Maximalism

Maximalism is a design style that encourages excess. It is the polar opposite of Minimalism.
== History ==
"Wealthy people throughout history have practiced forms of maximalism as ways to showcase their riches-" Alessandra Wood, VP of Style at interior design service Modsy.https://www.thespruce.com/what-is-maximalist-style-4685629
Maximalism's beginning is hard to pinpoint for many because it has seemed to have always existed in many forms and styles. Earlier incarnations had wealthy individuals displaying artwork, animal specimens and other goods considered expensive or exotic, in what is equated to a small private museum, to show off to visitors.
Maximalism was also a way to create awe in people who entered in churches or cathedrals. This is especially the case for Baroque and Rococo religious architecture. In the 16th and 17th centuries, the Catholic Church tried to oppose the Protestant Reformation. Baroque architecture emerged from this Counter Reformation. The Catholic Church in Rome tried to convey its power and emphasize the magnificence of God through reiligious art. Baroque art, design and architecture of the 17th century is known for being extravagant, complex and dramatic. Most ornaments of the Baroque era are inspired by those from Greco-Roman antiquity, and a few originate in the Renaissance. Trompe-l'œil were highly realistic optical illusion paintings of three-dimensional space and objects on a two-dimensional surface. They were used in Italy to decorate church ceilings, so the believers would feel like they are closer to good and heaven. Maximalism continued during the early and mid-18th century too, with the Rococo style. In contrast to the heavy grandeur of Baroque interiors, Rococo salons are lighter and more chill, but still use a big quantity of ornaments.
Roman sarcophagus with the myth of Medea, circa 140–150 AD, marble.jpeg|Roman sarcophagus with the myth of Medea, c.140–150 AD, marble, Antikensammlung Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Chinese dish with garden scene, late 14th century, carved red lacquer.jpeg|Chinese dish with garden scene, late 14th century, carved red lacquer, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Chapel of Henry VII, Westminster Abbey, London, attributed to Robert Janyns, 1503-1509.jpeg|Gothic Chapel of Henry VII, Westminster Abbey, London, attributed to Robert Janyns, 1503-1509
The Garden of Earthly Delights, by Hieronymus Bosch, circa 1504, oil on panel.jpeg|The Garden of Earthly Delights, by Hieronymus Bosch, c.1504, oil on panel, Museo del Prado, Madrid, Spain
The cabinet of curiosities of Francesco Calzolari, from his Museum Calceolarium, 1622.jpeg|The cabinet of curiosities of Francesco Calzolari, from his Museum Calceolarium, 1622
Bedroom of Anne of Austria in the Palace of Fontainebleau, Fontainebleau, France, by Charles Errard et Jean Cotelle, circa 1660.jpeg|Baroque bedroom of Anne of Austria in the Palace of Fontainebleau, Fontainebleau, France, by Charles Errard et Jean Cotelle, c.1660
Painting of a cabinet of curiosities, by Georg Haintz, circa 1666, oil on canvas.jpeg|Painting of a cabinet of curiosities, by Georg Haintz, c.1666, oil on canvas, Hamburger Kunsthalle, Hamburg, Germany
Quadratura or trompe-l'œil ceiling of the Church of the Gesù, Rome, by Giovanni Battista Gaulli, 1673-1678.jpeg|Baroque quadratura or trompe-l'œil ceiling of the Church of the Gesù, Rome, by Giovanni Battista Gaulli, 1673-1678
Furniture design, by Jean Le Pautre, circa 1675, etching on white laid paper.jpeg|Baroque furniture design, by Jean Le Pautre, c.1675, etching on white laid paper, Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, New York
Door of the Venus Salon in the Palace of Versailles, by Philippe Caffieri, 1681.jpeg|Baroque door of the Venus Salon in the Palace of Versailles, Versailles, France, by Philippe Caffieri, 1681
Fireplace designs, unknown architect, unknown date (03).jpeg|Baroque fireplace designs, unknown architect, 17th century, Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
Façade of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, Spain, by Fernando de Casas Novoa, 1738.jpeg|Baroque façade of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, Spain, by Fernando de Casas Novoa, 1738
Wall clock (pendule en cartel), by Charles Cressent.jpeg|Rococo wall clock (pendule en cartel), by Charles Cressent, c.1740-1745, gilded bronze, oak, and tortoiseshell on brass marquetry on oak, white enamel and gilded brass with blued-steel hands, Metropolitan Museum of Art
Commode, by Charles Cressent, circa 1745-1749, pine and oak veneered with amaranth and bois satiné; drawer bottoms of walnut, drawer sides of oak, drawer fronts of pine, gilt-bronze mounts, marble top.jpeg|Rococo commode, by Charles Cressent, c.1745-1749, pine and oak veneered with amaranth and bois satiné, drawer bottoms of walnut, drawer sides of oak, drawer fronts of pine, gilt-bronze mounts, marble top, Metropolitan Museum of Art
Pilgrimage Church of Wies (Steingaden, Germany), 1754, by Dominikus and Johann Baptist Zimmermann.jpeg|Rococo pilgrimage Church of Wies, Steingaden, Germany, by Dominikus and Johann Baptist Zimmermann, 1754
Bed of Marie Antoinette in the Palace of Fontainebleau, Fontainebleau, France, by Jean-Baptiste Séné, 1787, gilt wood and textiles.jpeg|Rococo bed of Marie Antoinette in the Palace of Fontainebleau, by Jean-Baptiste Séné, 1787, gilt wood and textiles
=== 19th and early 20th centuries ===
The Victorian era (1837-1901) was a period of revivalism of styles from the past (Neoclassicism, Gothic Revival, Rococo Revival, Renaissance Revival, Egyptian Revival etc), and of eclecticism (the practice of deriving ideas, style, or taste from a broad and diverse range of sources). Designers and architects of the 19th and very early 20th centuries tried to create something new by combining different historical styles into a single design. Eclectic art is like a collage, where elements from different periods and areas are put together. Generally speaking, ecelcticism is one of the key things that leads to overornamentation, aka maximalism. It was a key part of 19th century design and architecture, also due to the fact that artists had access to more materials, technology, chemistry, and sources from more places and periods than ever before. The new museums established during the century were full of them.
