"The design, originally drawn up for building contractor William H. Reynolds, was finally sold to Walter P. Chrysler, who wanted a provocative building that would not merely scrape the sky but positively pierce it. Its 77 floors briefly making it the highest building in the world – at least until the Empire State Building was completed – it became the star of the New York skyline, thanks above all to its crowning peak. In a deliberate strategy of myth generation, Van Alen planned a dramatic moment of revelation: the entire seven-storey pinnacle, complete with special-steel facing, was first assembled inside the building, and then hoisted into position through the roof opening and anchored on top in just one and a half hours. All of a sudden it was there—a sensational fait accompli."
~ Peter Gossel and Gabriele Leuthauser, in Architecture in the Twentieth Century
I have always been fascinated by architecture. Some of the structures that we live in, work in and play in are beautiful. Unfortunately, we often overlook their beauty because we are surrounded by them every day. But the Chrysler Building is hard to overlook and is a fascinating ode to the era in which it was built.
When I was in high school I was obsessed with the artistic movements of Art Deco and Art Nouveau. (I was a strange kid). I did some searching on Etsy and found that a lot of what is marked as Art Deco is really Art Nouveau and vice versa. So what is the difference between these two? I am not an art history major (although I think I aspire to be one!) so I did a little digging.
Art Nouveau literally means "new art", and was popular from the 1880s to World War I. This style was heavily influenced by the artist Alphonse Mucha who produced a famous stylized lithograph advertising poster for a popular play of the time. The Grand Palais in Paris is a prime example of Art Nouveau architecture. You will notice a lot of natural subjects in art nouveau like insects and botanicals and fairies. Graceful arcs abound in this style. Flowy and flowery are good adjectives to describe this art movement. Our challenge from August was a good example of this style.
|View from one of the North facing triangular windows|
Art Deco emerged after World War I until just before World War II. The name Art Deco was taken from the 1925 Exposition Internationales des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris, France. This art movement was influenced by the opulence of the Jazz Age and features a more streamlined, geometric aesthetic. Sleek is a good adjective to use. More industrial and less natural looking, materials such as chrome, steel and inlaid wood are popular. The Chrysler Building is the very epitome of Art Deco design with its sleek shape, geometric patterns and terraced crown. It is goreous on the inside and out and is a jewel of modern architecture.
I am sort of obsessed with triangles. Maybe it is because I was a member of the sorority Tri Delta in college (our Greek letters are three deltas, or triangles), but I love them and I love the top of the Chrysler Building even more because of that crown detail. And just look at the view! So I put together a little Etsy treausury that is all about the triangle to get you thinking.
Our inspiration this month is the iconic architectural style of the Chrysler Building. I love triangles and the bold shapes and geometric themes in this month's inspiration are teeming with possibilities!
| Square Nail Pendant |
| 25 mm Silver plated connecto... |
| The Deco Pendant |
| Light Blue and Aqua Porcelai... |
| Antique Bronze Triangular Be... |
| Art Deco Geometric Necklace ... |
| Large triangle Focal Stonewa... |
| 22mm DECO - Silver Vintage B... |
| Necklace, Triangles, Royal B... |
| Etched copper pendant - art ... |
| Deco Series Handmade Ceramic... |
| 2 PC Natural Brass Art Deco ... |
| 5 SILVER Mykonos Ceramic TRI... |
| Abstract Art Deco Inspired C... |
| Free Shipping Needlepoint Pa... |
| Recycled Green Wine Bottle T... |