Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Renee Prahar - Sculptor


A Pioneer in the Fantastic and the Grotesque

MONKEYS BY RENEE PRAHAR
APIONEER in the fantastic and the grotesque, is what Henry McBride, the art critic, calls Renee Prahar, the sculptor. And a New York gallery is showing so much of her work as to support the attribution. Of course we have had sculptors who have essayed the grotesque "in more or less clandestine fashion," as Mr. McBride admits; but from the amount of her product in this particular field—the result, we are told, of five years of work—Miss Prahar has taken a field all to herself. Leaving out of account a few portraits, which, by the way are far from conventional sculpture. "there is a strain of the fantastic in all her decorative work," and it is this, says Mr. McBride, "that makes me look with expectation upon her career." We need grotesques in America, asserts this critic in his introduction to the catalog: "we need the fantastic touch, we need the spirit of play in order to have an art." It is a thing, he thinks, that our war-ridden peoples are asking tor "and for God's sake quickly—a little play!" Something more he finds necessary to say in order to make clear this lack among us:

"Meredith was right in putting a high and intellectual value upon comedy and in judging society by the kind of comedy it inspired. Ruskin lived just long enough to have seen the grotesques that add a peculiar glory to his own epoch, those of Aubrey Beardsley, but there is no hint that upon his deathbed he reversed his opinion (which was a fear of the grotesque; a fear even of play)."

Mr. McBride is "not so surprized that Miss Prahar should do grotesques as that this form of expression should be so late in arriving in America," for—

"The conventional methods and restrictions of the usual sculptors are so foreign to her style that one might imagine she had never heard their language, but in reality she has been subjected, as they have, to the influence of the Paris art schools. The fact is she has an exploring mind as well as a quick one. A theme suggests itself instantly to her in some peculiarly individual material. Mrs. Cyril Hatch's portrait, a lead intaglio set in ebony, has such unexpected lights, due to its treatment and material, that the most Ruskinian observer is forced to take it with Latin playfulness. The Baroness de Meyer in fasceted red marble is possibly cubistic but certainly like the lady, and certainly amusing. Madame Nazimova appears twice in Miss Prahar's collection, and in the fantastic version appears her livid best. But the pewter, silver, black basalt, colored marbles and carved wood of Miss Prahar, that seem so original to her American contemporaries brought up upon Carrara pur et simple, pale beside a series of rooms that are now being shown tor the first time. These will he the true test of the capacity of New Yorkers for playfulness. Certainly they would have entertained Wagner's orginal friend, the late King Lndwig of Bavaria, who went far along the road to satirical expression, before his own little society blew up. The entrance hall. for instance, is a 'Monkey Room' in purple, blue and cerise with carved monkeys in control of all the flttings. The novel fireplace is arranged so that a thin curtain of water falls in front of the fire into a pool that, reflects the names. Startling? Don't be provincial! Remember that the war is over and we are at the beginning of a new period. The andirons it should be noted, are rusty iron monkeys, prodigiously clever, and worthy of the best traditions of the Japanese.
"The 'Breakfast Room,' which is ablaze with brilliant enamels, upon a, golden ground boasts also a 'new' fireplace, in which water descends over the surface of the side carvings of the mantel and again forms a pool before the fire. The decorations in this room are from bird motifs, reliefs of flamingoes, and other feathered creatures dear to the colorists. . . . The third is a 'Music Room' decorated with panels in relief, illustrating 'L'Apres-midi d' un Faune.' Miss Prahar was inspired by the famous production of the Ballet Russe, which, however, she has not followed literally—but then. neither did Debussy follow Mallarme's text, nor did Diaghilef stick literally to Debussy. Amer- icans, after they got safely over their first uncertainties in regard to the joyous paganism of this ballet, loved it; and the free in mind and pure at heart will again enjoy it in Miss Prahar's panels. It is intended ultimately that the panels be carved in wood—hence the amusing treatment of the trees; and the lighting which is dramatic, is doubtless a fruit of Miss Prahar's own experiences in the theater.
"Miss Prahar was on the stage nine years. For four years, she played leading ingenue parts with the late Richard Mansfield, taking that famous actor's last 'curtain' with him. Even during this stage of her career, however, she had sculpture in mind, and was constantly doing plastic sketches for the amusement of her fellow artists."

