However, Victorian design often has an
energy, a vitality, and a freedom that the more
“tasteful” design of the preceding and following
years sometimes lacks. One aspect of Victorianism
has been much neglected—the development of
a simple vernacular vocabulary in areas dealing
with technical, practical, and functional design,
where decorative elements were re strained or
absent. Such functionalism is a precursor of
twentieth- century developments. Victorian
design thus seems to be strangely split into two
worlds, with l orid decoration dominating the
formal and “respectable” worlds of home life,
religion, and government, while the functional
tradition developed in industry, transport, and in
the growing i elds of science and technology.
A striking demonstration of this seemingly
inconsistent development can be studied in
the documentation of the Great Exhibition of
1851 at the Crystal Palace. This famous proto-
modern building (see pp. 246–8) was a dramatic
demonstration of the possibilities of the new
industrial materials, iron and glass. Within,
however, the materials exhibited were a riot of
decorative frosting, each exhibitor seemingly
trying to outdo all competitors in an excess of
taste lessness that now seems ludicrous. A com-
plete illustrated catalog of the exhibition and a
i ne set of colored lithographs make it possible
to study these curious contrasts in considerable
detail.
In the background and overhead, the won-
derful simplicity of the great structure can be
glimpsed. The hoop- skirted ladies and stovepipe-
hatted gentlemen in the illustrations are viewing,
and one assumes admiring, chairs and tables,
mirrors and pianos, stoves and mantels, china
and glassware, all encrusted with an amazing
variety of ornamentation. In general, the orna-
ment is not based on any historic precedents.
Greek columns and Gothic arches are rarely to be
seen; instead, forms borrowed from human and
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