Sunday, January 23, 2011

Topic discussion: What part of the late 18th century would greatly effect modern design?

In the previous post I started writing about 'I Think Therefore I Am' by Rene Decartes. 
Which Descartes was trying to come up with an essentialist account of the world - that is, if we don't assume anything at all about our experiences, what can we say we know for sure. What he came up with was "cogito, ergo sum." 
Today I am moving on to another topic about the greatly effect modern design in 18th century! I still remember when we make a discussion on class about this topic which is some student says...when they start on demanding for different class of people and lifestyle, class separation, because of migration and much more.


 Symbolic Representation of the
18th-Century Class System (c. 1795)

I would choosing Baroque Style as another important style in 18th Century. For your information Baroque is an artistic style that was present mainly in Europe from the late 16th century until the early 18th century. The Baroque is considered to be the dominant style of art in Europe between the Mannerist and Rococo eras and it is characterized by overt emotion, dynamic movement and self-confident rhetoric.

 Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini, David
This sculpture is completely Baroque. 
The tension in David as he hurls the stone is absolutely real.

The baroque style appeared in Rome, Italy around the year 1600, as a demand of the church for new art. The representatives of arts were demanded by the Roman Catholic Church in 1545 – 1563 to create paintings and sculptures that even the illiterate can comprehend. This decision of the church actually offered inspiration for Baroque artists, which appeared, however, a generation later.


 The most important characteristics of the Barouque style is  evolved from the classic forms of the Renaissance, but it differs by new details and trends: colossal buildings as proportions with dramatic appearance, pompous facades with gables modified in various means, double towers, tall and unshapely domes, annex buildings with beautiful ornaments, windows with irregular forms.
 Baroque Angels, St. Nicholas Church, Prague

 The main domains where the Baroque style emerged. The Baroque Style is clearly represented in domains like architecture, painting, sculpture, theater, music, literature, furnishing, dance and philosophy.

According to Francis D.K. Ching in A Visual Dictionary of Architecture (p. 133), Baroque Architecture is 
“A style of architecture originating in Italy in the early 17th century and variously prevalent in Europe and the New World for a century and a half, characterized by free and sculptural use of the classical orders and ornament, dynamic opposition and interpenetration of spaces, and the dramatic combined effects of architecture, sculpture, painting, and the decorative arts”.
The Versailles Palace in France.

If you can answer this...Is modern design still influenced by the Baroque style? 
I will answer...Baroque art and architecture – extravagant in concept, exuberant in spirit, elaborate in detail – flourished in the 17ths’ century Europe and through the ages has continued to stir us with its vitality and dynamism, its mood of barely suppressed passion. In the architecture of St. Peters in Rome, St. Paul’s in London and Santa Maria della Salute in Venice, in the works of Michelangelo, Bernini and Rubens, the Baroque spirit still lives today to inspire us!....do u agreed with me =) see ya in another topics..peace!



Friday, January 14, 2011

"Cogito ergo sum"

'I think therefore I am'
                                                                     -Rene Descartes

ermm find out the meaning!..and this is my 1st assignment for class Design History, that i have to discuss in this blog sharing the opinion with u all. Before that i would like to say 10q to my lecturer Pn Suzy for make this good ideas 'by creating ur own blog to make an assignment'!..very challenging for me for the 1st time using this T___T huhu..but i 'll try my best to fulfill this assignment and hopping that it was work n successful hehehe...


In 18th century, what was i understand in The Age of Enlightenment, it was a series of philosophical, scientific and otherwise intellectual developments that took place mostly in the 18th century – the birthplace of intellectual modernity. So for me 'cogito ergo sum'  only serves to prove the existence of that which is thinking and nothing else, in what case he is right, for if not there could be no object to be deceived. Im not sure if i right or not but how he words it is unfortunate. It is the consciousness of consciousness that enables us to be aware of our existence in such a manner that Descartes set to prove to exist, rather than just the consciousness.

One of article that we can share;
Dorinda Outram provides a good example of a standard, intellectual definition of the Enlightenment:
Enlightenment was a desire for human affairs to be guided by rationality rather than by faith, superstition, or revelation; a belief in the power of human reason to change society and liberate the individual from the restraints of custom or arbitrary authority; all backed up by a world view increasingly validated by science rather than by religion or tradition.

There were lots info that we can share together, see in next issues...;)