A STUDY OF NAZIMOVAThe idea of the monkey room is bizarre enough to make the ordinary person cling for safety to his Ruskin before he lets go and swings out on the branch with Miss Prahar's favorites. Perhaps Marion Storm, writing in the New York Evening Post, will be an added help to the timorous:

"Nothing could seem stranger in description—to prove so beautiful when seen—than the 'monkey room,' one of three interiors which will form part of an exhibition of her works, to take place soon. Miss Prahar is very fond of monkeys, and of all animals. She returns from Bronx Park with keen memories of their decorative possibilities, and thereupon preserves them in limewood, painted in brilliant cobalt, as the dominant theme of an entrance hall. Brooding blue monkeys on columns stand at the door. One crouches over to hold a gorgeous purple lamp-shade, gazing down on a simian brother below. The blue monkey motive rules a striking fireplace. The walls of the room are in cerise. Yet the effect is a peaceful one—slumberous, rich, tropical.
"Despite their cobalt complexions and lively nature, the monkeys are not at all intrusive. They provide the sidelights, the console table, the andirons, shovel, tongs and poker, but the most original members of the troupe are the twenty-seven little monkeys that edge the mantelpiece. They carry out a charming idea of Miss Prahar's own—the combination of water and fire in interior decoration. From their mouths pour little jets of water, which, crossing one another before the flames, produce tiny rainbows and fascinating play of colored lights as they drop into a blue trough that is placed in front of the hearth, where the fender would be.
"Water and fire are harmonized in different fashion in the 'bird room,' for here the fountain fireplace is done in glowing yellow, with strange birds that never dwelt on land or in air, standing on either side and looking as tho they were sleepily hoping for their prey to arrive in the veil of water that falls slowly down past these panels, to catch the firelight as it lies in the hearthstone pool. Birds and dragonflies in green, deep blue, vermilion, and orange, enjoy themselves on the window boxes. The golden and orange bird room is as vivid as the hall of monkeys is somnolent. . . .
"When, in war time, Miss Prahar was asked to do a statue to be sold for the soldiers, she did not choose a portrait or any theme profound and sad. She did a group of monkeys and they were greatly appreciated. She can remember tiger and monkey anatomy, and does not require the living models in her studio, which would be inconvenient.''

In her decorative ideas, says the New York Times art critic, Renee Prahar "belongs to the present moment, which means that she harks back to the eighteenth century for monkey and parrot themes and interprets them in color of Bohemian intensity." Adding:

"It might not be pleasant for a lady from Woollett, Mass., to breakfast daily in the little orange-and-yellow breakfast room with its fountain fireplace and bathing birds, or play even her Debussy in the music room with its galloping fauns, but Woollett, Mass., is a very small spot on the American map to-day; and the important thing about Miss Prahar's decorations is that she shows how an interior may be harmonized with architecture on the one side and fabrics on the other by means of polychrome sculpture. Also, her treatment of material is interesting. By her repeated polishings she has given a portrait in lead the moonlight glow of old pewter. And her marbles have variety due to the legitimate devices of cutting and polishing."

Source: Literary Digest - Februray 18, 1922

1920's Art


1920's Art, Artists and Illustrators

Two art movements, Surrealism and Art Deco had their genesis during the 1920's. Photography was a recognized art form but advertising still mainly relied on artists and illustrators to produce the high quality black-white and color advertisements that are sought after by collectors today.

The Surrealism movement began in post-World War I European avant-garde literary and art circles, and many early Surrealists were associated with the earlier Dada movement.

The Surrealists developed techniques such as automatic drawing (developed by André Masson), automatic painting, decalcomania, frottage, fumage, grattage and parsemage that became significant parts of Surrealist practice.

Art Deco was a movement in decorative arts that also affected architecture. It derived its name from the World's fair held in Paris in 1925, which showcased French luxury goods. Art Deco did not originate with the Exposition; it was a major style in Europe from the early 1920s, though it did not catch on in the U.S. until about 1928.

Art Deco is characterised by use of materials such as aluminium, stainless steel, lacquer, inlaid wood, sharkskin, and zebraskin. The bold use of zigzag and stepped forms, and sweeping curves, chevron patterns, and the sunburst motif.

Two American artists who had a large impact in the illustration field were Maxfield Parrish and C. Coles Phillips. Their work was very popular in the twenties and is still sought after by collectors today.

