Art Movements. Textiles in the Bauhaus Essay

Introduction

The late 19th century is one of the most historically important periods in the history of mankind. The century saw the power of science, the European powers like British, the German empire and most of all the United States started to gain importance in the world’s history. The nineteenth century saw many great artists. In the late nineteenth century and early 20th century, art was dominated by impressionism and Post-impressionism. Some of the greatest paintings of 19th century were products of realism, like Gustave Courbet’s “A Burial at Ornans” (Matthews, 2001) or some of the great Vincent Van Gough’s paintings. This was the period, late 19th and early 20th century, when art movements attempted to address the role of textiles within the broader context of the fine arts, and to redress the hierarchies of media or function (Cockcroft, 2001). The place of textiles in the Bauhaus became an important aspect. As a result, this study would look into the parameters of several aspects of textile art in the context of late nineteenth century and early 20th century. The study would not only discuss the place of textiles in the Bauhaus but would evaluate and provide visual analysis of works from the artists Gunta Stolzl, William Morris and from Morris and Company.

Background

However, to understand the importance it is essential to understand the influence of art movement and the causes of movement during this period. A group of artists during that time contradicted on the method of realism and they focused on impressionism. The name of the form is derived from the title of a painting of “Claude Monet, which is termed as ‘Impression, Sunrise’” (Matthews, 2001). There were distinctive features of this movement. These were the elements that were later seen in the textiles in the Bauhaus. However, at that time the Academie des Beaux-Arts, Paaris, was the heart of these arts. They generally advocated for the traditional French paintings, which generally had contents like historically important subjects, stories from the Bible, and also the portraits (Taylor, 2001). The Academie wanted that all the pictures must be careful about the smaller details of the subject. The form also had its share of criticism as they said that it never showed the inner mind of the artist, or anything like his personality or emotions (Matthews, 2001).

The place of textiles in the Bauhaus

Bauhaus is a Germany based school of arts. This is one of the most important groups of artists, which generally operated from 1919 to 1933, basically between the Wars. The main aspect of the school was that it successfully combined crafts and the fine arts. The Bauhaus school of arts was famous for their different designing approach. Though the school was formed by an architect called Walter Gropius, the school never had an architectural department. But the most striking aspect of the group was that it tried to make a successful symphony between all the spheres of arts. By doing that, the group left very important influence on different types of arts particularly with the participation of excellent artists like Gunta Stolzl and William Morris (Naifeh, 1992).

Throughout the Western Europe the School of arts had a very important impact. “Even the influence was extended to countries like Canada and Israel, and most importantly United States of America” (Naifeh, 1992). Basically after the end of the Nazis, many artists who were the pioneers of the art form fled from Germany and spread all over the World. They continued their art in the countries and ultimately affecting the art forms of the countries too.

There was a workshop in the Bauhaus art named Weaving Workshop, which was basically the textile art workshop of the Bauhaus Art, and most importantly, most of the artists in the place were women. Initially the textile art was a much neglected aspect of the Bauhaus Art. If we look at the textile art of the Bauhaus School, we have to remember the name of Gunta Stolzl. As an artist she played the most important role in developing the textile art in the Bauhaus Art. Historically it is even said that she was the most important aspect in the textile department and one of the sole reasons of creating the Weaving Workshop (Parry, 1989).

If we look at her career, we can surely understand the gradual development of the school. In the beginning of her career, the textile art was a much neglected art form in the Bauhaus School. Most of the names that were involved in the movement were weak in the technical aspects of textile arts and engineering. After opening and successfully operating the dyeing facilities, she became the director of the weaving branch of the school. It was her idea to import modern art in the sphere of textile, and which ultimately changed the course of textile designing and engineering, and this impact is felt still now-a-days. She even successfully experimented with synthetic materials and different types of cottons to develop more trendy and durable clothing. “She made the textile department as one of the most successful facilities of the Bauhaus School” (Naifeh, 1992).

The most important impact of the Bauhaus School of Textile designing is that it tried to change the direction of textile designing from an indoor event to the more sophisticated World of industrial designs. Historically it is proven that the textile artists sought different synthetic materials like cellophane for producing a new type of clothing. The curriculum of the Weaving Workshop consisted of the use of handlooms, and the artists were trained in the technical aspects of dyeing, weaving, and applying geometrical designs of the products. Weaving emerged an art form with significant inputs from some very important subjects, which was never thought earlier. This would also be discussed in the sphere of textile designing. In a very distant sense, we can say that the Bauhaus school left one of the most important impacts on modern textile designing in recent times (Parry, 1983).

The Bauhaus School of textile, as like other very important divisions of the school was a place which was renowned for experimentation in the sphere and the teachers and masters always encouraged improvisation. Artists like “Anni Albers, and most importantly, Gunta Stolzl” (Naifeh, 1992) were very interested in the properties of fiber based materials. Different types of experiments on organic fibers and most importantly, synthetic fibers, went on there.

