The characteristics and influences which brought about Art Deco

Art Deco was an international movement which emerged in France in the late 1920s, although the Unites States of America became prominent leaders of the movement. In fact, the style continued to develop further there in the 1930s, at the time of the Great Depression. Derived from the Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Moderne - a world fair which took place in Paris in 1925 - Art Deco is the term used for the style best known for its glamour, modern and extravaganct design, characterized by geometric shapes, symmetry, sleek lines, and the use of new materials such as plastic and chrome. 

The 1920s and 1930s were the years of change in society itself. Due to the introduction of industrial production and the fast-paced rhythm of life brought about by technological advancement, Art Deco was the movement that embraced all these factors and influenced the majority of arts, such as architecture, interior design, fashion and film. 

Art Deco designs took their inspiration from various sources, each distinctive but able to influence the designers of the time. For example, art movements such as Cubism, Fauvism and Futurism led to the adoption of geometric and angular shapes, symmetry and the use of bold colours. The discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamen was also a source of inspiration, as was Art Nouveau. Art Deco designers adopted the nature motifs which are identified with Art Nouveau, but opted to use new material such as chrome, ivory and Bakelite and bold colours such as black instead of soft pastels. The glitz and glamour of early Hollywood was also a source of inspiration, with the use of material such as highly polished wood and glossy black lacquer mixed with satin and furs, and the excessive use of reflective surface such as mirror tiles, glass and metal.

As mentioned before, the 1930s brought about the Great Depression in America, which gave way to a new aspect of Art Deco - from a style that was exclusively for the wealthy to one which was as luxurious and elegant, but still available for the masses. Due to the popularity of machine-produced material, people could still afford to have the beauty of Art Deco designs, but rather than being hand-made, products were made from synthetic materials. Streamlining was also popular at the time, with designs being inspired by the streamlined forms of aeroplanes, ocean liners and cars, as well as the ever-increasing building of skyscrapers. 

Prominent designers of the Art Deco movement include Rene Lalique, Jacques-Emile Ruhlmann and Clarice Cliff. 

Skyscraper bookcase - Paul T. Frankl

The Chrysler Building in America - William Van Alen

The highly-adorned interior of the Chrysler Building

Advertising poster for the French train Etoile du Nord -  A. M. Cassandre

Radio City Music Hall's Interior

Influence of Art Deco on typography : A.M. Cassandre’s Bifur typeface

Art Deco and its influence in the 21st Century: poster for the film The Great Gatsby

S.S. Normandie's main dining room, decorated with glass by Rene Lalique

References

Bbc.co.uk, (2015). BBC - Homes - Design - Art deco period style. [online] Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/homes/design/period_artdeco.shtml [Accessed 21 Dec. 2014].

Bigman, A. (2012). Art Deco: A strong, striking style for graphic design - Designer Blog. [online] The Creative Edge. Available at: http://99designs.com/designer-blog/2012/06/05/art-deco-a-strong-striking-style-for-graphic-design/ [Accessed 21 Dec. 2014].

Gds.parkland.edu, (2015). Graphic Design History | Art Deco. [online] Available at: http://gds.parkland.edu/gds/!lectures/history/1925/artdeco.html [Accessed 21 Dec. 2014].

Vam.ac.uk, (2015). Art Deco - Victoria and Albert Museum. [online] Available at: http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/a/art-deco/ [Accessed 21 Dec. 2014].

Ww.worldguide.eu, (2015). What Is Art Deco? - Art Deco - Design. [online] Available at: http://www.ww.worldguide.eu/wg/index.php?StoryID=148&ArticleID=20749&ArticleLang=1 [Accessed 21 Dec. 2014].

Bauhaus and its influence on the fashion industry today

                           

World War 1 brought about a drastic change in many countries, a prominent one being Germany. Its people were left with little to no source of income; each day was a struggle. This negative outlook on life inspired the younger generation of the time, and significant others, to bring about a change - a positive one - which would inspire the people to look and work towards a brighter future, not just for Germany, but for the rest of the world. One of the significant leaders of architecture at the time was Walter Gropius, who came up with the idea of opening a school - the Bauhaus.

