Decorative Arts, GEM-HIM
People appreciate the usefulness of things like glassware and furniture, but they appreciate such objects even more when theyâre aesthetically pleasing, too. Thatâs where decorative art comes in. Explore the world of basketry, metalwork, pottery, interior design, tapestry, and more.
Decorative Arts Encyclopedia Articles By Title
Gemma Augustea
Gemma Augustea, sardonyx cameo depicting the apotheosis of Augustus. He is seated next to the goddess Roma, and......
gemmail
gemmail, in stained glass, technique employing fused layers of coloured glass fragments illuminated from behind,......
gemstone
gemstone, any of various minerals highly prized for beauty, durability, and rarity. A few noncrystalline materials......
Genje carpet
Genje carpet, floor covering handwoven in Azerbaijan in or near the city of GÀncÀ (also spelled Gendje or GÀnjÀ;......
Genoese lace
Genoese lace, bobbin lace made at Genoa, Italy, from the second half of the 16th century; it developed from the......
Georgian style
Georgian style, the various styles in the architecture, interior design, and decorative arts of Britain during......
Germain, François-Thomas
François-Thomas Germain was the last of the distinguished Germain family of Parisian silversmiths. He took over......
Germain, Pierre
Pierre Germain was the first notable member of a distinguished family of Parisian silversmiths. Germain was the......
Germain, Thomas
Thomas Germain was a French silversmith, perhaps the best-known member of a distinguished family of silversmiths.......
Getty Museum
Getty Museum, museum and research center established by oil tycoon J. Paul Getty as a home for his collection of......
Ghata-pallava
Ghata-pallava, in Indian art, important decorative motif consisting of a pot filled with flowers and leaves. In......
Ghent-Bruges school
Ghent-Bruges school, group of manuscript illuminators and scribes active during the last quarter of the 15th and......
Ghiordes carpet
Ghiordes carpet, floor covering handwoven in the town of Ghiordes (Gördes), northeast of İzmir in western Anatolia......
Gibbons, Grinling
Grinling Gibbons was a British wood-carver known for his decorative woodwork and for much stone ornamentation at......
gigaku mask
gigaku mask, stylized wooden mask worn by participants in gigaku, a type of Japanese dance drama. Gigaku masks......
gilding
gilding, the art of decorating the whole or parts of wood, metal, plaster, glass, or other objects with gold in......
Gill, Eric
Eric Gill was a British sculptor, engraver, typographic designer, and writer, especially known for his elegantly......
Gillot, Claude
Claude Gillot was a French painter, engraver, and theatrical designer best known as the master of the great painter......
Gimson, Ernest
Ernest Gimson was an English designer of furniture, one of the Cotswold school of designers who sought to combine......
gingham
gingham, plain-woven fabric, originally made completely of cotton fibres but later also of man-made fibres, which......
Giotto
Giotto was the most important Italian painter of the 14th century, whose works point to the innovations of the......
Gipon
Gipon, tunic worn under armour in the 14th century and later adapted for civilian use. At first a tight-fitting......
Girandole
Girandole, elaborate wall bracket incorporating one or more candleholders and frequently a mirror to reflect the......
Girard, Alexander
Alexander Girard was an American architect and furniture, textile, graphic, and industrial designer whose vibrant,......
Girdle
Girdle, a band that encircles or girds the waist either to confine the loose and flowing outer garments so as to......
Giulio Romano
Giulio Romano was a late Renaissance painter and architect, the principal heir of Raphael, and one of the initiators......
glassblowing
glassblowing, the practice of shaping a mass of glass that has been softened by heat by blowing air into it through......
glassware
glassware, any decorative article made of glass, often designed for everyday use. From very early times glass has......
Glove
Glove, covering for the hand with separate sections for the fingers and thumb, sometimes extending over the wrist......
Gobelin Family
Gobelin Family was a French family of dyers and clothmakers whose factory became world-famous for its tapestries.......
Godefroid de Claire
Godefroid de Claire was an important Belgian Romanesque goldsmith and enamelist of the Mosan school. Little is......
Godwin, Edward
Edward Godwin was a British architect, designer, and writer notable for his contributions to the English Aesthetic......
