Erre Scarf
21st Century and Contemporary French Modern Collectible Jewelry
Silk
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20th Century Italian Modern Abstract Sculptures
Bronze
2010s Portuguese Architectural Elements
Bronze, Stainless Steel, Chrome, Steel
Antique Late 19th Century Nigerian Tribal Figurative Sculptures
Wood
Antique 19th Century Italian Grand Tour Sculptures
Marble
Antique Late 19th Century French Beaux Arts Figurative Sculptures
Bronze
Antique Early 1900s Italian Figurative Sculptures
Alabaster
Antique 19th Century French Tribal Figurative Sculptures
Iron
21st Century and Contemporary Polish Organic Modern Wall-mounted Sculptures
Stainless Steel
Antique 19th Century Italian Sculptures
Marble, Bronze
Late 20th Century Mexican Neoclassical Animal Sculptures
Ceramic
Early 20th Century African Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Mahogany
Antique Early 19th Century Italian Classical Roman Mounted Objects
Stone
Antique 19th Century Italian American Classical Busts
Marble
Antique 19th Century Italian Classical Roman Sculptures
Carrara Marble
Antique 18th Century French Sculptures
Wood
Antique 18th Century Indian Other Sculptures and Carvings
Bronze
A Close Look at modern Furniture
The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw sweeping social change and major scientific advances — both of which contributed to a new aesthetic: modernism. Rejecting the rigidity of Victorian artistic conventions, modernists sought a new means of expression. References to the natural world and ornate classical embellishments gave way to the sleek simplicity of the Machine Age. Architect Philip Johnson characterized the hallmarks of modernism as “machine-like simplicity, smoothness or surface [and] avoidance of ornament.”
Early practitioners of modernist design include the De Stijl (“The Style”) group, founded in the Netherlands in 1917, and the Bauhaus School, founded two years later in Germany.
Followers of both groups produced sleek, spare designs — many of which became icons of daily life in the 20th century. The modernists rejected both natural and historical references and relied primarily on industrial materials such as metal, glass, plywood, and, later, plastics. While Bauhaus principals Marcel Breuer and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe created furniture from mass-produced, chrome-plated steel, American visionaries like Charles and Ray Eames worked in materials as novel as molded plywood and fiberglass. Today, Breuer’s Wassily chair, Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona chair — crafted with his romantic partner, designer Lilly Reich — and the Eames lounge chair are emblems of progressive design and vintage originals are prized cornerstones of collections.
It’s difficult to overstate the influence that modernism continues to wield over designers and architects — and equally difficult to overstate how revolutionary it was when it first appeared a century ago. But because modernist furniture designs are so simple, they can blend in seamlessly with just about any type of décor. Don’t overlook them.
Finding the Right folk-art for You
Folk art refers to a genre of art that shares the creator’s traditions, offering not just an artistic display but an opportunity to learn about a culture. Vintage, new and antique folk art typically reflects a heritage or location. It can include utilitarian objects and handmade art as diverse as weather vanes, portraiture and paintings, carnival art, quilts and duck decoys.
American folk art is frequently valued because of the traditional skills involved, like weaving, hand-carving wood and even stonework. Many folk artists are self-taught, while some train as apprentices within their community. By using available materials and taking a personal approach to their creations, artists ensure each piece is unique and conveys a story. Native American folk art includes functional objects reflecting their heritage, such as baskets, textiles and wooden pieces.
During the Great Depression, artistic materials in America were hard to come by, so artisans used discarded wood from cigar boxes and shipping crates to make highly stylized, notched pieces — most often picture frames and boxes — that are today sought after by collectors. This folk art style is called tramp art and was popular from roughly 1870 until the 1940s.
Folk art brings vibrant culture and traditions into your home. Browse an extensive collection of folk art on 1stDibs.