The Bauhaus school was originally located in Weimar, Germany, were Gropius united the two separate art schools to which he was appointed as head. Further along the years, the Bauhaus school moved to Dessau (which was designed by Gropius himself, and which to this day remains one of the most famous icons in architecture), and later to Berlin, where it was ultimately closed by the Nazis in 1933. Tutors who were assigned to teach at the Bauhaus include Paul Klee, Marcel Breuer and Wassily Kandinsky. 

Bauhaus school in Dessau

Although the word Bauhaus is coined from the word 'Hausbau' which means 'house construction', the Bauhaus University in Weimer defines the term as “an eagerness to experiment, openness, creativity, a close link to industrial practice and inter-nationality." If one were to make a list of points which characterise the Bauhaus, we would find that this definition is quite suitable. As mentioned earlier, the economy was in a state of misery. This led to a lack of resources therefore the tutors at the school encouraged its students to produce designs which were economic and highly functional, while not ignoring craftsmanship and form. More importantly, the tutors stressed the importance of designing with mass-produced goods in mind.

The objective behind the Bauhaus was to unite the arts: architecture, sculpture and painting, and train its students to become tomorrow's designers - ones who are capable of producing beautiful but functional objects in line with the modernist view that was taught and practiced at the time. Students who enrolled in the school had to follow courses so as to study materials and colours, amongst other subjects. Furthermore, as the students progressed, they were assigned specialized workshops, some of which included typography, cabinet-making, metal-working and wall painting. Several characteristics, such as the use of geometric forms, different materials and bold colours are reflected in the different artistic and design works produced by students and tutors alike at the time. 

Barcelona Chair - Mies van de Rohe 

Wassily Chair - Marcel Breuer 

Tea infuser and strainer - Marianne Brandt

Even though it was founded in 1919, the influence of the Bauhaus can still be seen in today's design world; one of these being the fashion industry The images below show pieces from the Autumn/Winter 2014/2015 collections by renowned fashion houses Givenchy and Prada. 

For example, the tailored mens' suits in the Givenchy collections all have neutral or colourful banding at the pockets of the trousers. Miuccia Prada opts to design womens' dresses using bold prints and bright colours. 

Prada collection Autumn/Winter 2014/2015

Givenchy collection Autumn/Winter 2014/2015

References

Covert, A. (2015). 8 Beautiful Products of Bauhaus: The Single Most Influential School of Design. [online] Gizmodo. Available at: http://gizmodo.com/5918142/8-beautiful-things-from-bauhaus-the-single-most-influential-school-of-design [Accessed 18 Dec. 2014].

Metmuseum.org, (2015). The Bauhaus, 1919–1933 | Thematic Essay | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art. [online] Available at: http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/bauh/hd_bauh.htm [Accessed 18 Dec. 2014].

Moma.org, (2015). MoMA - Explore Bauhaus. [online] Available at: http://www.moma.org/interactives/exhibitions/2009/bauhaus/Main.html [Accessed 18 Dec. 2014].

Ross, S. (2009). Bauhaus: Ninety Years of Inspiration - Smashing Magazine. [online] Smashing Magazine. Available at: http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/08/02/bauhaus-ninety-years-of-inspiration/ [Accessed 18 Dec. 2014].

style.com, (2015). Givenchy Fall 2014 Menswear - Collection - Gallery - Style.com. [online] Available at: http://www.style.com/slideshows/fashion-shows/fall-2014-menswear/givenchy/collection/52 [Accessed 18 Dec. 2014].

style.com, (2015). Givenchy Fall 2014 Ready-to-Wear Fashion Show: Runway Review - Style.com. [online] Available at: http://www.style.com/fashion-shows/fall-2014-ready-to-wear/givenchy [Accessed 18 Dec. 2014].

The Cut, (2015). Prada. [online] Available at: http://nymag.com/thecut/runway/2014/fall/milan/rtw/prada/33/ [Accessed 18 Dec. 2014].

