We often hear about Modern Art as opposed to Antiques, but are these two concepts really so separate?
Modern art, what is it?
By modern antiques we mean all those objects created from the 40s to the 70s of the last century. But this definition is also labile, as some sources limit it to modern art in the years between the Second World War and the 1960s.
By objects we mean furnishing accessories (chairs, lamps, tables, etc…) but also household appliances of various sizes: you know the Smeg refrigerator found in Monica and Rachel’s house from the TV Friends series…
Do you think it can enter the modern antiques category? Let’s find out together! Modern Art online on 1Solo!
Characteristics
We always remember that modern art is not separated from other styles present at the time, but is strongly influenced by them. We come from the Art Deco period and it is extremely influenced by this. This is without talking about industrial design which has evolved exponentially in the years mentioned above.
“The modern ages. The old is back in fashion.”
[Leo Longanesi]
In modern antiques there are materials that, for the time, were at least unusual such as wood, leather, teak, linen and plastic, the latter symbol par excellence of the economic boom.
In addition to this, the shapes are soft and sinuous.
As regards the prevailing colours, the furniture usually has neutral and gentle tones, while the objects stand out for bright colors such as red, blue or yellow.
Piasa by Giò Ponti, a valuable piece of modern art.
Modern vs Antique / Vintage
If we have limited modern antiques to the era that produces them, antiques have a more confusing definition: in general terms, an antique is an object, a piece of furniture, a book and similar produced in an earlier period considered to be of value for its beauty or rarity. But if electronic devices from 30 years ago fully fall within the definition of technological antiques, what is modern antiques?
Having reached this point in the article you will realize that it is difficult to define with any real difference what is antiques and what is modern.
An additional input that we give you to understand the difference is that a modern antique object is a testimony to the history of customs or taste belonging to the aforementioned era. 1Solo.com is online modern antiques.
“It’s only the modern that becomes outdated.”
[Oscar Wilde]
Let’s delve into a feature that we have not talked about previously, namely the accessibility of the product which has been witnessed since the post-war period until the 70s and which continues today: in fact, compared to the past, design objects with a refined aesthetic are available for the general public. Modern art online, Vintage and antiques are very close to each other because modern art evokes a time that is not too remote but not contemporary. But unlike antiques, modern antiques includes a series of products dedicated to the general public, while antique gems do not.
Currently, Vintage fever has also exploded for the years directly following the Second World War, specifically the 1950s and 1960s. In that period, industrial design brought a certain type of aesthetic into everyone’s homes; an example above all are the pastel-coloured post-war furnishings.
Typical modern online household appliance
Where are Vintage items found?
Modern art, as we have noted, has a series of points in common with antiques and the places where you can find these objects are one of them: in fact markets, shops dedicated to antiques and fairs are the best places to find this type of object.
In this regard, we invite you to discover the Vintage modern antiques proposals online at 1solo.com: you won’t have anything to regret!
INSIGHTS
Il Sole 24 Ore – The auctions are driven by Modern Art
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