Assignment: History of Modern Design
Answer the questions below. The first three questions refer to the first reading, "North America", which comes later in the textbook than the second reading, "Europe 1830 - 1900", which is what the rest of the questions ask about. They should not be very long answers; all but a couple of your answers should be based directly on the statements by the textbook authors.
Type and print your answers on both sides of 1 SHEET OF PAPER:
TYPE THE NUMBER (and letter) OF EACH QUESTION AT THE BEGINNING OF EACH ANSWER!!!
1. a) What were the two basic reasons that the United States, as a new nation and new democracy, embraced Neoclassicism, according to the author?
b) Which of the "phenomena" of design and history, diagrammed and discussed in class, also helps explain this shift to Neoclassicism?
2. a) What does the author say the Shakers' "plain and simple" design aesthetic represents?
b) What Shaker values do you think are being expressed by these characteristics or aspects of their design?
3. Find the passage in the reading that discusses figure 18.41 the Sideboard from the U.S. c.1855.
a) What does the author say was the specific inspiration or model for this type (and style) of furniture?
b) How is it different in its form and expression from the bureau shown in figure 18.34? (Give specifics/general characteristics.)
c) What one, multi-purpose word introduced in class to describe Victorian Era's approach to design does this relationship illustrate? How is this one word appropriate here?
4. a) What were the 2 main views of industrialization or mechanization stated at the beginning of the second reading?
b) Besides new machines, power sources and materials, what other innovation of the industrial revolution is mentioned as having a profound effect on production and on society itself?
5. What technological development allowed middle class women to dress like Princess Eugenie (be very specific)?
6. What were the "exotic" influences (from non-European cultures) cited as important in this period (two main sources, and then three others noted as well)?
7. a) What were the main sources of inspiration for the Arts & Crafts Movement?
b) What was its attitude to industrial technology?
c) What were William Morris's main social and moral beliefs regarding good design?
8. a) What was the key culture favored as a source of inspiration for the aesthetics of the Aesthetic Movement?
b) How were the Aesthetic Movement's focus and beliefs different from those of the Arts & Crafts Movement? (i.e. compare to your answer in question 7.)