John Ruskin and Herman Muthesius - A Comparative Study on the Architectural Theories of the Early Modern Movements in Britain and Germany -

근대건축 형성기 영국과 독일의 건축이론 비교 연구 -러스킨과 무테지우스의 이론을 중심으로-

  • Published : 1992.12.01

Abstract

Architectural essence of John Ruskin's discourse can resolve itself into natural beauty, craftmanship, and truth in structure, surface, and process. His theories became disciplines of modern English school, Art and Craft and Free architecture, in aspects of organic architecture, morality, and rationality. These concepts disseminated continental Art Nouveau and also became it's basic principles. But his empirical theories hated use of machine, and should find a ideal model in medieval romanticism of Gothic. Anti-machine, as a instictive guideline of English modern architecture, couldn't cope with the industrialization of 20th century, and Gothic revival interfered with creating a new style. Muthesius' discourses were taught by the power of group movements and modern concept of form in English school, originally by Ruskin. But he accepted the potentiality of machine and mass production, and stressed creating the new German style suitable with machine. With the progress of Deutscher Werkbund, his theories were advanced to 'quality' connected with craftmanship, to discourse on mechanical 'form', and lastly to 'standardization and type' for mass production. Mechanical functionalism of Muthesius and DWB were sophiscated and handed down to Bauhaus, and then finally helped establishment of the Modern Architecture and Internationalism. Both English and German modern architecture owed their contribution as well as limitation to Ruskin and Muthesius as theorists. Through this comparative study, we can see the priority of theory to practice, the theoretical justification based on insight for its society and future, and the practical character of theory itself.

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