20th-Century Art and Design

Framed art print of Paul Klee’s Blossoming (1934), with a pink abstract flower and fields of coloured dots

Paul Klee’s Blossoming (1934): Abstract Art Print

Paul Klee’s Blossoming (1934) transforms natural growth into a rhythmic composition of colour, dotted marks and abstract organic forms.Read More →

Five Swimmers, an earthenware vessel designed by Raoul Dufy and Josep Llorens Artigas in 1926

Josep Llorens Artigas: Master of Modern Ceramic Glazes

Josep Llorens Artigas was a pivotal Catalan ceramic artist, blending technical skill with modern art, influencing ceramics as a significant art form through his collaborations and innovative glazes.Read More →

Open Ashendene Press edition of Dante printed in Subiaco type with red headings and initials

Ashendene Press: Typography and the Art of the Private-Press Book

The Ashendene Press, established by C.H. St John Hornby, created historically inspired, artistically crafted publications, significantly contributing to the British Private Press Movement from 1894 to 1935.Read More →

Guerlain Chant d’Arômes advertisement from French Vogue December 1965 showing perfume bottle with green ribbon

Guerlain Chant d’Arômes Advertisement, French Vogue, 1965

The 1965 Guerlain advertisement for Chant d’Arômes and Habit Rouge emphasises luxury design, showcasing perfume bottles as decorative art while promoting Parisian elegance for both genders.Read More →

Shoemaker of Dreams: The Autobiography of Salvatore Ferragamo

Shoemaker of Dreams recounts Salvatore Ferragamo’s transformation from village shoemaker to fashion icon, emphasising his innovative approach to comfortable, stylish footwear that respects the human body.Read More →

Piero De Martini La Barca ash dining table produced by Cassina in Italy in 1975, shown with plank top, panel supports, and minimalist table setting.

Piero De Martini furniture designer

Piero De Martini is an Italian architect, industrial designer, and furniture designer born in Milan in 1939. His work belongs to the intellectually disciplined currentRead More →

Modernist Textiles and Carpets: Pattern, Abstraction and Women Designers

Explore modernist textiles and carpets, from Omega Workshops and Bauhaus weaving to Eileen Gray, Marion Dorn and abstract rug design.Read More →

Large handpainted Carlton Ware jardiniere with garden scenes, lustre glaze, and cobalt blue ground

Carlton Ware: English Art Deco Pottery

Carlton Ware, established in 1890 in Stoke-on-Trent, is renowned for its decorative ceramics, especially 1920s Art Deco vases featuring vibrant colours and sophisticated glaze techniques.Read More →

Still life with Art Deco books, blue and white teapot, yellow rose in vase, geometric sculpture, glass of water, and decorative box on marble table

Ornament After the Avant-Garde: Pattern, Surface and Modern Design

The evolution of ornament in modern design illustrates a transition from applied decoration to structural elements, reshaping the narrative around aesthetics and functionality.Read More →

Finnish design exhibition featuring modern furniture, lighting, and industrial objects in a museum setting

Finnish Designers and Design: A Legacy of Functional Beauty and Modern Innovation

Introduction to Finnish Designers and Design Finnish designers and design represent a distinctive synthesis of nature, craftsmanship, and industrial production. Emerging strongly in the earlyRead More →

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20th-Century Art and Design