From Painting To Modern Floor Lamps

It can be hard to think about how art stands the test of time. Homer’s The Odyssey is thought to be based on events that occurred roughly fourteen thousand years ago. We refer to Antiquity as events that happened between three thousand and fifteen hundred years ago. And the beginning of the Modern Era, today at least, starts with the humanism of the Italian Renaissance. The twentieth century was a repudiation of all of the art of the past few thousand years, largely as a result of the biggest wars the world has ever known. The cultural importance of such an era is not to be overlooked; it is likely that in two thousand years scholars will study the twentieth century and the American Golden age with the same zeal that they currently dedicate to the study of the Ancient Roman Empire.

As a result they will look at the best of the best. From painting and sculpture, to modern design lighting and theater, and everything in between, the culture from that century will be scrutinized and evaluated.

In painting, we automatically think of Picasso, one of the greatest artists of all time. He created the avant-garde and destroyed it, emulated the Old Masters and surpassed them. His legacy continues to live on and is still difficult to measure less than half a century after his death.

Rodin worked with clay and wrote the final chapter of a sculptural tradition that began five hundred years earlier with Donatello. His iconic “The Thinker” is as satirized as the Mona Lisa, and yet it remains larger than life.

Le Corbusier invented modern architecture. His work omits the supporting structure of walls, replacing them with pilotis, or stilts underneath the house. He advocated open windows to allow unencumbered views, as well as rooftop gardens to compensate for a lack of green space. It is easy to imagine his architectural influence in a more crowded 21st-century cityscape.

In terms of interior design, perhaps no one epitomized modernity as did Serge Mouille. His modern floor lamps, wiry and sleek, black and elegant, represent the drawn-back minimalism of the post-war generation.

Bob Dylan wrote the most poetic lyrics of the 20th century. His songs influenced a generation, and along with the Beatles, he was the most popular singer/ songwriter of his day.

James Joyce drew on the Western Literary Tradition to create one of the most difficult and obscene books the world has ever known. Although banned for more than a decade after its publication, his Ulysses remains a masterpiece.

These artists will continue to influence generations. Because they lived so recently, it’s hard to imagine how important they are and will continue to be. But, their legacies are intact in the works they created while alive.