The Chrysler Building

1137 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Art deco history of art & design

The Chrysler Building

The beginnings of the Art Deco era were planted well in advance to the 1925 Paris Exposition, whence the term Art Deco is derived, as early as the end of the nineteenth and beginning of the twentieth centuries, when Art Nouveau still reigned in supreme. This highly nature inspired, curvilinear and asymmetrical style experienced its golden days at the 1900 ‘Exposition Universelle’, which also took place in Paris, but the style’s decline began soon afterwards due to the rise in industrialisation. The phrase ‘Art Deco’ evokes a whole range of images and ideas to many people; elegant Parisian furnishings, streamlined minimalist designs, and glittering Manhattan skyscrapers. The style is often characterised by rich colours, lavish ornamentation, and geometric shapes. Art Deco emerged from the interwar period when rapid industrialisation and advances in technology were transforming culture. This distinguishes Art Deco from the organic motifs favoured by its predecessor Art Nouveau. Historian Bevis Hiller defined Art Deco as ‘an assertively modern style that ran to symmetry rather …show more content…

The highly ornamented, 1046ft structure was completed by 1930, with its soaring tower dramatically covered in shiny nickel-chromed steel, in a design of layering arcs, divided by triangular windows. Underneath this gleaming sector of the building, at the 59th floor, eight stylised steel eagles play the roles of modernist gargoyles; and even lower at the 31st floor, the exterior brickwork creates a pattern of streamlined automobiles. The Chrysler Building is clad in white brick and dark gray brickwork, used to enhance the window rows. The eccentric crescent-shaped steps leading to the spire were made of stainless steel as a stylised sunburst

Show More
Related

  • Mies Van Der Rhoes and Paul Rudolph

    2349 Words  | 5 Pages

    It is the new decade after the end of world war two and modernism is a well-established practice. Its pioneers and spearheads are prevalent figures looming over the new architects and designers who are trying to make their mark in the shadows of such historically influential people. With new technologies and materials emerging from the world wars the next era of modernism had started to evolved, bringing with it philosophies and ideas which seemed far removed from those of the pioneers of modernism “What emerged in the late 1940s and 1950s was an expanding synthesis of questions utterly removed from the confident statements of the pioneers.”(Spade 1971,10) Two significant buildings were designed in the 50's, both of them for educational institutes and to house students of architecture, there were both designed in completely different styles and methods. The first is Ludwig Mies van der Rohes' Crown Hall, finished in 1956 and designed as a part of a campus master plan for the Illinois Institute of technology in Chicago. Mies' design for Crown Hall is one of his most realised expressio...

    Read More

  • Alphonse mucha - Cigarette Job

    1307 Words  | 3 Pages

    ‘Florated madness, liniar hysteria, strange decoratve disease, stylistic free-for-all’, such were the terms its contemporaries used to describe Art Nouveau, the first international design style. Art Nouveau was the rebellion against the entire Victorian sensibility, steeped as it was in the past. The exponents of the style hoped to revolutionize every aspect of design in order to set a standard that would be compatible with the new age. Art Nouveau was a direct descendant of the Arts and Crafts movement and influenced by celtic ornament as well as Japanese woodcut prints, all this resulted in an international style based on decoration.

    Read More

  • Art Deco Art History

    1830 Words  | 4 Pages

    Characteristics of Art Deco are not easily defined because the term Art Deco describes a lot of styles ranging from ancient arts and French’s decorative arts to the modern arts. It can be described as the artifacts’ body including inspired works by the past cultures and Avant-grade arts but not copied from high style traditions and history. All these started at the first appearance of Art Deco at World’s Fair Paris in 1925 and has greatly influenced and inspired Art Deco (Arwas, et al., 1996). This term Art Deco is derived from the French word “Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes”

    Read More

  • The Extent to Which World War I Influenced the Dada Artistic Movement

    1634 Words  | 4 Pages

    Rowland, Kurt F. A History of the Modern Movement: Art Architecture Design. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1973. 142. Print.

    Read More

  • Critical Analysis Of Eileen Gray's 'Villa E1027'

    1033 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the early twentieth century the Modern movement of architecture and industrial design came about. This movement was a reaction to the change within society and the introduction of new technologies. The ever changing world and technology meant artists to evolve alongside the changing world and this kind of ‘industrial revolution’ that was happening. Modernists ideas have seeped into every form of design especially architecture and design. Although most modernists insisted they were not following any style in particular, their work is instantly

    Read More

  • The US Capitol Building

    1662 Words  | 4 Pages

    Our nation's revolution was a great achievement in U.S History. With the dawn of a new nation, there would have to be a central location to make the new decisions of our country. Our capitol has stood as the heart of our country since the late 1700s. The United States capitol is among the most architecturally impressive and symbolically important buildings in the world. For almost two centuries it has housed the meeting chambers of the senate and the House of Representatives. Begun in 1793, the capitol building has been built, burnt, rebuilt, extended, and restored. Today our capitol stands as a monument to the American people and their government. (AOC.gov)

    Read More

  • The Seagram Building

    1384 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Seagram building is the prime example of Mies' masterful use of steel. The bronze sheathed skyscraper soars thirty-eight stories high from its 90-foot deep pink granite plaza. Volume is everywhere apparent in this building, from the great columns that bring the structure to the ground to the welded bronze mullions holding the glass sheets in place. As enormous of a project this was, great attention was paid to purity and precision of design, following the fundamentals of the style. Details from doorknobs to stainless steel furniture throughout the building, spacious layout and functional use of all elements from interior office space to shower rooms, the Picasso backdrop signaling the entrance, the cantilevered portico entrance, and the luminous ceiling, make this one of the worlds most elegant skyscrapers. More importantly, pertaining to the International Style, Mies has expressed his elegant use of materials, and technological perfection throughout the building.