Vogue.com.au, (2015). The new Bauhaus gallery. [online] Available at: http://www.vogue.com.au/fashion/trends/galleries/the+new+bauhaus,31363?pos=0 [Accessed 18 Dec. 2014].

Constructivism

Constructivism saw its birth in Russia in the early 20th Century Originally it was a movement based on art and architecture, although in later years we can see the introduction of graphic design. One of the founders of the movement was Vladimir Tatlin, an architect and painter, who's Monument to the Third International is said to be the design which sparked the birth of constructivism. 

Tatlin's Monument to the Third International

The idea behind the constructivist movement was the rejection of art for art's sake. Designers and artists of the movement believed that art was not centred on aesthetics; on the contrary all art and design was and should be used as a political tool. Russia in the early 20th century was in desperate need for a change after the revolution of 1917, therefore designers and artists worked to develop a new style of architecture, graphic design and mass production techniques. 

Important sources of inspiration of the Constructivists were the art movement Cubism as well as Futurism. Rather than taking a traditional approach to art, designers developed a new style which allowed them to combine a number of shapes along with text, which most of the time were used as political propaganda. Characteristics of the Constructivist movement include an emphasis on geometric shapes and clean lines, combined with bold, symbolic colourings, and having a social, economic or political underlying message. 

By the early 1930s, the movement came to an end following the death of Lenin and the rise to power of Joseph Stalin. 

Notable designers of the Constructivist movement include El Lissitzky, Alexander Rodchenko, and Gustav Klutsis.

Beat the Whites with the Red Wedge -  El Lissitzky (1919)

Books - Alexander Rodchenko (1924)

Rusakov Workers Club - Konstantin Melnikov

Contemporary example of the influence of Constructivism:
CMA CGM Headquarters in France - Zaha Hadid

References

Analogue76.com, (2015). [online] Available at: http://analogue76.com/blog/entry/the_russian_constructivists [Accessed 13 Dec. 2014].

Constructivism, T. (2013). The easy guide to design movements: Constructivism | Graphic design | Creative Bloq. [online] Creativebloq.com. Available at: http://www.creativebloq.com/graphic-design/easy-guide-design-movements-constructivism-10134843 [Accessed 13 Dec. 2014].

MoMA.org, (2015). MoMA | The Collection | Constructivism. [online] Available at: http://www.moma.org/collection/details.php?theme_id=10955 [Accessed 13 Dec. 2014].

Slideshare.net, (2015). Constructivism. [online] Available at: http://www.slideshare.net/ridarohail/constructivism-17796156 [Accessed 13 Dec. 2014].

Zaha-hadid.com, (2015). CMA CGM Headquarters - Architecture - Zaha Hadid Architects. [online] Available at: http://www.zaha-hadid.com/architecture/cma-cgm-headquarters/ [Accessed 13 Dec. 2014].

De Stijl

De Stijl - the Dutch word for 'the style' was an artistic movement founded by Theo Van Doesburg in Amsterdam in 1917. Essentially it was a movement which, like many others, was responding to the destruction left behind by the first World War. The artists wanted to remake society - a return to order. They believed that through simplicity and abstraction, they could express a Utopian idea of harmony and order. 

Along with Van Doesburg, Piet Mondrian was another artist who was highly influential in the movement. Being an artist himself, he pushed the limits of artistic styles such as Cubism and rejected the idea of ornamentation, such as was popular in movements such as Art Nouveau. Harmony and order were established through total abstraction with the use of basic forms and straight lines, and an excessive use of the primary colours red, blue and yellow along with the non-colours, black, white and grey. 

The importance of ridding society from the distinctions between fine art and applied was evident in the works produced during the time period. For example, Piet Mondrian's world-renowned painting Composition II in Red, Blue, and Yellow (seen below) was a source of inspiration for architects such as Gerrit Rietveld, who was responsible for the design of the famous Red and Blue Chair as well as the Shroder House. 

Composition II in Red, Blue, and Yellow - Piet Mondrian

Red and Blue Chair - Gerrit Rietveld

The Shroder House - Gerrit Rietveld

De Stijl was a movement which also was a source of inspiration for other movements such as the Bauhaus, and more importantly with regards to architecture, the International Style, which is said to have evolved from De Stijl.

