Chapter 14

 Andy Warhol was born in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania on August 6, 1928 and died February 22, 1987. He was a leading figure in the 1960s pop art movement. During his education as an artist Warhol attended Carnegie Mellon University, in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. His work provoked mass media and high culture as well as low culture. Such as household products, musicians, and movie stars. Nothing and no one was safe. He worked in several mediums including film, screen printing, photography, and painting etc. He is best known for his silk screen prints of celebrities including Elvis and Madonna, The velvet underground’s album cover, and probably his most famous the Campbell’s tomato soup can, and just to name a few. Warhol took Henry Ford’s assembly line idea, and turned it towards the art world. Warhol would create an idea and have a team of artists he employed at his factory to produce his artworks in mass productions.

Chapter 13

Wharton Esherick was born July 15, 1887 and died May 6, 1970. He was a sculptor that work primarily and in wood. Esherick is known most commonly for his sculptural furniture and other furnishings. He was born in Philadelphia and attended the Philadelphia Museum school of industrial arts and the Pennsylvania Academy of fine arts.  He moved to Paoli Pennsylvania, to pursue a painting career after graduating. During his new career he started carving frames for his paintings which eventually led to woodcarvings and other etchings, which led to his work in the sculpture arts. His home studio outside Valley Forge Pennsylvania, became his largest work of art. Utilizing his sculptural skills he designed an architectural layout for a house. Not only did he design the architecture be designed every aspect of the home. Including furniture, and floors ceilings, Windows, and doors etc. After his death his home studio and architectural work of art became a museum for the public.

While attending high school I was fortunate enough to live the town next to Paoli. I was given the chance to go on a field trip with our class to the Wharton Esherick Museum. Words can begin to describe the magnificent sculptural feats achieved throughout the house. Everything flows together so Seamlessly it’s as if it was all carved from the same  block of wood. This museum is such a hidden treasure, and should be sought out by all who appreciate art.

Chapter 12

 

During World War II, women redefine themselves in the workplace. Yet once the war was over the ideals of gender roles became more prominent. Sprawling suburban neighborhoods sprouted up all over the US. Within these suburban communities everything was the same. Conformity became of a way of life. With some help from the media, and Hollywood movie ideals the nuclear family redefined itself. Within these communities everything was same. Every house had a white picket fence freshly cut lawn, and a beautiful garden. After the war men reclaimed their position as in the main breadwinner within families. Women pulled out of the workplace and became housewives. Taking care of the children and making sure there was food on the table for when the husband came home.  Malvina Reynolds a folk singer during this time of conformity. Mocked these perfect neighborhoods, by calling the houses little boxes made from ticky tacky.

While the majority of society was conforming, and ever-growing counterculture was emerging. Including musicians, writers, celebrities, and the nations youth. This is known as the beats movement. The beats are built against conformity striving to cause a little chaos amongst the popular cookie cutter lifestyle.

Chapter 11

  Earl Silas Tupper invented Tupperware in the mid-1940s. Using pieces of plastic given to him by DuPont, Tupper created lightweight non-breakable containers, cups, bowls, plates, even gas masks that were used in World War II their tight lids. He later went on to design liquid proof and airtight lids. Tupperware got its big break once Brownie Wise a former sales representative of Stanley home products developed the strategy of a Tupperware party. During 1950s sprawling suburban neighborhoods sprouted up all over the US. Women and other housewives held Tupperware parties, where they would all baked separate dishes and takes some of each dish home in their Tupperware.

Chapter 10

 Norman Percevel Rockwell was born in New York City on february 3, 1894 and died November 8, 1978. He was an American painter and illustrator. Rockwell’s work reflected the American culture, he was most famous for his cover illustrations of everyday life scenarios. Rockwell begin art school at the age of 14. Rockwell tried enlisting in the U.S. Navy during World War I. He was rejected because he was too tall and didn’t weigh enough. After eating a lot he was able to pass the test but he was enlisted as the military artist and didn’t see any action. During rockwell’s later years he eventually married 3 different times and then died at the age of 84 from emphysema.

Chapter 9

Constructivism was an artistic movement, as well as an art architectural movement. This new form of art originated in Russia, in 1919. It was created as a rebuttal of the idea of autonomous art. Constructivism influenced modern art movements such as Bauhaus and de stijl. These influences carried major impacts upon architecture, graphic and industrial design, theater, film, dance and fashion. The movement’s name was coined after a criticism of Alexander RodChenko work, calling it construction art. Constructivism was a post-World War I development of Russian futurism. After the Russian Revolution constructivism turned its attentions to new social demands for industrial tasks creating a new form of architectural design. This new design created by the movement can be seen in Vladimir Tat Linz, Tower.

Chapter 8

The founder of Futurism and its most influential personality was the Italian writer Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. Marinetti launched the movement in his Futurist Manifesto, which he published for the first time on 5th February, 1909. Futurism was an artistic and social movement that originated in Italy in the early 20th century, and held it's influence through the 1930's. It emphasized and glorified themes associated with contemporary ideas of the future, including speed, technology, youth and violence, and the industrialism. The Futurists practiced in every medium of art, including painting, sculpture, ceramics, graphic design, industrial design, interior design, theatre, film, fashion, textiles, literature, music, and architecture. Futurism influenced art movements such as Art Deco, Constructivism, Surrealism, Dada.