The basic properties of fibers were discovered and they tried to enhance the qualities. There are different qualities in a fiber, like the color, structure and texture, as well as flexibility and some very less discussed properties like the refraction of light by fiber and its ability to absorb sound. The Bauhaus School of textile designing extensively researched on these subjects so that one can fully utilize all the potentials of the fiber or textile he is using. The basic target of the group was to create a fiber which would not only be comfortable but also please the artistic mind of the people. The artists were masters in both hand weaving and machine made products (Parry, 1982). Gunta Stolzl was very efficient in transform compositions of art into simple textile pieces.

Following the tradition of the Bauhaus School, the textile division of the facility successfully produced some very important pieces of art, where design combined with visual aesthetics and mastery of technique spoke loudly. Bauhaus Textile Art was completely dominated by women, which was a very rare thing at that time and it was one of the most significant contributions. It can be said that the great women artists formed the crux of textile art in the Bauhaus School and produced such accomplished artists like “Margaraete Willers, Kitty Fischer and Ida Kerkovius” (Cockcroft, 2001). As with all of the Bauhaus art forms, the textile art was basically derived from the objects that were used every day. This is one of the most important aspects of the school.

Later difficult political scenario and the World War II had forced the Bauhaus School to close down pre-maturely. But still in recent times the impact of the movement can be felt. The movement was the first of its kind which tried to enforce geometry in textile designing as it tried to infuse geometry in different art forms. Regarded as one of the most influential art schools ever existed after the Renaissance, it will always acquire a very important position in the history of art and design.

Visual analysis of works from the artist Gunta Stolzl

The Wall hanging by Stölzl named “Slit Tapestry Red/Green” (Matthews, 2001) created in 1927/28 is a very elaborate and representative work of the artist. Her style was pushed by the rise of the industrial revolution and machine age, which sprung the widespread building and propagation of factories, corporate establishments, and government institutions such as the “International Exposition of Modern Industrial and Decorative Arts (Expositione Internationale des Artes Decoratifs et Industrieles Modernes)” (Mitra, 1985) of France, where the International Style was derived from. This wall hanging is a confluence of colors and it emits energy of bright luminosity. One of the most important observations of this specific textile art by Stölzl is its own structural composition. If one looks at the plan of the wall hanging, it would be seen that the art piece lacks any central feature or centre point. According to the fundamentals of the artist’s creative approach, it is established that the theme of her work should always be decentralized. In similar manner, the wall hanging used the concept of space in a utilitarian manner but maintaining the aesthetic sense of the textile all along. Here the concept of space is utilized for visual parameters but in such a manner that the space can be utilized whenever it is necessary (Mitra, 1985).

In a way, the “Slit Tapestry Red/Green” (Naifeh, 1992) also became something more than the vision and installation for the viewer. It becomes identification of the artist’s influence and ideology generated out of post-impressionist era. It became the tool of decentralized exhibition and sub alters manifestation too. The geometric patterns appear to be scattered all along the space that started off with individuals being interested into specific issues that has been ignited within them by the dint of visual and mental panorama. This is in complete alignment with the basic aspects of the artist’s thought process. Thus, it can be seen that to a person viewing can be a multi dimensional tool of existence strategies. For an individual visual impetus comes out of the nature and subsequent material to ascertain the proper value of existence and survival in proper and just manner of sanity so much so that he tries to break all barriers to use vision as a medium of artistic expression too. As a result, it can be ascertained that the meaning of vision, in accordance to the artist, is much more far spread than it is conceptualized in common conceptions. In this context, “Slit Tapestry Red/Green” is truly a masterpiece of Stölzl’s work (Naifeh, 1992).

Another such interesting piece of Stölzl’s work is the “Fabric for Tubular Steel Chairs” (Naifeh, 1992) created in 1925. This is a piece of work that evokes the concept of “minimalism” with utmost sincerity of simplicity. Yet, close observation reveals an excellent mastery of art on textile through intricate weaving pattern. This pattern of waving is simple but exhales a sense of vibrant luminosity through three dimensional appeals. This is a wonderful work that emits a vibe that is common and luxurious, simple and rich and lavish yet undemanding at the same time.