The influence of De Stijl can also be seen in today's world in different areas of the artistic sector. For example, one can mention the relatively recent design of Windows 8 by Microsoft. As can be seen in the image below, there are several aspects which are taken directly from De Stijl: absolute simplicity in layout, minimal in design, the use of the grid and the balance between solid and empty spaces.

Another reference to De Stjl can be seen in the design of the poster of the movie Inception (second image below). The first image shows the cover of the journal which takes the name of the same movement.The designer made use of essentially the same idea, although altered to fit the needs of the movie it was promoting. 

Cover of De Stijl journal number 1

Poster for the film Inception

The fashion industry was also inspired by De Stijl. More than once, designers such as Yves Saint Laurent, Prada and Gucci created fashion pieces which literally scream out the style they were sporting. More-over, a new style in fashion know as colour-blocking was also born thanks to the influence of this style. 

The Prada Fall/Winter 2011 Runway Collection, Milan

The Gucci Spring/Summer 2011 Runway Presentation, Milan

References

Bigman, A. (2012). A brief visual history of the utopian De Stijl movement. [online] The Creative Edge. Available at: http://99designs.com/designer-blog/2012/12/18/know-your-design-history-the-utopian-de-stijl-movement/ [Accessed 10 Dec. 2014].

Flask, D. (2015). De Stijl : Design Is History. [online] Designishistory.com. Available at: http://www.designishistory.com/1920/de-stijl/ [Accessed 10 Dec. 2014].

style syllabus, (2011). The De Stijl Influence. [online] Available at: https://stylesyllabus.wordpress.com/2011/04/30/the-de-stijl-influence/ [Accessed 10 Dec. 2014].

Theartstory.org, (2015). De Stijl Movement, Artists and Major Works | The Art Story. [online] Available at: http://www.theartstory.org/movement-de-stijl.htm [Accessed 10 Dec. 2014].

Willette, J. (2015). De Stijl. [online] Arthistoryunstuffed.com. Available at: http://www.arthistoryunstuffed.com/de-stijl/ [Accessed 10 Dec. 2014].

The Deutscher Werkbund

The Deutscher Werkbund, or as it is known in english, the German Association of Craftsmen, was n organization founded in Munich in 1907. The philosophy behind the movement was very similar to the one upholded by the Arts and Crafts movements, that is, despite the ease of creating machine-produced goods, design should be 'good' and of a high quality such as products created through craftsmanship. 

The organization in itself was made up of a collection of architects and artists, whose aim was to standardize and rationalize forms for machine production. They wanted to inspire design of the future, be it in mass-produced foods or architecture. As mentioned before, they were influenced by William Morris. In fact, they came up with an addition to William Morris' proposal and stated that the form should only be determined by the function of the object in question. They were also in favour of removing any type of ornamentation from design. Founding members such as Peter Behrens and Mies Van der Rohe wanted to diminish the distinction between product manufacturers and artists and designers alike.

The Werkbund was of great influence in the development of architecture and industrial design. For example, it was essential in the development of the Bauhaus school. Throughout the years, the organization was responsible for a number of exhibitions, a prominent one being the exhibition of industrial art and architecture in Cologne in 1914. This was a host to several important examples of architecture such as the Glass Pavilion designed by Bruno Taut, the Werkbund theatre designed by Henry van de Velde, the Administration Building by Walter Gropius and the Festival Hall by Peter Behrens.

The Werkbund Theatre designed by Henry van de Velde

The Glass Pavilion designed by Bruno Taut

The Administration Building designed by Walter Gropius

The Festival Hall designed by Peter Behrens

In 1933 the association was closed down due to the Nazi regime in Germany. 

References

Archhistdaily.wordpress.com, (2012). Deutscher Werkbund | Clio’s Calendar: Daily Musings on Architectural History. [online] Available at: https://archhistdaily.wordpress.com/tag/deutscher-werkbund/ [Accessed 5 Dec. 2014].

