#decorativearts

I was just sitting down for a casual meal, minding my own business, when bam!—I noticed this gorgeous plate in front of me, and let me tell you, it wasn't just any plate. The intricate patterns, the vibrant colors—they instantly transported me back to one of the most mesmerizing artistic traditions in history: Islamic art. 🎨✨

Here’s the cool part: Islamic art is way more than just pretty designs.

Back in the day, Muslim artists weren’t allowed to depict people or animals in religious art, so what did they do? They went ahead and invented a whole new art form! 💡 They turned geometric shapes, flowers, and repeating patterns into something breathtaking. Every swirl and line you see? It’s full of meaning, symbolizing balance, unity, and the infinite beauty of the universe. 🌌✨

🌍 Imagine standing in the Alhambra in Spain or the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, completely surrounded by these patterns. It's like being wrapped in centuries of culture and beauty. And here’s a fun fact: Muslim mathematicians like Al-Khwarizmi (yes, the guy behind algorithms!) actually helped make these designs possible. Talk about a blend of art and science! 🤯

Now, here's the kicker. Sitting in front of me was this plate—yes, a simple plate—but I realized it’s a direct descendant of that incredible legacy! Islamic art didn’t just stay in palaces or mosques, it found its way into everyday life—on pottery, textiles, and yes, even the plates we eat from! 🍽️💫

Pair of Boots, Sanitary Fair Doll, 1864, Brooklyn Museum: Decorative Arts

Medium: Leather

Designing Women: Fashion Creators and Their Interiors at Museum at FIT

Now through May 14, 2023, the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology has a show on women fashion designers who also did interior decoration from the late 19th Century onward. As both kinds of designing were part of the decorative arts, this made perfect sense to them. The same principles about the art of composition were used to design both. In fact, one of my early fashion books actually explains how to make each room of a house as harmonious as a woman’s clothing.

You see here a yellow, fur-trimmed tea gown from around 1918 which is attributed to Lucile, then a remarkably fluffy evening cape by Jeanne Paquin, evening cape, 1987, France, and lastly a painting by Henri Gervex which he called “Cinq Heures chez Paquin” or Five Hours at Paquin from 1906 which gives you the idea that women spent a lot of time picking out their purchases at the designer’s salon.

From Owen Jones's "The Grammar of Ornament," printed in 1856. Jones was an influential 19th century designer and architect, who is well known for his work with patterns and color theory.