DOI Artikel:
Kahn, Ely Jacques: America discovers german arts and crafts
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.7098#0078
Creative Hands
No.735
AMERICA DISCOVERS GERMAN ARTS AND CRAFTS
ßY ELY JACQUES KAHN, ARCHITECT
A cursory review of the decorative arts in America, speak- potrers; skilled Dutch artisans; Scotch and Irish weavers;
ing primarily of the United States, is interesting to Euro- Germans who brought to their new villages the love of
peans because of certain strong influences that even to this the Fatherland and an almost fierce respect for the tra-
day are so powerful that the normal development and ditions of their ancestors. This exaggerated devotion to
growth customary in Europe seem to be particularly slow forms that kept them in touch with their ancient homes
in being evidenced in America. made the American peoples far less Willing to experiment
The Colonial Period, extending from the foundation of the than their cousins across the water. jBeautifuI work was
Colonies until the War of the Revolution in 1776, brought accomplished, as, for example, the fine furniture of Duncan
to American shores the varied products of European Phyfe, the silver of Revere, developing a distinctive character
craftsmen. With them came also groups of workmen — of the new country, yet sufficiently near the old models
colonists in the new country — who, quite naturally, carried to maintain the continuance of an accepted faith.
on the traditions of the mother countries. There were As the colonies grew, political changes in Europe were
English carpenters, joiners, cabinet-makers, silversmiths, rapid and dynamic. The French Revolution, the era of
Napoleon, the developments of
the German states, the growth of
Phot. Reidt, München ' ' ^ ^ '
• Examples of Granulation work by J. M. Wilm, Munich modeis for reproduction. The
▼ Granulationsarbeilen. J. M. Wilm, München fContinued on page 271
No.735
AMERICA DISCOVERS GERMAN ARTS AND CRAFTS
ßY ELY JACQUES KAHN, ARCHITECT
A cursory review of the decorative arts in America, speak- potrers; skilled Dutch artisans; Scotch and Irish weavers;
ing primarily of the United States, is interesting to Euro- Germans who brought to their new villages the love of
peans because of certain strong influences that even to this the Fatherland and an almost fierce respect for the tra-
day are so powerful that the normal development and ditions of their ancestors. This exaggerated devotion to
growth customary in Europe seem to be particularly slow forms that kept them in touch with their ancient homes
in being evidenced in America. made the American peoples far less Willing to experiment
The Colonial Period, extending from the foundation of the than their cousins across the water. jBeautifuI work was
Colonies until the War of the Revolution in 1776, brought accomplished, as, for example, the fine furniture of Duncan
to American shores the varied products of European Phyfe, the silver of Revere, developing a distinctive character
craftsmen. With them came also groups of workmen — of the new country, yet sufficiently near the old models
colonists in the new country — who, quite naturally, carried to maintain the continuance of an accepted faith.
on the traditions of the mother countries. There were As the colonies grew, political changes in Europe were
English carpenters, joiners, cabinet-makers, silversmiths, rapid and dynamic. The French Revolution, the era of
Napoleon, the developments of
the German states, the growth of
Phot. Reidt, München ' ' ^ ^ '
• Examples of Granulation work by J. M. Wilm, Munich modeis for reproduction. The
▼ Granulationsarbeilen. J. M. Wilm, München fContinued on page 271