    Read More

  • Art Deco: An Era of Rebellion and Style Evolution

    1117 Words  | 3 Pages

    From poster design, typography, production processes, and advertising, Art Deco was a combination of various styles that helped advance the way design was seen by the public. The style’s inspiration primarily developed through the analyzation of Modern, Neo-Classic, and Abstract concepts. A.M. Cassandre was known as one of the major contributors to the style, and helped develop an exaggeration of scale and form beyond previous comparison. His works during this time were typically presented in a multitude of travel posters, including his poster for the train Express Nord in 1927 (figure 1), as well as his poster for the ocean liner L’Atlantique in 1931 (figure

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Art Deco And Buhaus

    1160 Words  | 3 Pages

    Art Deco and Bauhaus are two of the most influential art styles that influenced modern America today. From the avant-garde decorations and design that is still present in Los Angeles, to the flat roof design and simplicity of houses and shops that can be seen almost anywhere, these two designs are still present in our communities. The two movements do have some comparative similarities, but are also very different in design and concept. One should now be able to distinguish the similarities and differences between Art Deco and

    Read More

  • Art Nouveau and Art Deco essay

    1728 Words  | 4 Pages

    ...s such at flowers and plants. This form was mainly embraced during its decline as a movement as it became so popular that it was being watered down and lost its ingenuity and integrity as an art form. this was helped by the first world war as the war required an influx of new technology to fight with. things were further stimulated by the returned growth of the economy which meant that people had more money to spend thus were able to purchase better quality and luxury products. art deco began after as the period of glamour and extravagance which saw the creation and usage of new materials such as metals chrome and platinum, and the increase usage of vibrant paters such as stripes and zigzags used of furniture pieces both movements have greatly influenced their later years even after the second world war up to the 1960s which saw art deco revived for a short while.

    Read More

  • Modern vs. Postmodern Architecture

    1622 Words  | 4 Pages

    The essence of modern architecture lays in a remarkable strives to reconcile the core principles of architectural design with rapid technological advancement and the modernization of society. However, it took “the form of numerous movements, schools of design, and architectural styles, some in tension with one another, and often equally defying such classification, to establish modernism as a distinctive architectural movement” (Robinson and Foell). Although, the narrower concept of modernism in architecture is broadly characterized by simplification of form and subtraction of ornament from the structure and theme of the building, meaning that the result of design should derive directly from its purpose; the visual expression of the structure, particularly the visual importance of the horizontal and vertical lines typical for the International Style modernism, the use of industrially-produced materials and adaptation of the machine aesthetic, as well as the truth to materials concept, meaning that the true nat...

    Read More

  • Impressionism and Post-Impressionism

    1411 Words  | 3 Pages

    Different art movements are created as a reflection of the type of response to the existing or older art movement. It does not necessarily mean scrapping the old to make way for the new. In art, the new movement always takes with it part of the past, but what makes it distinct is the new and fresh perspective that it brings to the table that wasn't present or appreciated before. If anything, the chronology of art movements is testament to the growth process of the world of art, proof of how the art has evolved ever since. Impressionism and Post-Impressionism are two art movements that happened in succession, and the characteristics of and existence of Post Impressionism reflects how Post Impressionism is a reaction to the earlier Impressionism and how Post Impressionism, despite its efforts to introduce something new, still retains many important characteristics found in Impressionism.

    Read More

  • Modernism And Modernism

    929 Words  | 2 Pages

    Modernism can be defined as the post-industrial revolutionary era, where which the western world began to see a change in all spheres of living. The effects of the industrial revolution became prevalent towards the end of the nineteenth century and the modernist movement drew inspiration from this widespread change. Artists, writers, architects, designers and musicians, all began to embrace the changing world and denounce their pre-taught doctrines and previous ways of producing work. Society felt the urge to progressively move forward toward a modern way of thinking and living.

    Read More

  • The Use of Traditional Styles in Contemporary Architecture

    1649 Words  | 4 Pages

    Abstract: Contemporary architects have a wide variety of sources to gain inspiration from, but this has not always been the case. How did modernism effect sources of inspiration? What did post-modernism do to liberate the choice of influences? Now that Contemporary architects have the freedom of choice, how are they using “traditional” styles and materials to inspire them? Even after modernism why are traditional styles still around?

    Read More

  • Free Essays on A Doll's House: An Essay

    1872 Words  | 4 Pages

    Towards the end of the nineteenth century, the Art Nouveau style became an international movement. For the first time in decorative arts history there was a simultaneous movement throughout Europe and America. Art Nouveau brought the finest designers and craftsmen together in order to design buildings, furniture, wallpaper, fabrics, ceramics, metalwork and glasswork. Art Nouveau was considered more than a style, it was a philosophy. From this philosophy carefully designed articles for the home were designed intended to fit into the scheme of the whole Art Nouveau style. Line was the most important aspect of the Art Nouveau period. Art Nouveau was a rebellion against machine made articles of the 19th century that were copies of past designs. Art Nouveau was also a reaction against the old Victorian tradition. Art Nouveau designers borrowed from the past but because of the emphasis on line and adaptation of natural forms to design. Art Nouveau is easily distinguishable from any other period in decorative arts.

    Read More

More about The Chrysler Building

Open Document