Golconda
Golconda, historic fortress and ruined city lying 5 miles (8 km) west of Hyderabad in western Telangana state,......
gold leaf
gold leaf, extremely thin sheet of gold (about 0.1 micrometre, or 4 millionths of an inch, thick) used for gilding.......
golden rose
golden rose, ornament of wrought gold set with gems, generally sapphires, that is blessed by the pope on the fourth......
goldwork
goldwork, sculpture, vessels, jewelry, ornamentation, and coinage made from gold. A brief treatment of goldwork......
Gombroon ware
Gombroon ware, in IslÄmic ceramics, pierced white pottery and porcelain dating from the 18th century and noted......
Gong
Gong, type of Chinese bronze vessel used to serve wine, it was characterized by an unusually fine harmony between......
GonzĂĄlez, Julio
Julio GonzĂĄlez was a Spanish sculptor and painter who developed the expressive use of iron as a medium for modern......
Goudy, Frederic W.
Frederic W. Goudy was an American printer and typographer who designed more than 100 typefaces outstanding for......
GouthiĂšre, Pierre
Pierre GouthiĂšre was a metalworker who was among the most influential French craftsmen in the 18th century. In......
Goya, Francisco
Francisco Goya was a Spanish artist whose paintings, drawings, and engravings reflected contemporary historical......
Graf, Urs
Urs Graf was a Swiss draftsman, engraver, and goldsmith, known for his drawings, woodcuts, and etchings. The son......
grandfather clock
grandfather clock, tall pendulum clock (see animation) enclosed in a wooden case that stands upon the floor and......
Grandjean, Philippe
Philippe Grandjean was a French type engraver particularly noted for his famous series of roman and italic types......
Granja De San Ildefonso, La
La Granja De San Ildefonso, Spanish royal glass factory established in 1728 near the summer palace of King Philip......
Grant, Duncan
Duncan Grant was an innovative British Post-Impressionist painter and designer. He was one of the first English......
granulation
granulation, in jewelry, type of decoration in which minute grains or tiny balls of gold are applied to a surface......
Graphic design
Graphic design, the art and profession of selecting and arranging visual elementsâsuch as typography, images, symbols,......
Great Mogul diamond
Great Mogul diamond, the largest diamond ever found in India. It was discovered as a 787-carat rough stone in the......
Great Star of Africa
Great Star of Africa, the largest (530.2 carats) gem cut from the Cullinan...
Greek pottery
Greek pottery, the pottery of the ancient Greeks, important both for the intrinsic beauty of its forms and decoration......
Gropius, Walter
Walter Gropius was a German American architect and educator who, particularly as director of the Bauhaus (1919â28),......
Grosz, George
George Grosz was a German artist whose caricatures and paintings provided some of the most vitriolic social criticism......
Grotesque
Grotesque, in architecture and decorative art, fanciful mural or sculptural decoration involving mixed animal,......
grotto
grotto, natural or artificial cave used as a decorative feature in 18th-century European gardens. Grottoes derived......
Gu
Gu, type of Chinese vessel, it was a tall wine beaker with a trumpet-shaped top, a restricted centre section, and......
Guan kilns
Guan kilns, Chinese kilns known for creating an imperial variety of stoneware during the Song dynasty (ad 960â1279).......
Gueridon
Gueridon, small stand or table designed to support a candelabrum. It was introduced into France and Italy in the......
Gui
Gui, type of Chinese vessel produced during the Shang (18thâ12th century bc) and Zhou (c. 1111â255 bc) dynasties.......
Guimard, Hector
Hector Guimard was an architect, decorator, and furniture designer, probably the best-known French representative......
Guwen
Guwen, early form of Chinese writing, examples of which are found on bronze vessels and objects of the Shang (c.......
Hafner ware
Hafner ware, glazed earthenware made in Germany as early as 1350, originally as stove tiles molded in relief. The......
Hairdressing
Hairdressing, custom of cutting and arranging the hair, practiced by men and women from ancient times to the present.......
Haji ware
Haji ware, Japanese earthenware developed in the 4th century ad (during the Tumulus period) from the Yayoi ware......
hallmark
hallmark, symbol or series of symbols stamped on an article of gold or silver to denote that it conforms to legal......
