennese architect Adolf Loos believed that objects should not be decorated as it was a waste of time  and material.

The Weiner Werkstatte also contributed to the development of Modernism.  it was founded by Joseph Hoffman and Koloman Moser. They dedicated this style to developing high quality art and design.  This philosophy reflected the influence of William Morris.  They reacted against historicism and introduced simplified shapes and Geometric patterns and most of all, minimal decoration. (Taken from http://www.mastersofmodernism.com/?page=Modernism)

By the 1920's designers of this period began to embrace technology and its mass production and the machine became the central theme in modernism.  Walter Gropius, the leader of the Bauhaus which was a school of art and architecture in Germany, aimed to unite art and technology so he educated a new generation of designers and architects to embrace the ideology of the modern industry. (Taken from http://www.mastersofmodernism.com/?page=Modernism)

Le Corbusier was probably one of the most influential modern architect.  he was fascinated with the deigns of engineers.  He coined the famous motto "A house is a machine for living in".

Art nouveau

Art Nouveau is an artistic and architectural style that was most popular between 1880 and 1910.  it is a style which is greatly influenced by natural forms and nature.
In English we use the french term 'Art Nouveau' which means 'new art' however the style has man different names in other countries.

For Example:
Sezessionstil in Vienna, Austria
Jugendstil in Germany
Style Liberty in Italy
Modernisme in Spain

In America it was considered to be part of the Arts and Crafts movement.

This style spread fast throughout Europe especially thanks to photo-illustrated art magazines and international exhibitions like the world exhibition in 1900.  In various ways this style was a response to the industrial revolution as artists embraced the technology progress and the possibilities of using new materials in their work.

The main characteristics of this style are:
- Natural forms
- Whiplash Curves
- Absence of straight lines and right angles
- Elements of living organisms (insects, birds, dragonflies, butterflies, swallows and peacocks) were                   integrated into the works as they held a certain symbol.

This style is considered to be a 'total' style as it touches on fine arts, interior design, architecture,  graphic arts and most of the decorative arts such as jewellery, furniture and textiles.
The Art Nouveau style followed the philosophy that style should be a way of life.

Vase by Emille Galle.

Tiffany lamp.

'Spirit Of The Wind' by Rene Jules Lalique.

'Casa Batllo' built in 1877 and remodelled by Antonio Gaudi and Josep Maria Jujol in 1904-1906 in Barcelona, Spain.








Art Nouveau was replaced by the by 20th century modernist styles.

The Gothic Revival

The Gothic Revival movement began in England during the years of the late 1740's.  Also referred to as the Victorian Gothic or Neo-Gothic movement, the Gothic Revival movement reflects a more romantic movement in architecture and it also shows the love the people had for Gothic styles.  The movement became fairly popular in the early 19th century as those who loved the Neo-Gothic style want to bring it back.  At the time the Neoclassical style was prevalent and the Gothic movement contrasted greatly with it.

The Gothic Revival was very popular when it came to the architecture of churches and cottage houses. The main characteristics of this movement were the use of parapets, Castle like towers, stained glass which was mostly found in churches, tracery windows as well as the famous pointed Gothic arch windows and door entries.

This is St.Patrick's Cathedral, designed by the architect William Wardell.  It was built in 1858 and is situated in Melbourne, Australia.

Just by looking at it one can easily tell that the building forms part of the Gothic Revival movement as the main characteristics of the movement are all present.  The pointed, arched doorways and windows, the parapets and the long pointed roof- like structures and the tracery on the windows make it very evident that this church forms part of that period.







The main characteristics of Gothic furniture are pointed and vertical styles with narrow peaks.  The use elaborate detail and christian imagery especially in common places such as churches where also very much characteristics of this period.

William Burges was  and English architect and designer who was born in 1827 and died in 1881.  He was one of the pioneers of the Gothic Revival movement.

His work echoes very much the work of the pre-raphelites and of the Arts and Crafts movement.

The Gothic Revival movement greatly influenced the Arts and Crafts movement.