Decorative Arts, SAL-STE
People appreciate the usefulness of things like glassware and furniture, but they appreciate such objects even more when they’re aesthetically pleasing, too. That’s where decorative art comes in. Explore the world of basketry, metalwork, pottery, interior design, tapestry, and more.
Decorative Arts Encyclopedia Articles By Title
Salor rug
Salor rug, floor covering handmade by the Salor Turkmen of Turkmenistan. Most consistent in design are the main......
salt glaze
salt glaze, in ceramics, a glaze having the texture of orange peel, formed on stoneware by throwing common salt......
Salviati, Antonio
Antonio Salviati was an Italian glass manufacturer who helped reestablish Murano as a centre of Italian glassworking......
Samadet faience
Samadet faience, tin-glazed earthenware made in the 18th century in Samadet, Landes, France, at a factory founded......
Samarkand rug
Samarkand rug, handwoven floor covering that was once marketed through the ancient city of Samarkand in Uzbekistan......
Samarkand ware
Samarkand ware, in Islāmic ceramics, style originating in Samarkand province (now in Uzbekistan) that was at its......
Sampler
Sampler, embroidered panel of linen on which various types of stitches are demonstrated. The earliest extant European......
Sancy diamond
Sancy diamond, fiery stone of Indian origin that is shaped like a peach pit and weighs 55 carats. It has a long......
Sandal
Sandal, type of footwear consisting of a sole secured to the foot by straps over the instep, toes, or ankle. The......
Sandwich glass
Sandwich glass, glass made by the Boston and Sandwich Glass Company at the village of Sandwich, Mass., 1825–88.......
sang de boeuf
sang de boeuf, a glossy, rich, bloodred glaze often slashed with streaks of purple or turquoise used to decorate......
sapphire
sapphire, transparent to translucent, natural or synthetic variety of corundum (q.v.; aluminum oxide, Al2O3) that......
sari
sari, principal outer garment of women of the Indian subcontinent, consisting of a piece of often brightly coloured,......
Sarong
Sarong, principal silk, cotton, or synthetic-fabric garment worn in the Malay Archipelago and the Pacific islands.......
Sarūk carpet
Sarūk carpet, originally, floor covering handwoven in the village of Sārūq, north of Arāk (Solṭānābād) in western......
satin
satin, any fabric constructed by the satin weave method, one of the three basic textile weaves. The fabric is characterized......
satin glass
satin glass, in the decorative arts, glass with a dull matte finish achieved by immersion in hydrofluoric or other......
Savery, William
William Savery was an American cabinetmaker who was an important member of the group of Philadelphia craftsmen......
Savona faience
Savona faience, tin-glazed earthenware made in the 17th and 18th centuries at Savona, Liguria, Italy, and at nearby......
Savonnerie carpet
Savonnerie carpet, French pile floor covering, usually large, whether made at the Savonnerie workshop or made in......
Sceaux ware
Sceaux ware, tin-glazed earthenware and porcelain made at a factory in Sceaux, Fr., from 1748 to 1794. Both were......
sceptre
sceptre, ornamented rod or staff borne by rulers on ceremonial occasions as an emblem of authority and sovereignty.......
Schinkel, Karl Friedrich
Karl Friedrich Schinkel was a German architect and painter whose Romantic–Classical creations in other related......
Schleswig faience
Schleswig faience, tin-glazed earthenware made from 1755 to 1814 at the town of Schleswig in the Danish duchy of......
Schnorr von Carolsfeld, Julius
Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld was a painter and designer who figured importantly in the German Nazarene movement.......
Schwitters, Kurt
Kurt Schwitters was a German Dada artist and poet, best known for his collages and relief constructions. Soon after......
Scissors chair
Scissors chair, chair supported by two crossed and curved supports either at the sides or at the back and front.......
Sconce
Sconce, wooden or metal bracket affixed to a wall and designed to hold candles, lamps, or other types of illumination.......
Scriptorium
Scriptorium, writing room set aside in monastic communities for the use of scribes engaged in copying manuscripts.......
Scudder, Janet
Janet Scudder was an American sculptor remembered for the highly popular fountains she created for many private......
Scythian art
Scythian art, decorated objects, mainly arms, jewelry, and trappings for horses, tents, and wagons, produced by......
Secretary
Secretary, a writing desk fitted with drawers, one of which can be pulled out and the front lowered to provide......