Visual analysis of works from the artist William Morris

One of the most representative works of William Morris is his textile art “Cabbage and vine tapestry”, created in 1879. It is noted for its “flat use of line and colour and abhorrence of “realistic” three-dimensional shading was marked” (Samuel, 1999). The shapes and lines are comparatively conventional in this particular work rather than the extreme wavy lines in his latter work. Viewers who are deeply associated with his latter works would certainly find it difficult to match the two forms. The basic social and historical perspective behind this change can be enumerated to the Impressionist movement in France during latter part of the 1880s. In the textile artwork, dark colors are often used to show calmness. Also, when designing, if one uses wider and more circular strokes with a lighter press on the brush, so, it would be more advisable to use lighter. Lighter colors often give off a feeling of warmth and happiness, which is something that one would like to be doing. The entire textile artwork is painted with the help of Implied Lines. The lines are merged with the subject of the painting. The curved lines of the objects and the lines of the trees, leaves and birds make the textile artwork well balanced. The artist has used Organic Shapes and not geometric shapes in the textile artwork. The leaves can be enumerated as a geometric shape but in reality the artist has transformed it into a natural curve to make it a part of the nature. The mass in the painting is implied with the use of dark and light color (Parry, 1989).

Another example of sublime artistry of Morris is reflected in the work “Windrush textile design” (Samuel, 1999) created in 1881-83. This work is more art than textile and critics like Samuel (1999) indicated that it should have been used on a piece of canvas rather than textile design. It is a truly breathtaking work that is incorporated by laborious craftsmanship, perspective studies that are wonderfully plotted and has been executed with an amalgamation of structured procedure and imagination. The main aspect of this textile design, from a viewer’s perspective is to look for the philosophic approach that Morris has taken to enumerate the stability and inconsistency of life. This work of art is exquisite because it places the viewer’s perspective that can be termed as bilateral. It is down to earth and materialistic in one way and at the same time it renders the spiritual aspects of existence. Not many art forms are capable of evoking such aura and thus it could be termed as a work right out of the grade one hall of fame and a champion of textile design of the Bauhaus textile art form.

Visual analysis of works from Morris and Co

The richness of textile design is one of the most important aspects of Morris & Co. The element of Unity can be found in the natural use of shapes and subjects and Variety can be observed in form of color and perspective. The lines and repeated elements create paths for the eyes to follow from the left side to the right side of the textile artwork. The variation of value, color and scale creates a great contrast throughout the landscape of the work. The aspects of Repetition and Rhythm are spread all over the textile artwork. In the process of describing the creative process of the artists in the parameters of textile artwork by Morris & Co, it is evident how closely the word ‘Genius’ is intertwined with their creativity (Parry, 1982). Intellectual brilliance in combination with highest quality of creativity brings in the concept of genius. Beautiful ideas and their proper implementations which have a profound influence on the observers get tagged with the label of creative genius. Individuals are often said to be creative on the basis of their lifestyle, their works in respective fields and their attitudes. Their creative process can be perceived as imaginative, supple, not stereotyped, and influential and authoritarian and the use of gold definitely help their cause (Parry, 1983).

Conclusion

Defining Bauhaus textile art form is not an easy task since it has acquired characteristics from a wide spectrum of periods, while integrating a variety of artistic values and influences gathered by people of different places into a particular style, which was then popularized as Bauhaus textile art form. According to Charles Jencks, “the matter of Bauhaus textile art form is an amalgamation of different ideas and thought processes and together there was referred to as Bauhaus textile art form” (Waggoner, 2003). Thus, it is obvious that it needed the intervention of genius that would provide the particular shape to this idea. The artists Gunta Stolzl and William Morris were two such important personalities in this context. These two artists redressed the role of textiles within the broader context of the fine arts and well enumerated the role of the Bauhaus thought process of art. However, it is true that the meaning of visual aesthetics varies from person to person and beholder to beholder but the end means of Bauhaus textile art form is to provide an effective instrument of self-realization and self-enlightenment other than being just a medium of communication. It is true that the meaning of Bauhaus textile art form is vast and it can be determined that everything that has been mentioned in this regard and is the understanding of this vastness and its meaning much like the artworks analyzed in a deconstructive and decentralized manner.

References

Cockcroft, E. (2001). Expressionism. Artforum, 12(10), 43–54.

Matthews, T. (2001). The western humanities. Mountain View. California: Mayfield Pub.

Mitra, A. (1985). Art of the Western World: A Journey from Pre History to Post History. Auckland: Alliance Publishers.

Naifeh, S. (1992). Textile: The European Saga. NY: Clarkson N. Potter, Inc.

Parry, L. (1989). William Morris and the Arts and Crafts Movement: A Sourcebook. New York: Portland House.

Parry, L. (1983). William Morris Textiles. New York: Viking Press.

Parry, L. (1982). Textiles of the Arts & Crafts Movement. London: Thames and Hudson.

Samuel, A. (1999). The Appreciation of Art. Auckland: NBT Publishers.

Taylor, R. (2001). Fractal Expressionism. London: Physics World.

Waggoner, D. (2003). The Beauty of Life: William Morris & the Art of Design. London: Thames and Hudson.