Museum Architecture, Bauhaus and De Stijl: Group Task

• The kind of art on display at MoMA (Museum of Modern Art, New York, USA)?

This museum is the largest archive of modern paintings and sculpture from the major modernist artists and movements from the 1890's, such as work by Cezanne, the cubist movement artists, abstract and abstract expressionist movements to art from current major artists. It currently comprises over 3,600 works.

It has 6 other curatorial departments, including drawing, photography and architecture, film, prints and illustrated books. It is a base of conservation and research and represents the most important collection for art and design in the world.

• What kind of paintings are on display at the Muse D'Orsay, Paris?

Originally the paintings exhibited at D'Orsay were previously shown in the Musee de Luxembourg and reflected the the official "taste of the day" focusing on history painting, portraits and classical landscapes. It took pressure by artists, collectors and family to include contemporary art.  The Orsay now houses paintings from the mid 19th Century and early 20th century as they fall outside the focus of other museums such as the Musee D'art Moderne. . 

• What was the Louvre originally used for?

The Louvre was originally built as a fortress in 1190 but was repurposed as a royal palace in the 16th Century. It was expanded many times and the museum is housed in a part of the palace. In 1699 the first series of salons were held. During the French revolution it was agreed that the Louvre should house the nations greatest art treasures and the museum was opened in 1793 with an exhibition of over 500 paintings.

• What building was the British Museum modelled on?

The British museum is dedicated to human history, art and culture. the museum was established in 1753 and opened in 1759. The main part of the building is designed by Sir Robert Smirke and the facade closely resembles the Temple of Athena Polias at Priene in Asia Minor. It has 44 greek revivial style columns and the pediment over the main entrance is decorated with sculptures by Sir Richard Westmacott. The museum has been built on and remodelled a number of times, including the latest development, creating a reading room with a domed glass roof.

• What does Zeitgeist mean?

The defining spirit or mood of a particular period of history as shown by the ideas and beliefs of the time.

• What .... follows function?

Architect Louis Sullivan coined the phrase form follows function. This became a central principle of the modernist designer.

• What did Le Corbusier think of the "decorative"?

A modernist approach to design, where form follows function, means that decoration has to serve a purpose and is integrated as part of the form as opposed to prettying up a functional object that interferes with it's function. The function leading the design process where decoration is either secondary or irrelevant means that objects can be mass produced with more functional materials and so available to a mass of population rather than a few that can afford. The leveling of society can start with a products being available to everyone and a modern society with less hierarchy and so reflecting the philosophy of equality is able to be achieved.

• What were the main building materials of modernist architects like Mies Van Der Rohe?

Steel and plate glass defined the form and style of modernist architecture. Concrete also. The created clean, planes, space. Colour was also introduced. These materials required different design solutions and building methods and was a stark turn away from classical design and more expensive materials and building methods.