Segoni-kun
Segoni-kun, mask derived from the antelope form, worn by a member of the Tyiwara society of the Bambara tribe in......
Senneh rug
Senneh rug, handwoven floor covering made by Kurds who live in or around the town of Senneh (now more properly......
Seraband rug
Seraband rug, handwoven floor covering made in the Ser-e Band locality, southwest of Arāk in west-central Iran.......
serge
serge, (from Latin serica, “silk”), fabric much-used for military uniforms, made in an even-sided twill weave and......
Serpotta, Giacomo
Giacomo Serpotta was the outstanding member of a family of Sicilian sculptors and stucco workers. His methods for......
Seto ware
Seto ware, ceramics manufactured in Seto by one of the so-called Six Ancient Kilns of Japan. It was first produced......
Seto-guro ware
Seto-guro ware, Japanese ceramic ware created at Mino during 1573–96. A black ware, it stands in contrast to the......
Settee
Settee, an upholstered seat with back and arms (sometimes upholstered), designed to accommodate two or more people......
Settle
Settle, long wooden bench with backrest and arms, designed to seat several people. Originating in Europe in the......
Shah diamond
Shah diamond, yellow-tinged stone of about 89 carats that bears three ancient Persian inscriptions, indicating......
Shaker furniture
Shaker furniture, furniture designed for and by the religious colonies of Shakers founded in America in the last......
Shantou wares
Shantou wares, various types of porcelain produced mostly in Fujian province, southeastern China, during the 16th......
Shawl
Shawl, square, oblong, or triangular protective or ornamental article of dress worn, generally by women, over the......
Sheffield plate
Sheffield plate, in metalwork, articles made of copper coated with silver by fusion. The technique was discovered......
shellac
shellac, commercial resin marketed in the form of amber flakes, made from the secretions of the lac insect, a tiny......
Sheraton, Thomas
Thomas Sheraton was an English cabinetmaker and one of the leading exponents of Neoclassicism. Sheraton gave his......
Shino ware
Shino ware, glazed Japanese ceramic ware produced in Mino Province (in modern Gifu Prefecture), and perhaps the......
Shirt
Shirt, any of a variety of garments having sleeves and worn on the upper part of the body, often under a coat,......
Shirvan rug
Shirvan rug, floor covering handmade in the Shirvan region of Azerbaijan in the southeastern Caucasus. With the......
Shoe
Shoe, outer covering for the foot, usually of leather with a stiff or thick sole and heel, and generally (distinguishing......
Shufu ware
Shufu ware, Chinese white porcelain made during the Yuan dynasty (1206–1368) at Jingdezhen. It was the first-known......
shuttle
shuttle, In the weaving of cloth, a spindle-shaped device used to carry the crosswise threads (weft) through the......
Shīrāz rug
Shīrāz rug, handwoven floor covering made in the district around the city of Shīrāz in southern Iran. The best......
Shōka
Shōka, (Japanese: “living flowers”), in classical Japanese floral art, a three-branched asymmetrical style that......
Sideboard
Sideboard, piece of furniture designed to hold plates, decanters, side dishes, and other accessories for a meal......
sileh rug
sileh rug, pileless floor covering from the southern Caucasus and parts of eastern Turkey. Formerly the term was......
silicone breast implant
silicone breast implant, prosthesis made from a polymer gel contained within a flexible casing that is used for......
sillimanite
sillimanite, brown, pale green, or white glassy silicate mineral that often occurs in long, slender, needlelike......
silver gilt
silver gilt, gilded silver produced either by the fire-gilding method or by electrolysis. In the former, earlier......
silvering
silvering, process of making mirrors by coating glass with silver, discovered by the German chemist Justus von......
silverwork
silverwork, vessels, utensils, jewelry, coinage, and ornamentation made from silver. A brief treatment of silverwork......
slipware
slipware, pottery that has been treated, in one way or another, with semiliquid clay, or slip, sometimes called......
Smock
Smock, loose, shirtlike garment worn by women in the European Middle Ages under their gowns. The smock eventually......
smoky quartz
smoky quartz, very common coarse-grained variety of the silica mineral quartz that ranges in colour from nearly......
Smyrna carpet
Smyrna carpet, any large, coarse carpet handwoven in western Anatolia and exported by way of İzmir (Smyrna). It......
sneakers, History of
Trainers, gym shoes, runners, tennis shoes. No matter what you call them, sneakers seem to be everywhere. But what’s......
