The Decorative Arts

Hermann Muthesius states in "The Significance of Applied Art" that "style cannot be anticipated:it is the sum of the honest aspirtions of an age" (81). Style is constantly changing, but we do not determine what it is in style. It truly just comes about and our soiety just follows along with what is said is in style. Economically, we as the customers are told that whatever the newest trend that they are selling is what the current style is. Culturally, in the nineteeth century applied arts were focused more on the style and art of an object rather than the purpose it served. Artistically, artist look in the past at what good design was and what ways there are to improve it. This is where new style forms. Today designers try to figure out what purposes need to served and the style of a product. What comes to mind right now is the current release of the new iPhone 5. They look at old models and try to create something that is better than what is was before and incorporate a new look that they think customers will like. The fact that they tell customers that the new version is better and they change the look of it, everyone listens and goes out and buys the new product.

http://www.apple.com/iphone/#video

 "Together let us desire, conceive, and create the new structure of the future, which will embrace architecture and sculpture and painting in one unity.." (83). Walter Gropius talks about the collaboration of all forms of art in "Manifesto of the Staatliche Bauhaus in Weimar." I believe this is Gropius's most important point. That to know art and design one must explore all art form types and use all of these when creating and designing. When I think of all forms of art put together I think of Michelangelo, an architect, scultor, and painter. One of his great designs was St. Peter's Basilica which embraced each of these art forms.

St. Peter's Basilica

In Le Corbusier's "Type-Needs: Type-Funiture" he states "to search for the human scales, for human function, is to define human needs" (86). When LeCorbusier says this he means that decorative art should relate to the human because most humans all have the same functions. The things or tools in our everyday functioning lives are what he refers to as our type-needs. Le Corbusier states that decorative art is the "extensions of our limbs and are adapted to human functions that are type-functions. Type-needs, type-functions, therefore type-objects and type furniture" (88). Decorative art pieces such as furniture, or a kitchen table, become part of the human from the extreme uses of these objects in human lives.

Kitchen table

Frank, Isabelle (editor) (2000). The theory of decorative art: An anthology of European and American writings 1750-1940. New York: Yale University Press.