1927 LIFE MAGAZINE COVER BY COLES PHILLIPSMaxfield Parrish (July 25, 1870 - March 30, 1966) was an American painter and illustrator born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He began drawing for his own amusement as a child and his parents encouraged his talent. He attended Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and went into a artistic career that lasted for many decades, and helped shape the Golden Age of illustration and the future of American visual arts.

In the 1920s, Parrish turned away from illustration and concentrated on painting for its own sake. Androgynous nudes in fantastical settings were an often recurring theme. In 1931 he decided to focus solely on landscapes.

Parrish's art features dazzlingly luminous colors. He achieved the results by means of a technique involving several coats of oil and varnish applied to his paintings.

C. Coles Phillips (1880, Springfield, Ohio - 1927, New York City), studied at Kenyon College in 1902, where he found an audience for drawing in the school yearbooks. After leaving Kenyon, Phillips moved to New York where he took classes in art school before starting his own advertisement agency. In 1907, Phillips met with J.A. Mitchell, the publisher of Life Magazine, and was hired at the age of 26.

Phillips became very popular with Life Magazine readers and was awarded cover assignments. In 1908, he created a cover that would become his trademark. By combining foreground and background elements of the same color, he created the "fadeaway girl," which became a popular convention in print art for decades to come.

Saturday, September 22, 2012

The Charleston Dance



and the quick step vs. the charleston 




1920s-1930s Hair Tutorial for LONG HAIR



mimic the 1920s hair style *,*

1920's Music

1920's Music


Jazz, Ragtime and Broadway musicals were popular facets of 1920's music.



Jazz gained popularity in America and worldwide by the 1920s. Nothing quite like it had ever happened before in America. New exuberant dances were devised to take advantage of the upbeat tempo's of Jazz and Ragtime music.


Monday, September 17, 2012

The Broadway Melody - 1929



After the war ended, Times Square became mobbed with crowds of enthusiastic citizens carrying flags and cheering, and the Times Tower was strung with electric lights for the celebration. Since this moment, Times Square has always been a gathering place for the entire city, drawing cheerful crowds to the spirited environment. During the 1920s, Broadway reached its prime. Many of the old buildings originally used for housing were now used to display signs, such as adds for "Lucky Strike" and "Pepsi Cola." One might describe Broadway at this time as being garish, and had a reputation of being cheap and tawdry. However an English writer, Stephen Graham wrote about Broadway at the time, "There is no garishness in it and it wells upward into that artificial light which is greater than the day." Paul Morand, a French novelist visiting New York agreed, "In Forty-second Street, it is a glowing Summer afternoon all night: one might almost wear white trousers and a straw hat. Theaters, night clubs, movie palaces, restaurants are all lighted at every porthole. Undiscovered prisms, rainbows squared." Broadway was never meant to be beautiful, but hoped that people would feel livelier in its "tonic light-bath," during its prime hour of night.

Although statisticians argue over exactly how many theaters there were some say eighty, some seventy everyone agreed that Broadway theaters were booming in the twenties. During these years, the number of productions increased from 126 in 1917 to 264 in 1928, which is still the all-time peak of Broadway production. During the twenties and after the war, the American population was moving more and more into the cities. The decade, known as the "Roaring Twenties," has been notorious in history for being a reckless, irresponsible, and materialistic era. In response to the many social changes occurring in America, the new plays on Broadway eliminated their old traditional storylines in the productions. In "What Price Glory?" the writer sent the message that war is not noble, but irrelevant. In "Desire Under the Elms," the life of the traditional American farmer degenerated into incest and greed. This collapse of tradition turned drama into a criticism of life, and surprisingly this was the best period in Broadway drama.
Overall in the 1920s, Broadway was bursting with energy and enterprise. The theater was filled with hope and fresh ideas, and new styles of craftsmanship. And with the organization of the Theater Guild by Lawrence Langner, Broadway became a brilliant center that influenced the theater of the world.

Friday, September 14, 2012

1920s Advertisement

1920s Advertisement 

Browsing through the internet i came a cross 1920s printed Advertisement, they are artistic and mesmerising here some of them : 









1920s fashion trends




Fashion Trends

"1920s fashion trends were influenced by two revolutions of the decade: The birth of the independent woman free to do and dress as she pleased, and America’s growing role as a global economic leader post WWI."

The 1920s known as the joyful decade even they refer to is as “The Roaring ’20s” it was an exciting time of industrial, political and cultural growth. The 1920s fashion trends gave women the liberty to wear  drop waist dresses and showing leg above the knee, cutting their hair short and dressing like a boy! in fact it was the first time women were allowed to do so and wear such dresses. 

