How do you refer to different styles or ironwork? Is it as simple as using generic art and architectural terms like "gothic, Georgian, baroque, deco" etc, or are there metal specific terms that can help focus a search?

 

I often Google image search ironwork for fun and inspiration and I'd like to know how to refine my searches for the more "modern, simple and understated" styles.

Good question Kurgan. I've never thought about it, just because the last art class I took was in high school. . . I'll be checking in while info compiles. I know a little about architecture but not about iron. Can't blame this lack on the tree. <sigh>

 

Frosty The Lucky.

Good Morning,

 

I live in Victoria, so that makes mine "Victorian" or "Colonial".  You live in Kent, does that make your work "Old Colonial" or "Continental"??

 

I'm sorry, you were asking a legitimate question :) :)

 

Neil, on the Continent of Vancouver Island. Third rock from the sun.

Yes, no, and maybe. In the Spanish how-to book, Guia Practica de la Forja Artistica, the authors have lessons on how to make six ironworked grilles, and they have chosen the following categories in terms of period designs. Roman: Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Modern, Contemporary. It gets more complicated in Europe, because there are overlaps and cultural lags from one country to another. Art Nouveau and Art Deco might be added. Jean Tijou moved to England in 1689 and introduced a new way of working. In interior Mexico, smiths get occasional orders for Gothic styled work, a definite cultural lag. George Oeck of Wurzburg, Germany did some Baroque oversized leafwork etc., on the garden gates, overthrow, and sidethrows in the 18th century, for the Bishop's residence. To my way of thinking, this is incredible one-of-a-kind workmanship.

I have found many references to ironwork based on the time period styles mentioned above. Art Deco, Art Nouveau, Gothic etc. while "old ironwork" here in the states that would be 18th century, will be referred to as colonial and modern smithing will be called that or contemporary or artistic.

 

Blue Moon Press, google for their website, offers many blacksmithing books by the styles listed above.

 

As an aside I do the same thing and have spent hours looking at image results for ironwork examples.

 

Good luck.

Yes; Ironwork is generally lumped into the general artistic styles; but as mentioned the time periods often don't apply as much to ironwork e.g. we probably have more gothic work being done right now than "post modernist" work

 

Art Nouveau, Art Deco, Baroque, Gothic, Romanesque, etc  I have a 1929 book on ironwork that does link some of the styles by centuries for medieval and renaissance work though

Correction on the name of the Bavarian ironworker in my last message. It is Johann Georg Oegg. When he passed on, his son, Johann Anton Oegg, completed the work.

When meeting a new smith a common question asked is, "What style do you do?". This question has always puzzeled me, and maybe this tread will help provide some anwsers. Personally I don not have a style or type of smithing I like to do. I like it all! This could be part of my problem, as what do I want to do next? Sadly at this point I do not get a chance to do it just for fun much. All of my time is devoted to making a living and what other people want me to do.