Exhibition in Dresden : heroines of the arts and crafts

Even if, Henry van de Velde, Gertrud Klein HEMPEL, and Margaret Young for outstanding design, held inside, he trusted rather to the "male strength and courage," in the modern arts and crafts. The reservations against female creativity were widely used around 1900, so far, successful design are forgotten today, largely. A invisibility, against the now the kunstgewerbemuseum Dresden inaugural, dedicated to the forgotten protagonists of the German workshops Hellerau exhibition. 53 Designers of furniture, fashion, ceramics, glass, Wallpaper, textiles, toys from three generations were identified, of which 19 will be presented with their biographies, designs and products.

Along a time bar is displayed in the history of the German workshops from 1898 to 1938, vividly, with the founding of the city of Dresden was in addition to Munich, is already twenty years before the Bauhaus, a center of international art trade and the reform movement. In the connection of advanced technology, the best design and crafts at affordable prices for the garages founder Karl Schmidt was aimed at a comprehensive modernization and reform of life, which were realized in the garden city of Hellerau.

in addition to the design drawings, pattern books, and product photographs to see a wide range of products from a total of 270 works, some of which were never exhibited. A toilet table of Gertrud Klein HEMPEL, as well as clothes and linen closets, books and display cabinets made of reddish pitch-pine with the best of simplicity and functionality, the have left all the art Nouveau decor. Its strict lines and calm, and the Proportions alone are softened by the natural grain of the wood, and the finely chased fittings.

disadvantage and inequality of education

Also, the fabric bands by Margarethe von Brauchitsch two-colour geometric pattern characterised by the strict. The dark green reform omitted dress in Empire a line from Clara Möller-Coburg to the constraint of the corset and only by a narrow belt and ruffles at Sleeves and skirt hem decorative accents. Also your stylized wooden toys aims to be an innovative education and reform of life.

It is mainly thanks to Karl Schmidt, from the beginning, even female Designers commissioned and its products were marketed under its own name, with the same salary and sales Commission as their male colleagues. This is all the more surprising, as the training for women to 1919, only in the "women's departments" and professional classes, women's clubs, and private art schools was possible, in which there is no life drawing and hardly technical subjects were taught. While hand work and applied art offered one of the few areas in which women of the 19th century. Century were formed, however, contributed to the deprivation and inequality of education to the common prejudice, which identifies arts and crafts with femininity and amateurism, feed.

Out of this vicious circle, however some of the designers to break free and to realize a professional career. Exhibition and competition investments, own businesses and teaching assignments, reviews, and Museum acquisitions are a Testament to her artistic success, has contributed to the emergence of a new Aesthetic. So Margaret Young (1874-1966), and Margarethe von Brauchitsch (1865-1957) in 1907, one of the founding members of the German werkbund module, while Gertrud Klein HEMPEL (1875-1948), and Margaret Young were the first to design the interior with the title of Professor.

You would have wished for a better lighting

if you Compare the design of the interior of the Deutsche Werkstätten, however, with Contemporaries such as Lilly Reich (1885 - 1947), who has worked for the Wiener werkstätte, and for many years, Mies van de Rohe, or even Eileen Gray (1878-1976), the most important international designers of the early 20th century. Century, a German narrowness and conservatism jumps for all the modernity in the eye. The first of the next Generation of German Bauhaus artists such as Anni Albers (1899 - 1994) and Marianne Brandt (1893 - 1983) managed to gain on an international level with their Design classics. As with any comparison, the social and political conditions must be taken into view, for the success or Failure visibility or invisibility is partly responsible.

all The more meritorious, the differentiated processing of this early Chapter of female Design and history of Emancipation, through the curator Klára Nemeckova, which is documented in the excellent catalogue in detail. Only one could have wished for the visualization in the exhibition is a slightly better lighting, even if the dim light is no doubt due to the light - sensitive paper and textile work. Maybe in the Hamburg arts and crafts Museum succeeds even better, where the new Director Tulga Beyerle is the exhibition of your previous place of work brings. It would be her wish you a lot of visibility.

arts and crafts Museum in Berlin In bloom

arts and crafts Museum, the state art collections of Dresden, the Japanese Palace, up to 3. March; The Catalogue (Hirmer Verlag) 39,90 €. 17. May to 17. August in the Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg