Illustration: H. D. Leipheimer. Lace centrepiece, c1904.
This lace centrepiece above was designed by the German designer H. D. Leipheimer in about 1904. He produced work within a number of textile disciplines including printed textiles and embroidery. The style of his work does seem to change somewhat over the different disciplines, even though they were all produced over the same short period of the middle of the first decade of the twentieth century. In further articles of The Textile Blog, Leipheimer's printed textile and embroidery work will be highlighted.
This particular lace piece, although still showing obvious signs of being connected to the long traditions of the lace craft, does give some indication of the changes in design style and emphasis that was taking place at the end of the nineteenth and beginning of the twentieth century, particularly in Germany and Austria. Although it is often seen that France and Belgium were the decorative centres of the European decorative arts in this period, it is also true to say that Central Europe had a wholly independent decorative and design path of its own. Athough it did indeed share elements with Western Europe, it was still very much regarded as a seperate force within the larger decorative arts world.
Leipheimer's design work for the lace craft discipline shows a decorative dynamism that brought elements of both tradition and modernity into its mixture. Its unusual corralling of tiny enclosed circles of different dimensions seems somewhat similar to the decorative pattern work that Gustav Klimt used in some of his fine art work. They appear to be groupings of small semi-abstract flower shapes, much used by Klimt and therefore linking Leipheimer's work, at least in this particular case, with the decorative formats of Austria. However, this style, of which Klimt was an important element, was always relatively broad, and could and was used on a much larger European scale than that of just Austria.
Although the piece itself is in fact part of a geometrical framework and highly symmetrical in its construction, it also gives the impression that there is an element of natural randomness to the pattern work. This has more to do with the structure of the work than anything else. The framework is casual and unpretentious and therefore any symmetry that shows through tends to be seen equally in a low key and casual manner. Rather like a snowflake, which although often seen technically as strict in its geometrical framework, is also seen as a natural and creative phenomenon, rather than a dry and crusty construction.
Leipheimer has given a life to his lace work and although, as already stated, his other textile work in different disciplines differs sometimes dramatically from this piece, they are still creatively anchored to elements of individual expression. It is easy to see features of the pattern work that are perhaps shared with Klimt in this piece for example, but it is also easy to dismiss the individual input of Leipheimer himself and his own creative journey, a journey that would have been separate and certainly independent from those creative individuals around him. Even though perhaps travelling along some of the same routes as the Viennese artist, how those journeys are interpreted is up to the individual and their own creative dynamics.
The journey of the artist, designer or crafts person should never be underestimated. Creativity is a uniquely individual attainment and no matter how often creative individuals travel along the same artistic pathway, a separate and distinct experience is always achieved.
Further reading links:
Modern Style: Jugendstil/Art Nouveau 1899-1905
Jugendstil Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau: Utopia: Reconciling the Irreconcilable (Taschen's 25th Anniversary Special Editions Series)
Art Nouveau
Gustav Klimt: Landscapes
Klimt (Taschen 25)
Klimt (World of Art)
422 Art Nouveau Designs and Motifs in Full Color (Dover Pictorial Archives)
Treasury of Art Nouveau Design & Ornament (Dover Pictorial Archive Series)
Art Nouveau Designs (Design Source Books)
Art Nouveau Floral Patterns and Stencil Designs in Full Color (Dover Pictorial Archives)
Art Nouveau (Dover Pictura)
Art Nouveau Motifs and Vignettes (Dover Pictorial Archives)
305 Authentic Art Nouveau Jewelry Designs
Art Nouveau (Art and Ideas Series)
Art Nouveau Decorative Ironwork
300 Art Nouveau Designs and Motifs in Full Color (Dover Pictorial Archive Series)
Art Nouveau Flowers (Design Source Books)
Gustav Klimt: Art Nouveau Visionary
Art Nouveau, 1890-1914
Art Nouveau (World of Art)
Art Nouveau: An Anthology of Design and Illustration from "The Studio" (Dover Pictorial Archive Series)