Encyclopedia Britannica, (2015). Deutscher Werkbund | German artists organization. [online] Available at: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/159862/Deutscher-Werkbund [Accessed 5 Dec. 2014].

Goethe.de, (2015). Architecture, Urban Space, City Research, Town Planning, Urban Development - City Arts - Goethe-Institut. [online] Available at: http://www.goethe.de/kue/arc/dos/dos/sls/sku/en2356119.htm [Accessed 5 Dec. 2014].

Art Nouveau and its influence in Europe

Art Nouveau was a movement which reached its peak during the 1890s. Characteristics of the style include flat, decorative patterns; organic forms such as stems or flowers; an emphasis on handcrafting as opposed to machine manufacturing; the use of new materials; and the rejection of earlier styles. 

The philosophy behind Art Nouveau was to get rid of the idea that art should be separated into fine arts such as painting and sculpture, and applied art, such as furniture design. Art Nouveau was a style that was applied to different categories of art and design: architecture, furniture, glassware, graphic design, jewelry, painting, pottery, metalwork, and textiles. 

Art Nouveau, although quite short-lived in comparison to other movements, was influential in flourished in a number of European countries, each of which gave the movement an individual name. 

In Britain, Art Nouveau emerged out of the Arts and Crafts movement. Just like William Morris, Art Nouveau designers were promoters of hand-crafted designs in opposition to the machine-produced products that were in vogue at the time. To this, the added new forms and materials, while integrating also organic forms, decorative patterns and whiplash lines. Charles Rennie Mackintosh was a prominent leader of the movement in Britain, although he took a different approach to the style. He introduced the use of geometry and elegant angular style such as can be seen in the Glasgow School of Art which he designed himself.

Prominent leaders of Art Nouvea in France and Belgium include Victor Horta, Hector Guimard and Rene Lalique. These designers wanted to create a new style, free from historical references to past traditions. They made use of new technology, such cast and wrought iron. This can be seen both in Guimard's design for the entrances of the Metro stations in Paris as well as the Hotel Tassel designed by Victor Horta. Designs like these emphasize organic forms, flowing curved lines and rich colours, which they also applied to typography (such as in the lettering of the entrances of the Metro stations: Metropolitain)

Metro entrance - Hector Guimard

Interior of the Hotel Tassel - Victor Horta

Art Nouveau was also popular in Germany, where it was known as Jugendstil. The meaning of the word says a lot about the drection of the style in Germany: youth style. As can be seen in the work of August Endell (image below), Art Nouveau in Germany focused on creating intense, dynamic forms which would cause the viewer to stop and think. Although they were still based on natural forms, designs often introduced the public to mysterious shapes which suggest visionary fantasy.

Exterior of the Elvira Photo Studio in Munich - August Endell

In Vienna we can see a different approach to the style. Known as Sezessionstil, designers here rejected historical styles, and instead of adopting the organic forms which were used by designers in Germany, france and Belgiun, Art Nouveau designers chose to create geometric designs to increase the simplification of form, such as was done in England by Charles Rennie Mackintosh. A prominent leader of the style in Austria was Josef Hoffmann. As can be seen in his design of the Palais Stoclet in Brussels, Hoffmann made use of traditional building materials such as marble, glass, and bronze - but arranged the building around an unconventional, asymmetrical entrance. The emphasis here is on elegant, simplified form.

Palais Stoclet - Josef Hoffmann

Art Nouveau in Spain, known as Modernista, also takes inspiration from organic forms. A clear example of this is two architectural masterpieces designed by Antoni Gaudi: the Templo Expiatorio de la Sagrada Familia and Casa Mila, both in Barcelona. In both cases, we see ornamented floral designs. 

Casa Mila` - Antoni Gaudi

Templo Expiatorio de la Sagrada Familia - Antoni Gaudi

An interesting point to note is that here in Malta we also have a building in Sliema which can be identified with the Art Nouveau style - known as Balluta Buildings. The images below show the building as a whole as well as a detailed section. 

References

Flask, D. (2015). Art Nouveau : Design Is History. [online] Designishistory.com. Available at: http://www.designishistory.com/1850/art-nouveau/ [Accessed 2 Dec. 2014].

