Ruskin, Viollette-Le-Duc, and Semper

Art through history develops upon the ideas of people. The ideas that influence art of the period can depend on anything, from society’s present view on history to its view on current events. Art of the time expresses what we want to say, what we think is important, and how we interpret our world. Several contrasting opinions can exist at the same time, and those who express their opinions often lead reform and the directions of art. In the 19^th century, modern architecture was shaped by three especially important reformers: John Ruskin, Gottfried Semper, and Viollet-le-Duc.

With the oncoming of the industrial age and the huge urban transformation, there was little place for classicism or other past forms of architecture. Factories left architects confused as this was a new type of architecture and they weren't sure yet what it was supposed to look like. Meanwhile, John Ruskin was troubled by the emerging replacement of craftsmen ship by the machine. He believed that the beauty of architecture came from the skill of the builder, as the craftsman shaped the emotion of the space. He also believed that restoration of buildings was a bad thing, as this process destroys the original character of the architecture and wastes the strength and craftsmanship of the details toiled by the builder. Ruskin is famous for his “7 Lamps of Architecture,” the seven values, such as truth in materials and memory, that which are most important to architecture.  Ruskin would later inspire architects and art reformers such as Frank Lloyd Wright and William Morris. His upholding of the craftsman ideal can be seen in the fine details of William Morris’s residence, the Red House, designed by Philip Webb.

image source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:The_Red_House,_Bexleyheath.JPG

On this thought of the hallowing of the craftsmen, Viollette-le-Duc contrasted with Ruskin. Le-Duc believed that the architect was higher than the builder. While Le-Duc agreed with Ruskin on the importance of truth in materials, he was more concerned with understanding style and the intelligence of the designer. He believed in rationalism and that architecture could be seen as a science. He created theories for architects and those who wanted to study to become architects, and created a method for designing “good” architecture. Le-Duc’s ideals can be seen in the work of Frank Gehry. Gehry related to Le-Duc in that elements of a design do not need to be uniform (as seen in the windows of his project below, the Lou Ruvo Center). He also likened with Le-Duc in the embracing of modern materials. De-Luc believed that if the Roman architects of the past had had modern materials such as steel, they would have used them.

image source: http://www.highsnobiety.com/2010/06/17/lou-ruvo-center-for-brain-health-by-frank-gehry/

Another modern reformer, Gottfried Semper, was also concerned like Viollet-le-Duc with the style of architecture. Semper admired the forms and ornamentation of renaissance architecture. He too believed that architecture could be logistically broken down. For Semper, the formulaic pieces of style came from a multiplication of forms around the world. His goal was to create a taxonomy of forms that could be plugged into an equation. In his theoretical equation, the result of a building came from the function of interacting components such as materials, techniques, and regional and cultural influences.  Semper’s ideals can be seen in his School and Opera House. His love for Renaissance architecture shows through the design, but the resulting building carries influences by such components as time, place, availability of materials, building techniques, function, and culture.

image source: http://www.europeancastlestours.com/tours/berlin-gallery.htm

Works Cited

Hvattum, M. (2006). Gottfried semper and the problem of historicism. Journal of the Society of

Architectural Historians, 65(1), 136-139.

Pevsner, N. Ruskin and  Viollet-le-Duc: Englishness and Frenchness in the appreciation of gothic

architecture. (pp. 6-43). London: Thames and Hudson.

Summerson, J. (1904). Viollet-le-duc and the rationl point of view. Heavenly Mansions, 135-144.