DROP WAIST DRESSES


The Trend 
Designed with a horizontal line cut across the body below the hips, instead of at your natural waist. Because the drop waist falls below the hips, it creates the allusion of a lengthened torso and makes your body appear longer and leaner.

History :
The drop waist dress represents the freedom of the 1920s itself. According to Fashion-era.com, between 1920 and 1928 corset sales declined by two-thirds. As women shunned restrictive undergarments, the styles of their dresses loosened and allowed them to move with an ease that had never existed in fashion until then.

FUR COATS





The Trend :
Fur coats and fur trim on outerwear. Fox and mink furs were the most popular in the ’20s but the cream de la creme of all fur was the “silver fox” style, a luxurious blend of silver, grey and white with an exotic shine.
History :
 Fur became a must-have accessory in the 1920s because it represented the abundance and wealth of the times.Women wore coats of full fur or 1920s wrap coats with fur trim in mink or fox. For dinner and high-profile events, women wore fur stoles for a bit of stylish warmth to cover their bare arms and shoulders, skin that was being newly exposed to the world in the 1920s.

DECORATIVE HEADPIECES




The Trend :
Decorative headpieces embellished with sequins, crystals, gems and anything that glimmers and shines. Worn over the head (left) or as Egyptian style pieces across the forehead (right).

History :
The popularity of headpieces in the 1920s has to do more with the popular hairstyles of the era than anything else. Beginning in 1923, women wore their hair in short bobs called “shingle bobs” that were cut into a V-shape at the nape of the neck with either waves or spit curls at the sides.With shorter hair in place as a trend, the opulent, free-spirited woman saw all the more reason to show off her trendy hairstyle by wearing hairpieces for dancing the Charleston and wooing her lover with some shimmer!

FAUX PEARL NECKLACES



The Trend :
Faux pearl necklaces, worn in multiple strands at once.

History :
Coco Chanel introduced faux pearls in the 1920s as the perfect pieces to use for the “costume jewelry” look of the era. 1920s trends were influenced by one literally dressing “in costume” to fit with the decadent Art Deco fashions of the day.Costume jewelry like faux pearl necklaces were mass produced and readily available to the fashionable ladies of middle and upper classes. They could buy multiple styles of faux pearls to complete their “costume look.”

CLOUCHE HATS


The Trends :
Clouche style “bell shape” hats, made of felt material to fit snug to the shape of the head and designed with a small brim that covered the forehead and eyes.
The History 
Clouche hats were particularly cutting edge in the 1920s because when wearing one, you were declaring to the world that you had a rockin’ bob since you wouldn’t be able to fit the hat over your head with longer hair.Clouche hats fit so snug because of their flexible felt material and bell shape — “clouche” literally translates to “bell” in French. The style was first invented by Parisian milliner  Caroline Reboux in 1908. The style caught on with the mainstream as more ladies chopped off their hair to embrace the androgynous airs of the era.

ART DECO STYLE DRESSES


The Trend
Art Deco style design dresses made with gorgeous materials and adorned with eye-catching embellishment.
The History:
Blossoming into mainstream popularity by 1925, the Art Deco movement was architecture’s and fashion’s attempt to imitate art in the construction of the modern world. The designs emphasized geometric lines with a futuristic feel.NYC’s Chrysler Building (built 1928-1930) is an example of Art Deco design in architecture.
Art Deco Dresses:
Art Deco style dresses are made with all the trimmings of a fabulous piece, but no matter the materials used, authentic Art Deco dresses contain the architecturally-fueled designs of the movement, consisting of rectangle, square or diamond designs.Dresses are so exquisite thanks to their intricate beading, sequins, crystals and faux gems. Art Deco dresses will often have silk or beaded fringe that stops at the knee.

Sunday, September 9, 2012

1920's typography

1920's typography 

Searching the web for typography fashion back in  1920's and found some really great stuff that i would like to share them with the word. it is a unique art who knew that litters can make such beautiful art pieces !.













Typography fashion of 1920s

Typography Fashion

Last summer i fall for Typography art and since i am so into the 1920's i started searching the fashion and typography art of that decade and i found some interesting stuff though am not sure if am going to choose the topic for my graphic design project, i am really liking the topic and taking an interest in it.