SPOTLIGHT ON… A DESIGN HISTORY BLOG
This is where I put the spotlight on a different 20th Century designer or studio that I admire and whose work has influenced me.
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ILONKA KARASZ
Ilonka Karasz (1896 - 1981) was a Hungarian-American designer and illustrator. During her six decade career she worked across an astonishing array of media, including wallpaper, textiles, ceramics, furniture and silverware, blending folk art with Modernism…
WIENER WERKSTÄTTE CHRISTMAS CARDS
I wrote about the textiles of the Wiener Werkstätte in a previous post, but given the season I thought it fitting to look at their archive of uniquely striking Christmas cards…
TOMMI PARZINGER
Tommi Parzinger (1903-1981) may not be a household name, but his unique contribution to 20th Century design certainly deserves a mention. He was raised in Germany but made his mark in the United States…
JEANNE MALIVEL
Jeanne Malivel (1895-1926) was a pioneer of modern Breton art and design. During her short life she produced a remarkable body of work spanning woodblock printing, painting, textiles, ceramics and furniture design…
ASHLEY HAVINDEN
Ashley Havinden (1903-1973) - known professionally as simply ‘Ashley’ - was one of the most brilliant designers of the 20th century. Chiefly a commercial artist concerned with producing persuasive advertising material, he also applied his talents to typography, painting, interior and textile design…
20th Century Artists’ Christmas cards
Given the season, I thought I would share some artist-designed Christmas cards from the 1930s-50s. I think you'll enjoy the wit and ingenuity in these little printed treasures.
VAN BUUREN MUSEUM
The Van Buuren house, situated in the ritzy residential Uccle area of Brussels, was home to Alice and David Van Buuren from 1928 to 1973…
Ruth Reeves
Ruth Reeves (1892-1966) was an artist and textile designer known for her witty, dynamic and distinctly American fabrics…
Takehisa Yumeji
Takehisa Yumeji (1884-1934) was a prolific artist, illustrator, printmaker and poet, whose work is highly cherished in his home country of Japan…
Sonia Delaunay
Sonia Delaunay (1885-1979) is a celebrated figure in art and design history, synonymous with the Parisian avant-garde…
Josef Frank
Josef Frank (1885-1967) was an Austrian designer, although his name has since become synonymous with Swedish modern design, as it was here that he became well known for…
Edward McKnight Kauffer
Edward McKnight Kauffer - known to his friends as Ted - was a gifted graphic designer, best known for his striking poster designs during the interwar years…