Impact of Art on Architecture throughout History

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Impact of Art on Architecture throughout History

Making Historical Narratives

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This assignment aims to acknowledge how various Art Movements affected and influenced architecture and spaces around us throughout history finally leading to Modernization of 21st Century

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Fig 1: Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo (1508-1512), Vatican City 4

Since the early civilizations, history of human culture and lifestyle were documented through various forms of Art. Art can be in many forms like cave paintings, engravings, paintings, sculptures, frescos, murals and many more. In Figure 1 we can see the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel painted by Michelangelo during high Renaissance. “In the Renaissance the imagination came first, and where it existed it never failed to find materials for its expression"(1).Michelangelo broke the barriers between art and architecture, where every corner of the Sistine chapel opens to window of the unique perspective of artist visionary, therefore effecting the overall interior space of the chapel.

1. Geoffrey Scott, “Renaissance architecture” in Architecture of Humanism: A Study in the History of Taste, (Boston and New York, Houghton and Mifflin Company, 1914), 31

Fig 1: 1Michael Krigbaum , Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo (1508-1512), Vatican City c. Michael Krigbaum, (July 16, 2012) , Accessed July 16, 2020. https://www.flickr.com/photos/mkrigbaum/7947700150/in/photolist-d7j3mW-6ufNNE-2hhHy71-4TTTzQ-6LtTeX-egnyM8-WkfHpK-2QLag6-PrCRfQeB3QTF-dSqmGU-6ufNTb-zA5Azr-VrR64f-5MRUh-anUgSx-6ufNCm-Link6T-tCnUm-27pNK4W-6ufNGb-3chPyX-ad9kxt-8A3cWJ-24ng6K-24rSwWanfwGU-7NtJV3-7NpRrz-7NtM8L-7NtJhU-7NtLrW-7NpPzT-7NtRdS-7NpQuk-24k2xdj-W6nSqN-4mg6a1-PhhUx3-qr3wSz-LinrEK-5QuXiH-reBroP4j5hpb-a7yfeC-29VRaps-75G7uL-kG5U92-6yVaZ5-zZBw/

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Fig 2: Giorgio Vasari, Chamber of Fortune, 1548, Casa Vasari, Arezzo 6

Giorgio Vasari was one of the most prominent Italian artist, writer and architect of the Renaissance period who was the first person to document the biographical history of the Italian artists and their works in his very famous and influential book The Vite. Figure 2 shows us the interiors of the Chamber of Fortune of Casa Vasari. Vasari designed the interior space of the chamber by painting only on walls and ceiling, with minimal floor elements which encourages the freedom to experience art. He saw “artists as architects” (2) and said “I made designs for painting the hall, three chambers, and the façade, […].I did nothing but the ceiling of the hall […]” (3)

2. Andrew Leach “The architect as artist”, What Is Architectural History?

Oxford: Polity Press, 2010: 26-31, (Accessed June 17, 2020). ProQuest EBook Central 3. Italian Ways, “Arezzo’s Casa Vasari and the Summer Of 1548” , Italianways.com, December 8, 2015, (Accessed July 16, 2020). https://www.italianways.com/arezzos-casa-vasari-and-the-summer-of-1548/ Fig 2: 2David J. Cast, Giorgio Vasari, Chamber of Fortune, 1548, Casa Vasari, Arezzo c. The Ashgate Research Companion to Giorgio Vasari, edited by David J. Cast, Taylor & Francis Group, 2014, 43-50, (Accessed July 16, 2020), ProQuest EBook Central, https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.ezproxy1.library.usyd.edu.au/lib/usyd/detail.action?docID=1570474.

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Fig 3: Leopold Zielcke, Biedermeier Interior style “Zimmerbild" (chamber painting) Berlin, Germany, 1825 8

“The Biedermeier Art style is the transitional period between classicism and romanticism which exhibited a massive change in interior styles like the idea of the round table for family dinner and evening activities. The essence of romanticized detailed painting “Zimmerbild” (figure 3) by Leopold Zielcke shows the simplistic traditional vibe of the interiors which is followed in many European middle class homes. The change and reduction in massive interior ornamentation of renaissance and classical architecture (figure 1, 2) to a very sophisticated design with geometrical furnitures and comfortable functionality.

