Month: November 2021

A task assigned by a friend

The Emile Tassel House was an architectural job assigned to Victor Horta by his great friend, Emile Tassel. The house would become Tassel’s mansion and part of Horta’s series of townhouses. The other townhouses included the architect’s own mansion and studio as well as the Solvay mansion and the Van Eetvelde mansion with extension. These four mansions revived the traditional idea of the Bourgeois private houses: they combine residential and representational functions. Overall, they demonstrate the individual personalities of the owners while maintaining a cohesive style that treats architecture as a whole. This was the genius behind Victor Horta’s work.

Behind the elegance of the Art Nouveau aesthetic

Horta’s stylistic choices made the houses distinctive compared to any others made during that time. These changes mainly came from the fusion of new materials that represented an entirely new look. The exterior of the structure was made to be fluid and smooth. Horta also decided to produce the columns that dominate the front portion out of iron instead of stone. This housed a bay window allowing his goal of creating a lightness to the building to become a reality. Further, Horta created unity through his continuous use of large brackets around the doors and windows. He also made a merger of nature and industry by putting the organic acanthus iron beams on the window displays. Lastly, the interior of the mansions combined stain glass windows, mosaics, wall paintings, and wrought iron that drew inspiration from Japanese art and plants. The rooms were built around a central hall which was an innovative move in this period.

A pioneer in the history of architecture

These mansions, particularly the Tassel mansion, are said to be the first prime example of the Art Nouveau architecture movement due to its inventive plan and groundbreaking use of materials. They are the first perfectly designed Art Nouveau buildings in Belgium. The Emile Tassel House would mark the start of the aesthetics of Horta’s later townhouses. Although they were truly a unique style that was admired by many, they were only affordable to the haute-bourgeoisie which is why it never caught onto other architects. The other Art Nouveau structures in different European countries would draw inspiration from Horta’s “whiplash” style which applied to traditional buildings. However, the Tassel house impacted the Art Nouveau architect, Hector Guimard, who took on this style and put his own personal twist on it. All in all, Horta became iconic for his organic elements in his architectural designs.

Sources

https://insideartnouveau.eu/en/edifices/the-tassel-mansion/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hôtel_Tassel

https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1005/

https://insideartnouveau.eu/en/edifices/the-tassel-mansion/

https://www.berkshirefinearts.com/04-07-2011_victor-horta-s-art-nouveau.htm

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/belgium/brussels/8803574/Brussels-revisiting-the-magic-of-Victor-Horta.html

https://theplacesihavebeen.com/site_whs/major-town-houses-of-the-architect-victor-horta-brussels/

The creation of Modern type

Modern type is probably one of the most seen genres of typefaces. Compared to the Old-style typefaces, it is elegant and trendy. Ultimately, it provides an organized aesthetic that other typefaces do not. However, how did this genre come about? Modern type is accredited to two printers: Firmin Didot and Giambatta Bodoni. It began in the late 18th century when Firmin Didot created his typeface Didot by taking the contrast of the thick and thin lines of transitional types like Baskerville, and enhancing it to a higher level. Later on, Giambatta Bodoni decides to build on Didot and Fournier’s work to create his own modern serif. These two inventions lead to a new term for these new types which is called Didone. This name comes from a combination of the names of Didot and Bidone, and it becomes the synonym for modern serifs.

What defines a Didone?

The main characteristic of a Didone font is the abrupt contrast between thick and thin strokes. The hairlines are unbracketed which is what differentiates it from a transitional font. For instance, if we were to compare the Didot and Caslon; we can see that Caslon has curves that connect its thicker lines to its thinner ones which is why we cannot consider it as a Didone. Further, modern typefaces are weighted along the y axis meaning that the vertical strokes are thicker. Thus, ultra bolded vertical lines from fonts like fat face still fall under the umbrella of modern serif. Lastly, Didones are unornamented: they have a “modern appearance.” Ultimately, they move away from the humanist approach; they become more precise than the handwritten letterform.

Modern type in action

The thick and thin lines of Didone became known for being seen in fashion magazines across the globe. The fashion industry typically picks modern serifs because they look unhurried and controlled. They lead our eyes up and down the page which is why Didones are great for headers. Another reason as to why they are perfect of titles is because they come across as striking. Regardless, they are not very suited for big bodies of text. Due to its verticality, the horizontal rhythm doesn’t work. Considering that extended texts are supposed to make us read from right to left (or vice versa), the weighted y axis becomes contradictory and it overall does not make for a pleasing look. Finally, to this present day, there are different interpretations of modern type which is what makes it so widely used and known. They continue to be a staple of the fashion industry and are extremly identifiable in magazines such as Vogue and Bazaar. All in all, we can thank Didot and Bodoni for this trendy type genre.

Sources

https://ilovetypography.com/2008/05/30/a-brief-history-of-type-part-4/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Didone_(typography)

https://www.thoughtco.com/modern-typeface-1079102

https://www.madewithover.com/blog/didones-back-on-trend-after-250-years

http://typeandmusic.com/page/3/

https://www.vogue.com/article/zendaya-interview-july-vogue-cover-spider-man-homecoming