Hallstatt
Hallstatt, site in the Upper Austrian Salzkammergut region where objects characteristic of the late Bronze Age......
Hamada ShĆji
Hamada ShĆji was a Japanese ceramist who revitalized pottery making in Mashiko, where ceramic arts had flourished......
Hamadan rug
Hamadan rug, any of several handwoven floor coverings of considerable variety, made in the district surrounding......
Harrison, Charles
Charles Harrison was an American industrial designer whose creations included such iconic consumer items as polypropylene......
Hat
Hat, any of various styles of head covering. Hats may serve protective functions but often signify the wearerâs......
hatchment
hatchment, heraldic memorial to a deceased person. The word is a corruption of achievement, the correct term for......
Hatpin
Hatpin, long, ornamental pin used for decoration and for fastening a womanâs hat securely to her hair. In the late......
Hausmalerei
Hausmalerei, white pottery wares obtained from a factory and painted at home by a Hausmaler (freelance home painter......
Hausmann, Raoul
Raoul Hausmann was an Austrian artist, a founder and central figure of the Dada movement in Berlin, who was known......
hawkâs-eye
hawkâs-eye, variety of the semiprecious quartz tigerâs-eye...
He
He, type of ancient Chinese bronze vessel that was used to heat liquids and to serve wine. The he has a number......
Head flattening
Head flattening, practice of intentionally changing the shape of the human skull, once common in some cultures.......
Head, Edith
Edith Head was an American motion-picture costume designer. Head was the daughter of a mining engineer, and she......
Heartfield, John
John Heartfield was a German artist best known for his agitprop photomontagesâcollages of text and imagery found......
Heatherwick, Thomas
Thomas Heatherwick is a designer known especially for the often lavishly funded architectural projects produced......
heddle loom
heddle loom, device used in weaving that is characterized by heddlesâshort lengths of wire or flat steel stripsâused......
hedgerow
hedgerow, Fence or boundary formed by a dense row of shrubs or low trees. Hedgerows enclose or separate fields,......
Hedwig glass
Hedwig glass, Egyptian-made glass of the 11th or 12th century, of which only 12 known examples exist; they are......
Hei-tiki
Hei-tiki, neck pendant hand-carved in the form of a stylized human and worn by the MÄori people of New Zealand......
Hepplewhite, George
George Hepplewhite was an English cabinetmaker and furniture designer whose name is associated with a graceful......
herald
herald, originally, an officer in medieval Europe charged with carrying messages to and from the commanders of......
heraldic memorial
heraldic memorial, commemorative work of art decorated with the armorial bearings of the deceased. Memorials, whether......
heraldry
heraldry, the science and the art that deal with the use, display, and regulation of hereditary symbols employed......
Hereke carpet
Hereke carpet, floor covering handwoven in imperial workshops founded late in the 19th century at Hereke, Turkey,......
Heriz carpet
Heriz carpet, floor covering handmade in any of a group of villages near the town of Herīs, lying east of Tabrīz......
Herreshoff, Nathanael Greene
Nathanael Greene Herreshoff was an American naval architect who was recognized as the foremost yacht designer of......
HerÄt carpet
HerÄt carpet, handwoven floor covering thought to have been woven in HerÄt, the Timurid capital in the 15th century,......
hessonite
hessonite, translucent, semiprecious, reddish-brown variety of grossular (q.v.), a garnet...
hex sign
hex sign, emblem painted on a barn, especially in Pennsylvania Dutch country, an agricultural region in southeastern......
Hiberno-Saxon style
Hiberno-Saxon style, in Western visual arts, the decorative vocabulary that resulted from the interaction of the......
Highboy
Highboy, a high or double chest of drawers (known technically as a chest-on-stand and a chest-on-chest, respectively).......
hijab
hijab, garment worn by some Muslim women to cover their hair. By the 21st century this meaning had become more......
Hilliard, Nicholas
Nicholas Hilliard was the first great native-born English painter of the Renaissance. His lyrical portraits raised......
Himation
Himation, mantle or wrap worn by Greek men and women from the Archaic through the Hellenistic periods (c. 750â30......