Snood
Snood, either of two types of hair ornament worn by women. The Scottish snood was a narrow circlet or ribbon fastened......
snowman porcelain
snowman porcelain, class of porcelain figures made at Longton Hall, Staffordshire, Eng., from c. 1750 to 1752.......
snowshoe
snowshoe, a light, oval wooden frame that is usually strengthened by two or more crosspieces, strung with thongs,......
snuffbox
snuffbox, small, usually ornamented box for holding snuff (a scented, powdered tobacco). The practice of sniffing......
snuffer
snuffer, metal implement used to extinguish the flame of a candle, generally in a form of a scissors (to snuff......
Soccus
Soccus, soft light low-heeled sock shoe worn in ancient Greece and Rome. The actors in Roman comedies, specifically......
Sokutai
Sokutai, Japanese emperor’s court dress, worn for coronations and other important ceremonies. The costume, which......
Sombrero
Sombrero, broad-brimmed high-crowned hat made of felt or straw, worn especially in Mexico and the southwestern......
Soulages, Pierre
Pierre Soulages was a French painter and printmaker and a major figure in the postwar abstract movement. He was......
soumak
soumak, method of brocading handmade flat-woven rugs and similar fabrics. It is one of the oldest known techniques,......
South Jersey glass
South Jersey glass, glass made at American factories in southern New Jersey, New England, and New York state from......
Southwark and Lambeth delftware
Southwark and Lambeth delftware, tin-glazed earthenware made at a number of factories at Southwark, London, and......
Spanish lace
Spanish lace, lace made in Spain; the name is also erroneously given to much lace that was in fact imported into......
spatterware
spatterware, in the United States, American and English pottery of about 1800–50 with patterns either spattered......
Spencerian penmanship
Spencerian penmanship, style of handwriting developed by Platt Rogers Spencer (died 1864) of Geneva, Ohio. Energetically......
Sperrgebiet
Sperrgebiet, diamond-rich area in the southern Namib (desert), southwestern Namibia, to which access by unauthorized......
spessartine
spessartine, manganese aluminum garnet that is a semiprecious gem when clear. Found combined with almandine, it......
Spode porcelain
Spode porcelain, porcelain introduced about 1800 in the factory of Josiah Spode and Josiah Spode II at Stoke-upon-Trent,......
Spratling, William
William Spratling was an American designer and architect, who spent more than 30 years in Mexico developing and......
Spring of Khosrow Carpet
Spring of Khosrow Carpet, ancient Persian carpet, possibly the most costly and magnificent of all time, made for......
Staatliche Antikensammlungen
Staatliche Antikensammlungen, Bavarian museum of antiquities in Munich, noted for its collection of Greek, Roman,......
Staffordshire figure
Staffordshire figure, type of pottery figurine made in Staffordshire, England, from the 18th century. The earliest......
Staffordshire ware
Staffordshire ware, lead-glazed earthenware and unglazed or salt-glazed stoneware made in Staffordshire, England,......
stagecraft
stagecraft, the technical aspects of theatrical production, which include scenic design, stage machinery, lighting,......
- Introduction
- Scenic Design, Set Creation, Visuals
- Machinery, Design, Effects
- Lighting, Design, Effects
- Electrification, Lighting, Sound
- Control Consoles, Lighting, Sound
- Sound Design, Acoustics, Amplification
- Sound Design, Mixing, Effects
- Medieval Costume, Design, Performance
- Baroque Opera, Ballet, Costume
- 20th Century Costumes
- Makeup, Costumes, Lighting
- Chinese, Japanese, Traditions
stained glass
stained glass, in the arts, the coloured glass used for making decorative windows and other objects through which......
Star of South Africa
Star of South Africa, first large diamond found in South Africa; it was discovered in 1869 on the banks of the......
Star of the South
Star of the South, unblemished 129-carat white diamond with a rosy glow, one of the largest ever found in Brazil;......
Starck, Philippe
Philippe Starck is a French designer known for his wide range of designs, including everything from interior design......
Staunton, Howard
Howard Staunton was a British chess master who was considered to be the world’s leading player in the 1840s. In......
steeple cup
steeple cup, tall standing cup, the cover of which characteristically bears an obelisk finial (sometimes surmounted......
step cut
step cut, method of faceting coloured gemstones in which the stone produced is rather flat with steps, or rows,......
sterling
sterling, the standard of purity for silver. The term sterling silver denotes any silver alloy in which pure silver......