Monica D. Murgia

Where art, creativity, and fashion meet

February 25th, 2013

William Morris & Co.

Back in January, I wrote about the Pre-Raphaelites. The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood is one of my favorite groups of painters, mostly because of the way in which they depict ideal beauty. Long, flowing wavy hair, big doe eyes, and a natural glow – I don’t think this could ever be considered anything other than beautiful. So many Pre-Raphaaelite paintings depict gorgeous woman sitting in nature in billowing gowns. The dresses are made of diaphanous fabrics with beautiful floral patterns.

Boreas by John William Waterhouse

William Morris (1834 – 1896) was a textile designer that was affiliated with the Pre-Raphaelites. He created the most beautiful and intricate floral textile patterns. Really, Morris was more than a textile designer. He wrote poetry and philosophy; drew and painted; and also did interior design. I just think he was particularly gifted at creating beautiful, complex patterns for fabrics.

William Morris. Wey, 1883-4. Image courtesy of The Textile Blog

Morris was influenced by mediaeval art, particularly stained glass windows, tapestries, and murals. He started to seriously study mediaeval architecture in 1855. He inherited a large fortune, and took a walking tour through Northern France. He spent a lot of time observing and sketching Gothic cathedrals there.

Fruit by William Morris.

The intricately carved doorways, the stained glass windows, and tapestries – these all created within Morris the desire to revive hand craftsmanship. He believed that art suffered under the Industrial Revolution. In 1861, he established the Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Company. This was a commercial venture to encourage a revival of hand crafts and interior design. (And a major contribution to the Arts and Crafts movement in England.)

Pimpernel by William Morris.

So what exactly does this mean for all of these beautiful textile designs and wall paper patterns? Well, Morris and other artists would first draw and paint the elaborate patterns on paper. These designs, once finalized, would be carved into a block of wood for printing. There are a few unfinished drawings below that are great examples of what I’m talking about:

William Morris. Windrush, 1883-4. Image courtesy of The Textile Blog

Tapestries were created with a similar method. The sketches for a tapestry are called cartoons. They must be drawn to size, and placed underneath the loom so that the weavers can follow the patterns.

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Drawing for block-printed fabric Tulip and Willow by William Morris, 1873. Image courtesy of Wikipedia

Morris died at age 62, of what some believed to be exhaustion. He was so prolific, and worked tirelessly on his many passions. Morris really believed in what he did. He so beautifully stated:

“My work is the embodiment of dreams.”

Jasmine by William Morris. Image courtesy of The Textile Blog.

Morris & Co. still operates today, and many of the classic textile and wall paper patterns are available for purchase. You, too, can order yardage and make a dress to look like a Pre-Raphaelite painting. I know I’ll be saving my pennies to do that!

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Tags: gothic inspired art, John William Waterhouse, Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, Pre-Raphaelites, textile design, Victorian art, Victorian textiles, William Morris, William Morris & Co. textiles
Posted in art, Art's Influence on Fashion, artists, artists i love, fashion, Fashion as art, fashion history, fashion influenced by art, Nature inspired, paintings, textiles | 1 Comment »

November 18th, 2012

Significant Others: Sonia & Robert Delaunay

During the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, I started reading Significant Others: Creativity & Intimate Partnership. This book is a series of essays that explores the relationships of great artists. It is an attempt to understand how gender, creativity, and partnership influence art. Writing and painting take place in a sort of isolation, the privacy of a studio or home. But what happens when to great writers or artists form a relationship? How does this collaboration that happens behind closed doors affect the creative process? Can they both be geniuses? Or is on person just an enabler of genius?

Sonia and Robert Delaunay. Image courtesy of Penny Fabricart

I immediately started with chapter two, Living Simultaneously: Sonia and Robert Delaunay. This couple interested me several years ago. When I taught in LA, I introduced the concept of synesthesia to my students to stimulate their creativity. I can’t couldn’t help but wonder if artist and fashion designer Sonia Delaunay (1885-1979) had synesthesia. Sonia, along with her husband, painter Robert Delaunay (1885-1941), developed a color theory called simultaneity – the sensation of movement when contrasting colors are placed side by side. She also referred to her garments from the 1920s as robe poemes, or dress poems.

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Sonia Delaunay. Skirt, Tissu simultané no. 186, France, ca. 1926; block printed wool jersey. Image courtesy of Studio & Garden.

The essay by Whitney Chadwick really puts the time period and the relationship between these two creative forces into perspective. The 1910s were years dominated by the search for modernity in all its forms. This was as a decade when “the new” was pursued in all areas: the fashionable ideal began to relax, art became more abstract, and urban life allowed ideas and theories to circulate easily. Paris was one of the great urban capitals of this decade, and the city where Sonia and Robert met in 1908.

Rhythm by Robert Delaunay, 1912. Image courtesy of wikipaintings.

Both were painters and influenced each other greatly. Each exhibited their work in galleries, and actively participated in the art scene during the time. Robert was also interested in the academic aspects of art, and later developed theories to explain his work. However, in 1909 Sonia switched mediums and began creating quilts, embroideries, and clothing.

