Joseph Paxton, Crystal

Palace, London, 1851.

The famous building , seen

in a contemporary lithograph ,
housed the Great Exhibition,
a showcase of Victorian pros-
perity and taste. It occupied
one of the first buildings of truly
modern concept. Its iron frame
and the glass walls and roof,
with their functional simplic-
ity, contrast strangely with the
display of florid, overdecorated
goods and sentimental statuary.
The great tree in this interior
predated

the building and remained

after its removal.

construction for the exhibition. Despite uncer-

tainties and protests, Paxton's proposal was
finally accepted and constructed with the aid of
the engineering firm of Fox and Henderson.

The building, soon known as the Crys-

tal Palace ( 11 . 17 ), was made up of iron frames.

columns, and girders produced in quantity at a

foundry, bolted together on site, and glazed with
sheets of factory-made glass. It was unlike any-
thing ever built before: a vast internal space (it
was 1,851 feet long and had an area of more than
800,000 square feet) with structural elements so

INSIGHTS

The Public's Perception of the Crys-

tal Palace

The radical nature of Joseph Paxton's design for Crys-

tal Palace in London drew sharp condemnation from
many quarters, adding to criticism of the very notion
of a "Great Exhibition." The writer and art critic John
Ruskin dismissed it as a "cucumber frame between
two chimneys," adding:

In the year 1851 , when all that glittering roof was

built in order to exhibit all the petty arts of our own
fashionable luxury— carved bedsteads of Vienna ,
glued toys of Switzerland and gay jewellery from
France— in that very year, I say, the greatest pictures
of Venetian masters were rotting at Venice in the
rain for want of a roof to cover them A

Politicians followed suit:

Are the elms [of Hyde Park] to be sacrificed for one

of the greatest frauds, greatest humbugs, greatest
absurdities every known .... [Tjhey are going to
expend £26,000 on this building when the Irish poor
are starving. 2

However, when Paxton's design was completed, and

the exhibition opened, Queen Victoria made the follow-
ing entry in her journal:

The glimpse of that transept through the iron gates,

the waving palms, flowers, statues, myriads of people
filling the galleries and seats around, with the flourish
of trumpets as we entered, gave us a sensation which

l can never forget, and I felt much moved The

sight as we came to the middle, with the beautiful

crystal fountain just in front was magical— so vast, so
glorious, so touching— a day to live forever. 3

Even The Times, an early critic, conceded:

There was yesterday witnessed a sight the like of

which has never before and which in the nature of
things can never be repeated. They who were so
fortunate as to see it hardly knew what most to ad-
mire or in what form to clothe the sense of wonder
... the edifice, the treasures of art collected therein
.... Above them rose a glittering arch far more lofty
than the vaults of our noblest cathedra Is A

1. John Ruskin, The Opening of the Crystal Palace, 1854, p. 1; 2. Hansard

Parliamentary Report, June 18, 1850; 3. Patrick Beaver, The Crystal Palace
(London, 1970) 4. The Times, editorial. May 2, 1851
 John Pile &
Judith Gura’s A
History of
Interior Design,
2013, Chapter
14 – ‘Art
Nouveau & the
Vienna
Secession'(pp. 2
87-301)
Art Nouveau
The Art Nouveau period came about during the late 19 th century, however in its time of
development, was not classed as a movement, simply a rebellion against historic
architecture. The style got it’s name from a small French shop in Paris which was
known at the time for selling products with characteristics practiced by Art Nouveau
design.

The Art Nouveau does not have a clear origin as some say it was recognised by the
goods sold in Liberty of London shop primarily, whereas others say it started in Paris,
France, all nevertheless showing a similar aesthetic rebellion against historical
architecture, taking precedents from nature and the feminine form rather than past
influences. The term did not stop at architecture however, with products and paintings
being classed as Art Nouveau if they followed the distinguishable characteristics listed
below:

 “A rejection of Victorian styles and of historical imitation in revivals or through

eclectic combinations of precedents.
 A willingness to take advantage of modern materials (iron and glass) and modern
techniques (industrial production), and such innovations as electric lighting.
 A close relationship with the fine arts, incorporating painting, bas-relief, and
sculpture into architecture and interior design.
 The use of decorative ornamentation based on natural forms – flowers, vines,
shells, bird feathers, insect wings – and abstract forms derived from these sources.
 Curvilinear forms as dominant themes … S-curves or ‘whiplash’ curves usually
regarded as the most visible Art Nouveau motif.”

[Pile & Gura, 2013, p287]

The chapter ‘Art Nouveau and the Vienna Secession’ in the book ‘A History of Interior
design’ by John Pile and Judith Gura provides a wealth of information of the influential
architects and designers that induced the movement. With countries having a
recognisable difference in style, yet still being distinguishable within the same
movement. For example, Hector Guimard’s Paris Metro signs have become one of the
most recognisable Art Nouveau pieces, whilst architects such as Gaudi and Olbrich
(although hard to group together due to their extremely contrasting styles) being less
traditional Art Nouveau and consequently harder to recognise as part of the movement.
Image of Guimard’s Paris Metro work, Source:
(www.victorianweb.org/decadence/architecture/16.html [accessed on 17/01/2016])The
Belgium architect Victor Horta is well known for a very traditional approach to Art
Nouveau, with every part of his own home (now museum) being a pinnacle of the
movement, with ornamental features in every part of the building. (see image below)
The exterior has an ‘asymmetrical façade with twisted iron balcony supports and large
glass windows’ [Pile & Gura, 2013, p288] every part of the design is recognisable from
the period.
REPORT THIS AD
Picture of Horta’s home interior, Source: (Pile, John & Gura, Judith, A History of Interior
Design, Laurence King, 2013, p. 289)
Although I find Horta’s work mesmerising and beautiful to look at, I don’t feel like my
work will take much influence from his, I believe the Art Nouveau style is to be
celebrated as a historical movement and like the ethos of Art Nouveau and as
renowned architect Otto Wagner said “We do not walk around in costume of Louis
XIV” [Wagner, Modern Architektur, 1895] Therefore I shall being utilising the new
technologies available and designing for the future, not trying to revive past beauty.

Source: Pile, J.F. and Gura, J. (2013) A history of interior design. 4th edn. London:
Laurence King Publishing.