Fig 3: 3Leopold Zielcke, Biedermeier Interior style “Zimmerbild" (chamber painting). Berlin, Germany, 1825 c. Print on paper. 1,038 × 795 pixels. Own scan from "Biedermeier. Die Erfindung der Einfachheit" (Early Victorian period. The Invention of Simplicity).

Catalogue of an exhibition. Hatje Cantz Verlag Ostfildern. (Accessed July 16, 2020) https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a0/Zimmerbild_83.jpg

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Fig 4: Photograph of the Great Nave, Crystal Palace interior, Hyde Park, London 1854 10

Realism started in France in early 19th century, which promises the detailed and precise visualization of the object, reducing the unwanted ornamentation. Industrialization saw change in building materials to steel and glass therefore exposing the structural skeleton inside outside.

Thus, from figure 4 we can pensive how the architectural language changed through time constantly affected by various art movements gradually towards modernization which illustrates Curtis’s inquiry “The skeleton posed teasing problems of architectural expression. Should it be left alone as engineered dictated? Should it be clothed or decorated in some appeasing historical style”. (4)

4. William j.r. Curtis “Industrialization and the city, the skyscraper as type and symbol”, Modern Architecture since 1900, 3rd ed., [Rev., expanded, and redesigned]. London: Phaidon, 1996. 39 Fig 4: 4 Delamotte, Philip Henry, Photograph of the Great Nave, Crystal Palace interior, Hyde Park , London 1854 c. Albumen print from collodion negative, British Galleries, Room 122, case WN, (London, 1855) , (Accessed June 19, 2020). http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O128434/the-great-nave-crystal-palace-photograph-delamotte-philip-henry/

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Fig 5: Eadweard Muybridge, The horse in motion, 19 June 1878 12

Walter Benjamin mentioned ‘mechanical reproduction of art’ like the printing press, photography and film is encouraged in the modern world which lacked the “aura” or the originality of art that belonged to a certain time and place. “Thus, for contemporary man the representation of reality by the film is incomparably more significant than that of the painter, since it offers, precisely because of the thoroughgoing permeation of reality with mechanical equipment, an aspect of reality which is free of all equipment."(5) In Figure 5 we can acknowledge the reinterpretation of a motion of a horse by Eadweard which lacks the orginality if compared to the painting “The Belvoir Hunt”

by Henry Thomas Alken (1830-40).

5. Walter Benjamin “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction 1936”, Illuminations, (Edited by Hannah Arendt) Published by Pimlico, 1999. 227 Fig 5: 5Eadweard Muybridge, The horse in motion, 19 June 1878 c. 1 photographic print: albumen 22 x 14 c, Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs, (Accessed June 19, 2020). https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2007678037/

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Fig 6: Maurice Dufrene, Art Nouveau Interior Illustration, Lithographs enhanced with gouache, 1906 14

The Figure 6 illustrates a very ornamental decorative Art Nouveau style of interior with beautiful furniture designs by Maurice Dufrene who used to be an artist of Art Nouveau style, gradually changing his interest to Art Deco by 1920s. “Unlike straightforward industrial art, Art Nouveau style encouraged organic forms of nature like floral patterns and plant blossoms. It was first started by William Morris in 1861 , England, emphasizing mid 19th century art and crafts movement. Mr. Dennis Sharp says that 'the roots of Expressionism (modernization) are to be found in the Art Nouveau […].' Its evolution can be traced from Van der Velde on to Bruno Taut and Erich Mendelsohn.”(6)

6. Whittick, Arnold. “‘The Age of Art Nouveau’: Maurice Rheims (Book Review).” The British Journal of Aesthetics. Oxford: Oxford University Press for the British Society of Aesthetics, July 1, 1967. , 302, (Accessed June 22, 2020) http://search.proquest.com/docview/1295914732/.

