| Title |
A Historical Approach to the Differences between Ornament and Decoration |
| Keywords |
Embellishment ; Ornament ; Decoration ; Structure ; Modern Architecture |
| Abstract |
In this study, we examine the ontological and semantical aspects of the Ancient Classical and 19 century's architectural embellishments in order to distinguish ornament and decoration confused in the present one with another. As a result, it is shown that the ornament is that kind of embellishment as incorporated as well ontologically into the structure of a building as epistemologically, whereas the decoration is independent of the structure. And the purpose of the first is to communicate metaphysical meanings, whereas the one of the second, to please users esthetically or emotionally. Besides, in nature, the ornament is ancient or medieval, while on the other hand the decoration, modern. Thus, the supremacy of embellishment is transferred from ornament to decoration. In fact, the ornament, losing its metaphysical meanings and used for a subject's aesthetical and emotional satisfaction, is treated as a decoration. It would be the source of the confusion between the words 'ornament' and 'decoration'. |