Reading Comprehension 4

[1]
artifact:

~neo-palladian/georgian

desk/bookcase

~american/georgian

windsor chair

~louis xvi/french provincial

tall clock

~late english georgian

state bed (osterly park)

~american federal

sheraton side chair

Even though each ppiece is from a different time or place, they all speak a classical design language. The motifs are light with classical reference depicting urns and garlands on some pieces and images of love (flowers, cherubs) on others. They all have straight legs which was more popular during the late Georgian period in England. Each area uses mahogany as one of the primary woods for constructing furniture. Each piece is symmetrical. The cabinet, which is from the Rococo period, has a symmetry in the design on both sides and it is proportioned on top and bottom. Most pieces have repetition throughout the motifs. Each piece has emphasis at the highest point, the eagle on the desk, the cherubs on the clock, the crown on the state bed. Also the designers of each piece broke the rules in some way to design each piece to work for the client or setting.

space:

~neo-palladian/georgian

holkam hall, saloon

~american georgian

gunston hall, stair hall

~louis xvi/french provincial

marie antoinette's bedroom

~late english georgian

nathaniel russell house

~american federal

monticello

Throughout these interiors, Classical proportions are typically used during these time periods. The only deviation from this is during the Neo-Palladian period in England during which time monumental proportions are used and furniture is massive. Classical ornamentation is used around doors and chimney pieces. Walls all contain a dado and dado rail with an upper wall being richly decorated with a special treatment of paper, paint or fabric. The walls have repetitive patterns.The rooms were all formal with emphasis on gathering places being richly decorated, stairways and halls are still formal, but not as extravagant as more important areas.

building:

~neo-palladian/georgian

chiswick house

~american georgian

drayton hall

~louis xvi/french provincial

pantheon (st. genevieve)

~late english georgian

nathaniel russell house

~american federal

monticello

The common theme among these buildings is the use of simple geometric shapes and classical design and proportion. Rules from antiquity are closely followed. The buildings are symmetrical and relatively plan and simpleSome of the classical themes used are porticoes, tripartite windows or the use of blocky quoins and balustrades. Each building has a plain facade.

place:
~neo-palladian

The design language that all these places have in common is one of a return to antiquity. Just as the buildings and interiors demonstrate, there is a use of symmetry, geometry and Classical design and motifs. There are also some natural elements pointing toward the Baroque style. Just like in the interiors there is a sense of formality.

[2] A common design theme among English colonies in Boston is the use of proportion and geometric layout. Because of the abundance of wood, it was use extensively in construction and furniture design. There is monumental scale, but everything is not as grandiose. When the English colonized America, there was a land grab and people were eager to take advantage of the fertile soil to grow cash crops. Most colonists developed mostly rural homes and plantations with few urban centers. Furnishings, ornament and interiors all follow a medieval English style. There is a use of boundary setting in the design. Designs are very simple and symmetric.

In the Spanish colonies of modern day Florida, the design aspects took a totally different direction. It is obvious in St. Augustine of the French Renaissance in the architecture. The design can be seen in the simple exteriors and use of straight lines.

The French influence is still evident in New Orleans with the use of straight lines and wood in furniture. It is obvious in architecture because of the steeply pitched roofs. The verticality of buildings and furniture shows medieval influence. There is also the use of cubes in the furniture and floor plans of structures. And the use of diamond motifs is also a French characteristic.

German settlers brought with them medieval influence. The design asthetic is by far the most medieval of the four discussed thus far. This is much verticality and horizontal banding in the architecture and furniture, such as the shank. There is also steeply pitched roofs and wood used throughout the interiors.

[3][4] "The world is a stage" is a common design theme during the Baroque period, especially in the church. Church leaders knew the importance in telling a story to keep parishioners and win converts. Everything was done in a grandiose scale with high intensity. It was all about drama theatre and inspiring awe. Even though the church believed actors to be immoral, during the Counter-reformation, it was the best idea to keep parishioners from converting to protestantism.
Baroque was also a break from the symmetry of the renaissance. it was a style that employed gilding, bronze, marble and curves to give a more organic feel. It was a more humanistic approach to design and was able to better convey a sense of emotion. Baroque used theatricality to relate to the more humanistic side of man.