Fig 6: 6Maurice Dufrene, Art Nouveau Interior Illustration, Lithographs enhanced with gouache, 1906 c. 20.47"x14.17", Lithographs (Accessed June 20, 2020). http://www.artdecoceramicglasslight.com/makers/dufrene-maurice-1/dufrene-maurice

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Fig 7: Factory at Horto de Ebro, by Pablo Picasso,1909 16

Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque wanted to produce a new form of reality through paintings that will not be similar to existing natural perspective. They tried to paint and discover three dimensional perspectives, using geometrical forms therefore producing altogether a different viewpoint if seen from varied angles. This new form of modern art is a breakthrough around early 20th century. Cubism style of art influenced modern architects like le Corbusier. In figure 7 we can see how Picasso reinterpreted the reality of the landscape view of the quite mountain village in Horta de Ebro.

Fig 7: 7Pablo Picasso, Factory at Horto de Ebro, 1909 c. pablopicasso.org, (Accessed June 22, 2020) , https://www.pablopicasso.org/factory-at-horta-de-ebro.jsp#prettyPhoto

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Fig 8: The office of Walter Gropius, Weimar, Germany, 1919 18

Bauhaus art movement encouraged unity of variety of arts and crafts including design, sculpture and architecture into one expression.

It is a very important modern art movement started by German architect Walter Gropius in 1919. Unlike other modern art styles like art nouveau and art deco , Bauhaus art style only encouraged line, shape and colour which resembled a little of cubism. In Figure 8 the desk, armchair, sofa and ceiling lamp is designed by Walter Gropius which shows very minimal and functional yet aesthetic approach of modernization.

Fig 8:8Fouillet, The office of Walter Gropius, Weimar, Germany, 1919 c. The new York times style magazine, (Accessed June 23, 2020) Š 2019 ARS, NY/VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/04/t-magazine/bauhaus-school-architecture-history.html

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Fig 9: Frank Stella in his studio before a Black Painting, 1959 20

By the end of 1950s -1960s, Expressionism shifted towards more modern form of abstract art, which is also known as minimalist art. we can see in Figure 9, the black painting by Frank Stella, where he changed the meaning of art into a very straightforward, minimal, emotion less repetitive pattern painting. He said “My painting is based on the fact that only what can be seen there is there. It really is an object… idea without any confusion…” (7) Minimalism effected modern architecture and became very popular in 20th century. Therefore this gives us a proof that thought-out history how art has lost its visionary depth and emotional expression.

7. Bruce Glaser, “Questions to Stella and Judd,” interview by Bruce Glaser,” Minimal Art: A Critical Anthology, ed. Gregory Battcock, (University of California Press, 1966), (Accessed June 23, 2020), <http://web.mit.edu/allanmc/www/stellaandjudd.pdf >, 6.

Fig 9: 9Hollis Frampton, Frank Stella in his studio before a Black Painting, 1959 c. printed 1984, black-and-white photograph, Walker Art Center, © Estate of Hollis Frampton. (Accessed June 23, 2020) https://medium.com/@hav/minimalism-and-meaning-making-the-self-referentialism-of-frank-stellas-black-paintings-ee6f2875f1eb

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Fig 10: Lobby area of MAXXI: Museum of XXI Century Arts, Rome, Italy, 1988-2001 22

Finally in figure 10 we can acknowledge the minimalistic, monochromatic, clean, elegant and emotionless surfaces of the lobby area of 21st century museum arts center by Zaha Hadid clearly defining â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;form follows functionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. In comparison to the interiors of figure 1,2 and 3 , here we can conclude how modernization effected architectural spaces influenced by various art movements that altogether changed human perception towards art therefore changing lifestyles and interior living spaces around us.

Fig 10: 10Iwan Baan, Lobby area of MAXXI: Museum of XXI Century Arts, Rome, Italy, 1988-2001 c. Zaha Hadid Architects, Media ,(Accessed June 23, 2020) https://www.zaha-hadid.com/architecture/maxxi/#asset/slide/b01a32bb

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