Theartstory.org, (2015). Art Nouveau Movement, Artists and Major Works | The Art Story. [online] Available at: http://www.theartstory.org/movement-art-nouveau.htm [Accessed 2 Dec. 2014].

Web.archive.org, (2015). Art Nouveau - Art Nouveau Art. [online] Available at: http://web.archive.org/web/20130222070337/http://www.huntfor.com/arthistory/c19th/artnouveau.htm [Accessed 2 Dec. 2014].

Wikipedia, (2015). Art Nouveau. [online] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_Nouveau [Accessed 2 Dec. 2014].

"We do not reject the machine, we welcome it. But we would desire to see it mastered." - The Arts and Crafts movement

The Industrial Revolution, which saw its beginning when James Watt developed the steam engine during the mid-eighteenth century, led to drastic changes in the every-day life of the workers in Britain. Families were under the impression that moving from the countryside to towns and cities in search of employment would provide for a better future, and so it did in the early years. Eventually they had to face insecurities and deteriorating standards of living that this 'revolution' brought along with it.

The Watt steam engine

As a reaction to this, a new design movement emerged: the Arts and Crafts movement. Since machine-produced items were taking over the market at the time, designers in particular feared that the traditional skills developed by craftsmen through years of learning and hard labour would be pushed aside and eventually, forgotten. Their philosophy was that hand-crafted object were far superior to products produced by machines, since the latter were lacking in skill, design and quality. 

Although in essence the intention behind their philosophy was sound in value, since the aim was to preserve the skill of the craftsmen while at the same time producing high quality hand-crafted products for the masses. I personally believe that the main reason flaw in the movement was their philosophy in itself. They had a tendency to look back to the Medieval period rather than forward to a new technological age. Had they succeeded in persuading the community to follow their ideals, society would have divided even further into two separate classes - upper and lower - resulting in only the upper class population being able to purchase the products due to their high production costs.

Screen, 1885-1910, designed by John Henry Dearle

An example of craftsmanship, while we can also see the incorporation of floral patterns, inspired by William Morris' designs

On a more positive note, one must point out that the Arts and Crafts movement was not entirely based on Utopian ideas. If we were to analyse the root of the movement in itself, we can see that the artists, designers, craftsmen and architects who formed part of the group were all aiming to bring out the relationship between the designs of the products purchased during the time with the quality of life led by the buyers. 

In conclusion, I believe the title of this post - a quote by C. R. Ashbee - sums up the philosophy of the members of the Arts and Crafts movement as should be applied in today's technological world. Ashbee himself, together with John Ruskin and William Morris as leaders of the Arts and Crafts movement, formed the basis and set an example as to how industrial mass production and good design should function simultaneously.

References

ARTS AND CRAFTS: GUILDS AND SOCIETIES. (2014). [Blog] RAMPONE ART & PHOTOGRAPHY. Available at: http://www.andrearampone.com/blog/2014/2/10/arts-and-crafts-guilds-and-societies.html [Accessed 30 Nov. 2014].

Artyfactory.com, (2015). William Morris - The Arts and Crafts Movement. [online] Available at: http://www.artyfactory.com/art_appreciation/graphic_designers/william_morris.html [Accessed 30 Nov. 2014].

Barry Horton, (2013). Arts and Crafts History - Barry Horton. [online] Available at: http://www.barry-horton.com/arts-and-crafts-history/ [Accessed 30 Nov. 2014].

John Ruskin. (n.d.). [image] Available at: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0a/John_Ruskin_1863.jpg [Accessed 30 Nov. 2014].

Screen, 1885-1910, designed by John Henry Dearle. (n.d.). [image] Available at: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/67/Embroidered_Screen_J_H_Dearle.jpg/555px-Embroidered_Screen_J_H_Dearle.jpg [Accessed 30 Nov. 2014].

Vam.ac.uk, (2015). The Arts & Crafts Movement - Victoria and Albert Museum. [online] Available at: http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/t/the-arts-and-crafts-movement/ [Accessed 30 Nov. 2014].

