Scholarly record

21ST CENTURY FURNITURE: THE IMMORTALITY OF FEMALE DESIGN IN THE BAUHAUS MOVEMENT

M. Vadillo

Abstract

So, quite fortunately for the history of design, a place arose at that time where these pioneering developments could take shape. We might say that the pivotal moment arrived with the renowned german Bauhaus movement (1919-1933). Nowhere else in the world was so much thought given to modern design in such a remarkable way, merging with architecture, textile and object-based developments; its focus was to give the profession of design a definitive boost. And even though the fourteen years of BauhausВ’ gender policy regarding women was exceptional, it remains a fact that, despite some changes imposed on the Council of Masters and their respective directors at its three locations, the Bauhaus was the first official centre to provide professional training to women in the field of modern design. In fact, most of these women went on to become internationally acknowledged, prestigious artists whose works are on show at the most important museums in the Western world. It was at this time that many pivotal and highly-skilled craftswomen and artists would arise in the Bauhaus: Wera Meyer-Waldeck (1906-1964), Anni Albers (1899-1994), Alma Buscher (1899-1944), Annemarie Mauck (1906-1996), Katt Both (1905-1985), Lotte Stam-Beese (1903-1988), the already mentioned Margaret Leischner or Lotte Collein (1905-1995) amongst other international figures, with special mention to Prof. Lilly Reich (1885-1947) who taught her final courses at the renowned school.

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