1st Edition

Modern Color/Modern Architecture Amédée Ozenfant and the Genealogy of Color in Modern Architecture

By William W. Braham Copyright 2002
150 Pages
by Routledge

150 Pages
by Routledge

150 Pages
by Routledge

This title was first published in 2002: 'This really is a text that will fill a long-felt want. I am sure it will be required reading for anyone interested in the art of the twentieth century.' Joseph Rykwert Do colors have different spatial and architectural effects? What is the psychological impact of color? Are colors endowed with symbolic meaning? What is a natural color? Those questions have... Read more
1. Ozenfant and the Genealogy of Architectural Color.  2. Education of the Eye: Ozenfant, Signac and Purple Shadows.  3. Purism and the 'Divorce of Painting and Architecture'.  4. 'Colour Solidarity': The Appearance of Architecture.  5. Modern Methods (after the divorce).  6. Natural, Ornamental, Symbolic and Therapeutic.

Biography

William W. Braham

'Ozenfant's painting, particularly his post-war work, was not strong enough to guarantee him a place in the Pantheon. Some of the paintings from the thirties I do find impressive and original. They deserve to be much better known than they are. But 'As well as stimulating a renewed interest in a neglected figure, Braham performs a useful service in reprinting the very important series of articles by Ozenfant in The Architectural Review. His study looks effectively at Ozenfant's ideas in the context of postmodern debates about colour in architecture. It is, for as far as I am aware, the first scholarly treatment of his architectural work; it will thus be of interest to architects as well as architectural historians and more general students of British visual culture in the 1930's....I recommend Braham's book warmly.' John Gage, University of Cambridge 'Ozenfant's painting, particularly his post-war work, was not strong enough to guarantee him a place in the Pantheon. Some of the paintings from the thirties I do find impressive and original. They deserve to be much better known than they are. But Ozenfant's contribution to theory has been decisive. He ran the review 'Elan' even before meeting Corbu; together they made 'L'Esprit Nouveau' one of the most important periodicals of the century. His own strongest contribution to modern theory was his approach to colour....This really is a text that will fill a long-felt want. I am sure it will be required reading for anyone interested in the art of the twentieth century, and it will be used in all schools of architecture as well. I recommend it with enthusiasm.' Joseph Rykwert '... Braham has done thorough, careful work in a neglected area central to modern architecture...' Studies in the Decorative Arts