Design and historical references

Last class we talked about the Victorian era and how this was a time of historical revivals from the past. We talked about how one could furnish a library in Gothic revival reminiscent of medieval cathedrals, while one's parlor could be done in Greek revival featuring classic Greek klismos chairs.
We talked about how at the beginning of the 20th century artists and designers rejected this historical pastiche and searched for new ways of expression that spoke better of their time and their concerns at the time (industrialisation, segregation of art and design, etc.)
However, as the 20th century progressed, historical references began showing up again in designers' work. Why? Read an interesting article on the topic by clicking here. Please note that the author of the article makes a distinction between using historical references indiscriminately (without apparent reason) vs. using them deliberately: "It is important to distinguish retro design from processes that draw from different stylistic periods and trends indiscriminately, and without an overarching point of historical reference."














Chrysler's PT Cruiser's lines refer to a streamlined past.