Sonia Delaunay. Design C53, France, 1924; gouache and pencil. Image courtesy of Studio & Garden.

What I find so interesting is that, despite completely different media and approaches, the Delaunays created similar works. It seems to me that their relationship was mutually productive and enriching. Sonia would create the “fabric” of their home environment: clothing, curtains, lampshades, quilts and Robert would paint and theorize about their methods of creation. They each contributed to inspiring the other. This is mostly because while they had similar goals, they had different perspectives. Chadwick explains:

“However indebted Robert may have been to Sonia’s more spontaneous and uninhibited expression of color – of she to his years of studying and analyzing form – they both understood their sources quite differently.”

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Simultaneous Windows on the City, 1912, by Robert Delaunay,

Robert’s approach to creating and painting was very scientific. He constantly sought out theories and justifications for his use of color and form. Sonia was able to translate sensations into creative form very easily because of her training, but never sought to formally explain her art.

Sonia Delaunay. Design 951bis, fabric samples, France, 1929; printed silk. Image courtesy of Studio & Garden.

The reading sent me on a spiral of looking up each of their works. Their use of color and form is similar, yet distinct. I find it so interesting to see how their work obviously parallels. They both shared the aesthetic vision of simultaneity. Where they differed was their ideal audience. Robert wanted to remain an academic painter in the salon, while Sonia believed art should be accessible to everyone and took it to the street.

Circular Forms (Formes circulaires), 1930. Oil on canvas, 50 3/4 x 76 3/4 inches (128.9 x 194.9 cm). Image courtesy of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York. Solomon R. Guggenheim Founding Collection 49.1184

Sonia Delaunay. Design 1317, working drawing, France, 1934; colorprint, pencil, and ink on paper. Image courtesy of Studio & Garden.

Rhythme: Robert Delaunay, 1938. Image by SandrineT, 28 April 2009 August 2010 (Musee d’Art Moderne, Paris) Image courtesy of Tom Clark.

Sonia Delaunay. Scarf, produced by Liberty’s of London, France, ca. 1967; printed silk voile. Image courtesy of Studio & Garden.

I think the difference in perspective and desired audience allowed the Delaunays relationship to remain positive. Instead of directly competing with each other, they inspired one another. They created a stimulating and creative environment. They were both able to express themselves though diverse media, and somehow blend them together. A great example of this domestic and creative harmony is the image below. It’s a portrait of Tristan Tzara, painted by Robert, wearing one of Sonia’s scarves.

Portrait of Tristan Tzara by Robert Delaunay, 1923. Image courtesy of Wearable Art.

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Tags: 1910s, art, fashion, modernism, paintings, Paris during the 1910s, Robert Delaunay, sonia delaunay, synesthesia, textile design, textiles
Posted in art, artists, artists i love, creativity, Designers I love, fashion, Fashion and Identity, Fashion as art, fashion history, fashion influenced by art, Inspiration, textiles, Uncategorized | 3 Comments »

October 12th, 2012

Marcel Vertès

The only limits we have are the ones we place on ourselves. This is something I am continually reminded of. My fascination with fashion history only leads me to discover more and more incredible people that realized their full potential. One of those people is Marcel Vertès.

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Marcel Vertès illustration for Elsa Schiaparelli’s perfume, Shocking. Illustration completed c. 1937. Image courtesy of McCormick Interiors.

Marcel Vertès (1895 – 1961) was a Hungarian-born artist, fashion illustrator, costume designer, and textile designer. He was most prolific from 1933 to 1952, during which he divided his time between New York and Paris.

Marcel Vertès illustration of a Lilly Dachè hat, 1943. Image courtesy of HPrints.

Vertès was a real renaissance man. His creativity seems boundless to me – he created sets for theater, illustrated for major fashion magazines, painted, and even ventured into the fashion world. He illustrated advertisements throughout his career, most notably for Elsa Schiaparelli. He also worked for major magazines, like Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue. (Illustration was so prevalent during the 1940s because of rationing of supplies needed for photography. Illustrations continued to be popular in the 1950s. I really recommend looking at the work of Rene Gruau if you enjoy fashion illustrations!)

Marcel Vertès illustration for The Ballet Theatre Souvenir Program, c. 1943. Image courtesy of Meteorology.

In 1952, Vertès won two Academy Awards for his work on the film Moulin Rogue. This film was set in late 19th century Paris, and followed the career of artist Henri Toulouse-Lautrec. Toulouse-Lautrec explored the nightlife in Paris, including the burlesque clubs. His Academy Awards were for Best Artistic Direction and Best Costume Design.

Later, in 1956, Vertès designed the costumes and props for the Ringling Brothers’ Circus. The costumes were wildly sexy. Critics said that Vertès had turned a family event into a “night time circus”. I’ll let you be the judge . . .

