Page 28 - Studio International - July August 1973

its source in the psychology (and later the Kelims, all that is tolerable, even welcome. But, rejected. A model, yes, but to emulate, not to
aesthetics) of empathy, a teaching still not says Loos, I preach to patricians. And copy. Ornament, in any case, was considered
wholly dispensable, according to which we patricians are those who — unlike his shoemaker something abstract; the ideas of the 8os and
`read' our state of being into the objects which — go after a day's work to relax listening to 9os, the notion that ornament and line could
surround us, and in a particularly heightened Tristram or to Beethoven. And a man who goes convey a mood or even a message, were alien to
form when these objects present the pressing to listen to the ninth symphony and then sits them. To Behrens as to Hoffinann, ornament
claim to our attention which works of art down to draw a carpet pattern is either a was a modenature which might accentuate the
inevitably do. While this idea stimulated the confidence trickster or a degenerate. play of light over the surface, at the most an
particular researches of certain designers such as The particular hate for the ornamental anodyne echo of a generalized melancholy for
Henry van de Velde, for whom Loos reserves patterns of the Art Nouveau designers had a the past, a garnish for the essential geometrics
his most withering scorn, the notion of style further motivation. Loos wrote the moral tale which — so it seemed to them — reason had
which can be summed up in terms of its of the Poor Rich Man, who had his house, which always dictated.
ornamental patterns is an idea formulated — he had hitherto inhabited so peacefully and Loos, like many of the architects of the
among others — by the great German historian contentedly, made into a work of art, since he pre-1914 period, was self-consciously modern.
and architect, Gottfried Semper. Clothing, he had become discontented living without art. I have already noted this. And he had other
believed, was the primary stimulus for all And the architect had designed every detail of things in common with them. His generous, if
figuration. Clothing understood not only as the Rich Man's home, covered every surface sometimes misguided, enthusiasm for all things
protection, but also as the adorning of the with elaborate ornament; he anticipated English, for instance. But he was untouched by
human body. Semper was perhaps the first to everything, even the pattern on the Rich Man's the generalized Werkbund optimism. It was not
consider tattooing among the arts of mankind. slippers. The day came when the Poor Rich through the reformation of untutored mechanics
Tattooing obviously fascinated Loos. In the Man's family offered him birthday presents, in art schools, however excellent, that good
most famous of his essays, the one on ornament which they had bought at the most approved design would be achieved throughout society. In
and crime, he holds the Papuan up as an arts-and-crafts establishments. The architect, so far as good design was available, it was those
example of man who has not evolved to the summoned to find correct places for them in his very rude mechanics, the saddler, the
moral and civilized circumstances of modern composition, was furious that a client had dared silversmith, the upholsterer, even the plumber —
man, and who will therefore kill and consume to accept presents about which he, the but above all the tailor and the shoemaker — who
his enemies without committing a crime. Had architect, had not been consulted. For the house already provided a repertory of excellent objects
a modern — meaning a Western man — done the was altogether finished, as was his client: he was for everyday use. This was the early intuition of
same thing, he would either be considered a complete. The Poor Rich Man was written in the perfection, of the superiority, of unadorned
criminal or a degenerate. By the same token, the 190o, at the height of the Art Nouveau phase. objects, as they had come from the 'unspoilt'
Papuan may tattoo his skin, his boat, his oar or Loos's was then an unpopular, minority view craftsman's hands. Loos remained consistent in
anything he may lay his hands on . . . He is no among the cultivated; he seemed to take up this : if you look through his interiors, whether
criminal. But a modern man who tattoos himself cudgels for the philistines who still preferred private or commercial (he never designed a
is either a criminal or a degenerate. Tattooed their saddlework and their silver smooth and public building) you will find that he never used
men who are not imprisoned are either latent unadorned. By 1908, the year in which `modern' designed furniture. His preference was
criminals or degenerate aristocrats. If a tattooed Ornament and Crime appeared, the climate of for English style, for Chippendale or
man dies free, this is because he has died opinion had changed. Even the Viennese leaders Hepplewhite chairs; or else the cheaper
prematurely, before committing his murder. of the Seccession, like Joseph Olbrich, were canework. Occasionally he uses the standard
Horror vacui is the origin of all figuration. 'All working in a sober, ornament caste-shorn Thonet chairs in bentwood, familar from cheap
art is erotic'. But man has evolved. And Loos classical manner. Olbrich's last houses (he died cafés all over Europe. The armchairs are the
proposes the axiom that the evolution of culture in 191o) and Hoffmann's buildings — such as his usual cosy, sub-Biedermeier upholstery, even
is equivalent to the entfernen of ornament from pavilion at the Werkbund Exhibition of 1914 — including the occasional Chesterfield. The
everyday things. Writing this essay as he did in align them with the more 'progressive' among floors were, for preference, covered with
19o8, it was easy to dismiss the elaborate the German architects: with Peter Behrens, Oriental rugs.
confections of van de Velde and Otto Eckmann, Bruno Paul, Hermann Muthesius, Heinrich I suppose that is why there are so few
or even Joseph Olbrich, as worthless. Art Tessenov. photographs of the house which Loos designed
Nouveau was already a thing of the past. But the 'shorn' classicism which they for the most famous of his clients, Tristan
Loos's contempt for their efforts had proved practised was not for Loos. They were the Tzara, in the Avenue Junot, on Montmartre. To
justified, while art schools, ministries and architects of — at that time at any rate — a the street the house would have shown — had the
professional bodies were still intent on the study confident bourgeoisie, which seemed to believe projected top storey been built — a great white
of ornament. But even in Loos's triumph, there that the problems of Germany (and by extension square set over a rubble stone base. The base
is an element of inconsistency. His shoes, he of the rest of the world) would be solved in a contained the garage and fuel store, as well as the
admits, are covered with ornaments. English- reasonable way. That the Werkbund ideals of main entrance on the ground floor, and the main
style brogues, one must suppose. Loos imagines educated taste and good design would favour the windows of a flat for letting above. This flat was
offering his shoemaker a premium price for the expanding markets; and that all these good entered from behind the building. The main
shoes : a quarter more than usual, and the things would be fostered by the improving of apartment consisted of hall and kitchen looking
delight of the shoemaker at having such an art education on the English arts-and-crafts- through the windows which overhung the string
extremely appreciative client. But were he to school model. course, more important rooms in the huge
ask the shoemaker to make the shoes quite The architects who held such ideas appealed niche, about half the height of the square and a
smooth, without any ornament, he would topple to an architecture of reason for their precedent. third of its width, which cut sharply into the
his shoemaker from the heaven he had raised The architecture of the age of reason, of the age great white surface, a negative of the shape
him to by his offer into the deepest hell. The of taste. Classicism, the brand of classicism which he would later perfect in the Muller home
creation of ornament is the shoemaker's which had evolved in Germany and Austria in at Brno. It was set in the middle, so that a
pleasure. And that, Loos thinks, is what makes the wake of the French masters, and culminated swathe of white, a third of the square's width,
it acceptable. 'I can put up with ornament on my in the work of Schinkel, was the favoured model. went round it on three sides.
own body even, if it is a witness to the pleasure But the apparently arbitrary slavery of The inner complexity of the plan was a
of my fellow-man'. Brogue shoes, Balkan neo-classical architects to an historical past was topical Loosian solution for a difficult site. The

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