"Unique Forms of Continuity in Space", bronze sculpture by Umberto Boccioni, 1913,

Museum of Modern Art (New York City)

Chapter 7

Henry Ford was Born on July 30th 1863, he died on April 7 1947. Ford was an American industrialist, the founder of the Ford Motor Company, and sponsor of the development of the assembly line technique of Mass production. His introduction of the Model T automobile revolutionized transportation and American industry. As owner of the Ford Motor Company, he became one of the richest and best-known people in the world. He is credited with "Fordism": mass production of inexpensive goods coupled with high wages for workers. Ford had a global vision, with consumerism as the key to peace. His intense commitment to systematically lowering costs resulted in many technical and business innovations, including a Franchise system that put dealerships throughout most of North America and in major cities on six continents.

Ford rethought the location of parts and sequence of operations in manufacturing and eventually developed the moving assembly line. Ford factories were known for a rapid pace and high rates of production. The rapid pace led many workers to quit after just a few weeks on the job. Ford responded by doubling the rate of pay. Ford developed an assembly-line method reducing production time from 12 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours, and the car price from $900 to $440. When Henry Ford introduced the Model T in 1908, it was available at $845 in black only (similar cars cost $2,000 to $3,000). It was said to be "stronger than a horse and easier to maintain."

Chapter 6

Frank Lloyd wright was born on June 8th, 1867, and died on April 7th, 1959. Wright was an American architect, interior designer, writer and educator, who designed more than 1,000 structures and completed 500 works. Wright believed in organic philosophy. which means he believed in creating structures having harmony with their surroundings, made from natural materials, and having restraint toward ornamentation. Wright said that the dream for democratic architecture could only be achieved by embracing the machine.This philosophy was best exemplified by his design for Falling Water (1935), which hasbeen called "The best all-time work, of American architecture."

His work includes original and innovative examples of many different building types, including offices, churches, schools, skyscrapers, hotels, and museums. Wright also designed many of the interior elements of his buildings, such as the furniture and stained glass. Wright authored 20 books and many articles and was a popular lecturer in the United States and in Europe. His colorful personal life often made headlines, most notably for the 1914 fire and murders at his Taliesin Studio in Chicago. Already well known during his lifetime, Wright was recognized in 1991 by the American Institute of Architects as "the greatest American architect of all time."

Chapter 5

Christopher Dresser (1843-1904) was a Scottish designer that work with ideas that were far headof his time. He embraced the industrial movement as well as modern forms of manufacturing. Utilizing these forms of production he developed wallpaper, textiles, ceramics, glass, furniture and metalware. In his youth Dresser attended The Government School of design, Somerset. Where he pursued studies in the art of botany. House Dresser work in metalware in hinde sight was remarkable a head of its time. we see these modern style motifs in his work with his toast racks and teapots. Dresser explored simple yet elegant designs that would lend them selves to mass production; so that the middle classes could afford to have high culture items in their homes. Dresser spent a lot of time travel in Japan where he learned and was in spired by tradition japanese style of art; of which he used as an influence amongst most of his print work.

Chapter 4

During the 19th century, American cities were industrial and commercial centers for sprawling endless flows of immigrants. Cities such as New York quickly found itself overwhelmed and over capacity. Forcing immigrant family to squeeze into tenement housing typically no larger then your average college dorm room. These building were poorly designed, had no running water and had little to no sanitation. Toilets and running water were found outside in common areas between buildings. The lack of sanitation led to large scale outbreaks of illnesses and disease, that swept through the tenements like wild fire. The tenement housing had very poor ventilation, and during summer months heat waves commonly claimed the lives of children and elderly tenants. Tenement housing wasn't cheap. Living there forced it's tenants to work long hard hours. Before child labor came into effect, even children were sent out to work just as hard as an adults but they worked for a fraction of the pay.

Chapter 3

The camera obscura is an optical device that projects an image of its surroundings on a screen. It is primarily used in drawing and painting, and was one of the inventions that led to photography. The device consists of a box or room with a small pin hole or sometimes a lens on one side. Light from an external scene passes through the hole or lens and strikes a surface inside where it is reproduced, upside-down, but with color and perspective preserved. The image can be projected onto paper, and can then be traced to produce a highly accurate representation.

The Dutch master artist Johannes Vermeer, is known to have used a camera obscura. The movie "The girl with the pearl earring," portrays Vermeer durring the peak of his career. In the movie Vermeer describes the uses of the camera obscura and you get to see him use it while he paints.

Chapter 2

Isaac Merritt Singer (1811-1875) designed the first practical sewing machine in Boston, Massachusetts, United States in 1850, and in 1853 founded the Singer Manufacturing Company

His success was based on:

1) practicality of his machine,

2) ease of adaption to home use, and

3) availability on installment payment

Singer re-issued his sewing machine during 1856-1860. He designed his sewing machines to appeal to housewives. The sewing machines were built into cabinets and were commonly put in living rooms to be admired by guests.

I remember using a modern singer sewing machine, in a family consumer sciences class I had in middle school. I would never have know the history behind that machine without reading about it in this class.

Chapter 1

The Grand Tour, the original package holiday. Starting around 1660, upper class men would Travel all over Europe; visiting master works and ancient ruins. Upon returning home, travelers would bring with them souvenirs to decorate their homes. The grand tour sparked inspirations amongst architects. Patrons commissioned architects to recreate rooms and furniture they had seen during The Grand Tour. The invention of railroads in 1820 made The Grand Tour safer, easier, and more affordable. Now The Grand Tour was obtainable by the middle classes. This allowed the middle class to indulge in high cultural decor and the privilege of seeing master works.