Watt steam engine. (n.d.). [image] Available at: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9e/Maquina_vapor_Watt_ETSIIM.jpg [Accessed 30 Nov. 2014].

William Morris. (n.d.). [image] Available at: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8a/William_Morris_age_53.jpg/640px-William_Morris_age_53.jpg [Accessed 30 Nov. 2014].

The Orders of Architecture

As with a wide variety of areas such as mathematics, philosophy, sports and our democratic system, design and architecture find their roots in the history of ancient Greece. Probably one of the most iconic and important developments made in architecture is what we now call the orders of architecture: the Doric, Ionic and Corinthian column styles.

The Ionic Style

This style is said to have originated from Ionia, a Greek province, in the 6th Century BC. Probably one of the easiest styles to recognise, the most identifiable feature of the ionic column is the scrolled top, resting on 24 fluted pillars, a ringed base and a square pad. 

The Doric Style 

The Doric order is the earliest of the classical order to have been developed, and it originates from the Dorian tribe in Greece. The most famous example of this style would have to be the Parthenon. It is the simplest of the three orders, especially when it comes to the capital (the top part of the column). The capital is composed of a thick, squared slab sitting on a circular base. Similarly to the Ionic style, the Doric style has 20 fluted pillars, but it has no base touching the ground. Since it is much thick and heavier than the Ionic or Corinthian column, this style was generally associated with strength and masculinity. This justifies the reason for most of the Doric columns being placed at the lowest level of buildings. 

The Corinthian Style

The Corinthian order is the most ornate of the three styles. The capital consists of sculpted acanthus leaves and small scrolls which flare outwards, giving a sense of height. As with the Ionic style the column consists of fluted pillars. It is worth noting that this style was more used by the Romans than by the Greeks themselves!

Something that I thought was worth mentioning is the fact that the Colosseum in Rome has all of the three styles on different levels: Doric columns on the first level, Ionic columns on the second level, and Corinthian columns on the third level.

Here in Malta we have several examples of these styles, some of which can be seen in the images below.

The Main Guard in Valletta - columns in Doric style

The parish church in Mosta - columns in Ionic style

The Opera House in Valletta - column in Corinthian Style

Monument in memory of Sir Alexander Ball at the Lower Barrakka - columns in Doric style

References

Arthistoryblogger.blogspot.com, (2015). Art History Blogger: Doric, Ionic and Corinthian. [online] Available at: http://arthistoryblogger.blogspot.com/2011/09/doric-ionic-and-corinthian.html [Accessed 25 Nov. 2014].

Craven, J. (2015). What Is a Corinthian Column?. [online] About.com Home. Available at: http://architecture.about.com/od/buildingparts/g/corinthian-column.htm [Accessed 25 Nov. 2014].

Craven, J. (2015). What Is a Doric Column?. [online] About.com Home. Available at: http://architecture.about.com/od/buildingparts/g/doric-column.htm [Accessed 25 Nov. 2014].

Craven, J. (2015). What Is an Ionic Column?. [online] About.com Home. Available at: http://architecture.about.com/od/buildingparts/g/ionic-column.htm [Accessed 25 Nov. 2014].

Dams, A. and profile, V. (2011). NOTED: The Corinthian Order. [online] Architecturalwatercolors.blogspot.com. Available at: http://architecturalwatercolors.blogspot.com/2011/12/corinthian-order.html [Accessed 25 Nov. 2014].

Dams, A. and profile, V. (2011). NOTED: The Doric Order. [online] Architecturalwatercolors.blogspot.com. Available at: http://architecturalwatercolors.blogspot.com/2011/11/doric-order.html [Accessed 25 Nov. 2014].

Dams, A. and profile, V. (2011). NOTED: The Ionic Order. [online] Architecturalwatercolors.blogspot.com. Available at: http://architecturalwatercolors.blogspot.com/2011/12/ionic-order.html [Accessed 25 Nov. 2014].

Times of Malta, (2015). Valletta – vibrant city of many styles. [online] Available at: http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20150104/business-news/Valletta-vibrant-city-of-many-styles.550626 [Accessed 25 Nov. 2014].