Design guide
Objects have several lives
Decorative arts bring form, ornament and use together. Design also considers planning, production and the experience of the user.
Ask who conceived and made an object, how many were produced and how it entered the collection.
Art guide
Design guide
A chair, textile or vessel combines form, making, use and cultural value.
Use and ergonomics
Look at how the object invites a person to sit, hold, pour or move.
Materials and making
Wood, metal, glass, clay and fibre retain traces of tools and assembly.
Production and distribution
A one-off piece, prototype and industrial edition reach different audiences.
Ornament and meaning
Motifs and colours can carry identities and histories of exchange.
Design guide
Compare two objects
- 01
Describe the form
Note proportions and details before reading the label.
- 02
Look for making
Find joints, tool marks and surfaces that reveal production.
- 03
Place the object
Check maker, date, edition and documented route into the collection.
Design guide
Common questions
Read design and decorative objects through function, material, production, ornament and museum context.
01How do design and decorative arts differ?
Design often stresses planning and use; decorative arts cover a broader historical field of objects and interiors. They overlap.
02Can a mass-produced object be in a museum?
Yes. Its invention, manufacture and social use can be studied.