Costume design by Marcel Vertès for the John Ringling North circus, c. 1956. Image courtesy of Showbiz David.

Prior to all this erotica, Vertès had designed textiles for Wesley Simpson. Last week, I wrote a little bit about the collaboration between textile designers and artist. These collaborations were not only beautiful and interesting, but they stimulated the Postwar economy. The Metropoltian Museum of Art has several examples of Vertès’ textile designs:

Marcel Vertès textile design for for Wesley Simpson, 1944. Used for dress design by Adele Simpson. Image courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Marcel Vertès textile design for for Wesley Simpson, 1944. Used for dress design by Hattie Carnegie. Image courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Marcel Vertès textile design for for Wesley Simpson, 1944. Used for dress design by Adele Simpson. Image courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Seeing that one person could do all of this inspires me beyond words. And I hope it inspires you!

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Tags: 1940s americana, 1940s fashion, Adele Simpson, costume design, Elsa Schiaparelli, fashion illustration, hattie carnegie, marcel vertes, Moulin Rouge, textile design, Wesley Simpson
Posted in american fashion, art, artists, artists i love, creativity, Designers I love, fashion, Fashion as art, fashion history, fashion influenced by art, Inspiration, made in america, textiles, Uncategorized, Vintage | 5 Comments »

June 30th, 2012

John Little’s Textile Designs

Hearing from my readers is always exciting! This morning, I received a message about two John Little original textile designs for sale on eBay. Little was an abstract expressionist painter in Postwar New York, but during the depression he operated a textile and wall paper studio to earn an income. (For more on Little’s painting, click here to read my previous post)

Here you can see examples of Little’s textile designs, which he painted with gouache on paper. It was not uncommon for artists to design textiles in the Postwar economy. Salvador Dali designed textiles, and did exclusive designs for Elsa Schiaparelli, Adele Simpson, and Gilbert Adrian. The Onondaga Silk Company also commissioned an American Artist series in the late 1940s.

There is a stark contrast between Little’s paintings and textile designs. The textile designs are much more traditional and in line with mid-century fashion.

Little also collaborated with Greeff, an English textile company now owned by F. Schumacher & Co:

Greeff had pioneered the introduction of elaborate themed colletions, intended for the high-end interior decorator trade since the 1940s, featuring patters by designers such as Marion Dorn, John Little, Dan Rasmassen, and Dagmar Wilson. These continued to form a key element of the company’s repertoire, along with period ranges, such as American Legacy. (Jackson, Lesley. Twentieth Century Pattern Design. New York: Princeton Architetural Press, 2002, 117.)

Judging from the markings on the back, Little must have offered textile designs directly from his studio for purchase.

All images courtesy of consign2you

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Tags: abstract expressionism, abstract expressionist, Hans Hoffmann, jackson pollock, John Little, Lisa N. Peters, Spanierman Modern, textile design, textiles
Posted in art, artists i love, Designers I love, Fashion as art, textiles | 12 Comments »

June 7th, 2012

John Little

Fashion and art are undeniably intertwined . Collaborations between artists and designers always fascinate me. My previous posts on Sonia Delaunay, Salvador Dali, and color field paintings explore this. But what really captivates me is an individual who can participate in both spheres on their own. Abstract expressionist artist John Little did exactly this.

John Little Untitled #1, 1948. Image courtesy of thomasmccormick.com/

John Little (1907-1984) was a student of Hans Hofmann and painted with Jackson Pollock in post-war New York. Lisa N. Peters of Spanierman Modern describes his work quite succinctly:

His canvases are characterized by dynamic and explosive movements, conveying the searching, restlessness of his era, yet he also brought them a sense of resolution and balance. For Little, the picture plane was akin to a magnetic field, and he contained opposing forces, of buoyancy and gravity, of varying densities of form and color, of splintering and fusion, and of pressure and release through a process of animated involvement that is evident in his charged surfaces.

John Little Cascading Forms, 1954. Image courtesy of thomasmccormick.com

Looking through Little’s paintings, I felt the sense of floating through color. Some invoked a sense of restlessness, and others, like Cascading Forms, seemed soothing. The different emotional responses made me want to read more of what Peters had written on Little. She explained in the catalog that Little had designed textiles in the late 1920s. This caught my attention.

John Little, Diver, 1983. Image courtesy of janeeckertfineart.com

In 1928, the John Little Studios: Fabric & Wallpaper Design was opened in New York. This studio grew to a staff of 12, and remained open through the early 1950s. Textile design allowed Little to survive the Great Depression. He was able to operate the business and paint in his spare time.

John Little (1907-1984) "Ominous Night," 1951. Image courtesy of Spanierman Modern.

Dressing is such an emotional process. Designers want to help clients feel a certain way in clothing. During the time that Little operated the textile studio, many women made their own dresses. Thus, Little had to be aware of how women wanted to present themselves. His time designing textiles must have made him sensitive to the psychological component of fashion. This also appears in Little’s paintings.

Now if only I could find examples of his textile designs! The search begins . . .

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