It was very difficult to stop myself from reading too much as there were so many interesting subjects that I could still be curled up reading bits here and bits there. Illuminated Manuscripts! The Book of Kells! The Arts & Crafts Movement!
Of course I realize that any history book has a limited amount of space and cannot possibly show every example so my first observation based on the book’s examples was how quickly it appears that people were able to create order and beauty in the earliest forms of visual communication. Many of the alphabets are unequaled works of art visually and of course in purpose.
I wonder about the affect of illiteracy on written language as it eclipsed pictographic language.
It quickly becomes clear the affect art has on our society when you consider how our visual culture so closely tracks. Fashion, architecture, interior design, graphic art and even music all seem to have the same destination in mind. The 60s being an easily visualized era for most of us, consider the clean lines and low slung silhouettes of the furniture and of Eichler homes, the simple geometric forms used in the art of Peter Max, the simple visual quality of Andy Warhol’s portraits. Even the early music of the Beatles calls to my mind simple chords, basic feelings expressed and long sunny days.
Of course I realize that there is a whole other side to the 60s.
I have heard it said that you should keep your trendy clothes because they will be back in fashion but that isn’t entirely true. So much of what I see now looks to be intricate organic design ala William Morris layered over an earthy texture. The bell bottoms and baby doll tops I wore in high school are not quite the same as those worn today. They don’t have the edge that today’s fashions have. They were more relaxed and the color palette seems to me less contrived.
Those are examples of how eras are revisited but with a dose of modernity.
I am looking forward to delving into this book and this class as this subject covers so much more than graphic art. Everything is interconnected. What we learn about art history also teaches us about our culture; our politics, our beliefs and what we value and aspire to.
