Blog #9 - Reaction Styles

Arts and Crafts:

The Arts and Crafts movement flourished during the second half of the 19^th century, and was largely a reaction against the growing influence industrialization had on traditional design and craftsmanship. The movement was greatly inspired by William Morris, who wanted to emphasize the intimate customs involved in the creation of art and architecture created primarily by hand. The unique attributes which characterize such work was considered to be lost in a society moving towards the rapid output of an industrialized economy. The Arts and Crafts movement deemed this not just harmful to design, but also to the economy, as the work of individuals was being replaced by that of machinery. 

A particular example of Arts and Crafts design can be found in the Morris chair. This chair was originally designed and built by Morris & Company around the 1860s, but is still being copied today. It features traditional use of wooden materials along with characteristic joinery. The chair was built to recline, and commonly featured an upholstered seat and back cushion.

Aesthetic Style:

The Aesthetic style was greatly focused on the concept of beauty. Largely considered a philosophical movement, the idea was to create art and design that was naturally beautiful, for whatever reason. One was to consider beauty as a separate concept all together, an attribute anything man made or found in nature can carry. Pioneers of this type of thought were individuals such as Oscar Wilde, who essentially wanted to be engulfed with beauty and aesthetic design in all aspects of his personal and professional life as a writer and poet. 

This concept of transcending beauty meant that design following the aesthetic style was largely unrestricted when it came to selecting captivating design from around the world. We consequently see progressive English designer Edward William Godwin influenced by Japanese furniture in establishing his own style. This is seen in the reliance of right angle geometry, employing square shaped patterns to create what will ultimately be considered Anglo-Japanese design.

Art Nouveau:

The Art Nouveau movement became a prominent art and design philosophy at the end of the 19^th century. The name is originally French, and translates to “new art.” This movement was popular all throughout Europe, and was seen as the transition between the neoclassical style and true modernism. Where the Arts and Crafts looked to emphasis historical knowledge in creating contemporary design, the Art Nouveau movement wanted to reject any historical influence. This led to very fluid and natural design, capturing a sense of movement and motion.

Mackintosh:

Charles Rennie Mackintosh develops a style that draws on all three of the previously mentioned styles. He was a Scottish designer that worked together with his wife Margaret MacDonald in creating many noteworthy turnkey designs at the end of the 19^th century. We see his design become very much a reaction to the influence of industrialization, as his designs focus greatly on creating primarily attractive and unique homes and living spaces, rather than generic or mass produced goods. We see his style incorporate free flowing designs of the Art Nouveau with the clean lines of Japanese design to create a unique and one off environment for his clients. This creates the contrast in his work, as he employs natural motifs like the Scottish rose alongside stark geometric statements like his ladder-back chairs.

Vienna Secession:

The Vienna secession was very much the Art Nouveau of Germany and Austria. This stylistic movement wanted to completely distance itself from an historical influence, in order to create purely contemporary designs. We consequently see the emergence of the “Jugendstil,” which translates to Youth style, in order to symbolize this new approach. This reaction to traditionalism was well incorporated in Josef Hoffman’s designs, as he borrowed little from the past in creating furniture like the chair seen on the right. These pieces of furniture often captured a delicate balance between form and function, as they offered striking appearances blended with comfort considerations.