Scandinavian countries Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Iceland and Norway are commonly known to be all about Vikings, yet this essential, fundamental, and enlightening guide to Scandinavian Designs has changed my perception on Irish, Celtic and Russian Designs in a way like no other.
The translation of designs into
understandable social imaginary is done historically by placing figures,
shapes, symmetries and asymmetries of designs and patterns in context with its
origins.
Anyone who is not Scandinavian, Celtic,
or Russian can be equipped to identify the influence of Scandinavian designs
and how much the latter two countries own to Viking influence.
Is particularly striking the
similarity between the Giant and horses design used in ancient Scandinavian
mythology to describe Odin and its horses, with the Russian design "
Babba" Mother Earth.
The interchangeability of
influences goes both ways and the author identified chronologically and
ethnographically the importation phenomenon of Russian, Arabesque, Romanesque,
Asian, Byzantine, etc and its influence in the Scandinavian design’s heritage.
Particular emphasis was placed
in the origin of shapes that were influenced also by practical details such as
the shape of the loom conditioning the lack of versatility of shapes, therefore
limiting curved shapes and promoting a series of labyrinthian designs ( vide
page 77 " Geometry").
Notwithstanding, further ahead
on pages 112 and 113, the author discusses the origin of Scandinavian and
Finish floral and animal designs, even suggesting that a Finnish piece might be
of Asian or Byzantine influence.
The author concludes his book by
analysing a series of works by contemporary household Scandinavian
designers and how we can pinpoint the exact origin of the design to a common
root to the Scandinavian countries Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Iceland and
Norway.
Ariane
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