The age of decadence and beauty is far behind us. Looking back at architecture from even 100 years ago shows the shift. Gone are the days of beautiful neo-classical rococo decorations. No longer do we fill out buildings with stunning frescos. Glass, steel, and functionality rule the landscape, and a colorful world is a thing of the past.
Visiting a city like Vienna, which survived the falling bombs of the Second World War, is a stunning example of the beauty we used to surround ourselves with. Many buildings, constructed in the 1800s, showcase just how much care and attention we put into the details without reservation.
Windows feature arches and small hand-carved delicacies. Pillars are topped with fern-like curls and twists. Inside the vast buildings, the walls are festooned with paintings, fine lighting fixtures, and mirrors. Before, no detail was rushed, and color greets the eyes at every angle.
But today, we are surrounded by the greys of concrete, steel, and glass. Our furniture is utilitarian. Our technology is boxy and sleek. White walls in our homes are only made to look less drab by the small windows of our low-ceilinged homes. On the whole, we live in a world devoid of color and finery. We lost our love for the detail.
A Studied Decline In Color
The dullification of the world around us has been noticed and is beginning to be documented. A 2020 study of over 7,000 photographs of objects from 21 categories delved into the changes. The study looked at the shape, colour, and texture of the various items.
Unquestionably, and upsettingly, a decline in color can be seen in their results. Since the 1800s, the decline in our colorful world is shown from full spectrum, slowly narrowing down to a point of collective greys. The movement brought on by the mechanisation of the industrial revolution favors easy-to-replicate greys.
We lost our love for the details as a result of mass-produced factory-line objects becoming the norm. When a single person wasn’t hand-making every brick, windowframe, and tool, detail was forgotten. Finally, we’re left with colorless, loveless items surrounding us every day.
Standing in the stunning European buildings of the 19th century, surrounded by colorful and detailed love, drives home just what we have lost. Our obsession with sleek greys and dull hues is killing me.