American Fancy
Encyclopedia
American Fancy was a decorative style popular in the United States
between 1790-1840. Author Sumpter Priddy writes, American Fancy is a "cultural phenomenon born out of new and enlightened ways of seeing, understanding, and responding to the surrounding world. Fancy expressed itself in just about everything that pleased the senses; generally colorful and boldly patterned, it elicited delight, awe, surprise, whim, and caprice."
In the late 18th century, "fancy" was a synonym with "imagination," and America was developing a new fascination with the imaginative. The Fancy style began with "trifles," generally snuff box
es, fans, and combs made for women and consisted of whimsical patterns and bright colors.
Invented in the early 19th century, Kaleidoscope
s inspired the creation of many textiles, furniture, and glass works in the American Fancy style.
American Fancy began to decline around the 1830s; with the invention of photography
cultural interest shifted toward realism
and away from the abstract patterns that defined American Fancy.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
between 1790-1840. Author Sumpter Priddy writes, American Fancy is a "cultural phenomenon born out of new and enlightened ways of seeing, understanding, and responding to the surrounding world. Fancy expressed itself in just about everything that pleased the senses; generally colorful and boldly patterned, it elicited delight, awe, surprise, whim, and caprice."
In the late 18th century, "fancy" was a synonym with "imagination," and America was developing a new fascination with the imaginative. The Fancy style began with "trifles," generally snuff box
Snuff Box
Snuff Box is a BBC Three British dark comedy starring and written by Matt Berry and Rich Fulcher with additional material by Nick Gargano. It first aired on Monday 27 February 2006....
es, fans, and combs made for women and consisted of whimsical patterns and bright colors.
Invented in the early 19th century, Kaleidoscope
Kaleidoscope
A kaleidoscope is a circle of mirrors containing loose, colored objects such as beads or pebbles and bits of glass. As the viewer looks into one end, light entering the other end creates a colorful pattern, due to the reflection off the mirrors...
s inspired the creation of many textiles, furniture, and glass works in the American Fancy style.
American Fancy began to decline around the 1830s; with the invention of photography
History of photography
The first permanent photograph was an image produced in 1826 by the French inventor Joseph Nicéphore Niépce.- Etymology :The word photography derives from the Greek words phōs light, and gráphein, to write...
cultural interest shifted toward realism
Realism (arts)
Realism in the visual arts and literature refers to the general attempt to depict subjects "in accordance with secular, empirical rules", as they are considered to exist in third person objective reality, without embellishment or interpretation...
and away from the abstract patterns that defined American Fancy.