As said before, revivalism was a big part of Victorian maximalism. For people of the 19th century, style wasn't about individual taste or personal choices. Our present-day idea that this is my, or his or her style barely existed before the last years of the century, and even then it was widely seen as somewhat superficial. The revivals of the Victorian era were of styles of cultures, communities, nations or periods from the past. 
The objects and buildings of the Victorian era shown in the gallery bellow are without any doubt impressive. Today were are delighted by their ornaments, colours and styles. However, up to the 1960s, with the rise of Postmodernism, when people started to question Modernism and began to appreciate things from the pre-Modern past, the verdict of Victorian designs wasn't good. During the early 20th century and even when they were made, some people described the Victorian age as being one that has been providing us with some of the ugliest objects that have ever been made. Descriptions like 'aesthetic monstrosities' or 'ornamental abominations' were around at the time, and it only got worse. At the end of the 19th century Marc-Louis Solon (1835-1913), a well established ceramic designer, who worked for Minton and Company, was not unusual in commenting that the period 'bears the stamp of an unmitigated bad taste'. As time passed, negative opinions only got worse. Pioneer Mondern architects Adolf Loos and Le Corbusier felt that works like this were not simply bad, they were such an affront they should have been made illegal. 
Vase, by the Sèvres Porcelain Factory, 1814, hard-paste porcelain with platinum background and gilt bronze mounts.jpeg|Neoclassical (more precisely Empire style) vase, by the Sèvres Porcelain Factory, 1814, hard-paste porcelain with platinum background and gilt bronze mounts, Louvre
Royal jewel cabinet cupboard.jpeg|Neoclassical royal jewel cabinet cupboard, designed by Jean-Charles-Francois Leloy and Alexandre Évariste Fragonard, 1824–1826, mahogany, hard paste porcelain, vitreous enamel, gold leaf, platinum, verre églomisé, bronze and gold, Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, New York
Rhinoceros vase, by the Rockingham Ceramic Factory, Edwin Steele and Thomas Brameld, circa 1826, porcelain, painted and gilded, V&A Museum, London.jpeg|Rhinoceros vase, by the Rockingham Ceramic Factory, Edwin Steele and Thomas Brameld, circa 1826, porcelain, painted and gilded, V&A Museum, London
Dresses from the Journal des Dames et des Modes, unknown engraver, 1830, print, Musée Galliera, Paris.jpeg|Dresses from the Journal des Dames et des Modes, unknown engraver, 1830, print, Musée Galliera, Paris
Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows, by John Constable, 1831, oil on canvas, Tate Britain, London.jpeg|Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows, by John Constable, 1831, oil on canvas, Tate Britain, London
Vase dit de la Renaissance, designed by Claude-Aimé Chenavard, decorated with reliefs by Antonin Moine and produced by the Sèvres porcelain factory, 1832, porcelain, Louvre.jpeg|Vase dit de la Renaissance, designed by Claude-Aimé Chenavard, decorated with reliefs by Antonin Moine and produced by the Sèvres Porcelain Factory, 1832, porcelain, Louvre
Pendule of Hôtel de Monaco, after a drawing of Achile-Jacques Fédel, circa 1838, gilt bronze.jpeg|Baroque Revival/Neo-Baroque (more precisely Neo-Louis XIV style) pendule of Hôtel de Monaco, after a drawing of Achile-Jacques Fédel, c.1838, gilt bronze, unknown location
Breakfast service- déjeuner chinois réticulé.jpeg|Chinoiserie breakfast service: déjeuner chinois réticulé, by the Sèvres Porcelain Factory, by Yacinthe Régnier and Pierre Huard, c.1839-1842, porcelain with enamel and gilded decoration, California Palace of the Legion of Honor, San Francisco, US
Vase, by the Coalport Porcelain Factory, circa 1840, porcelain, painted in enamels and gilded.jpeg|Rococo Revival/Neo-Rococo vase, by the Coalport Porcelain Factory, c.1840, porcelain, painted in enamels and gilded, V&A Museum
Rococo Revival-Neo-Rococo mantel clock, by Raulin á Paris, France, 1848, gilt bronze, brass and glass, Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, Massachusetts, USA.jpeg|Rococo Revival/Neo-Rococo mantel clock, by Raulin á Paris, France, 1848, gilt bronze, brass and glass, Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, Massachusetts, USA
Pediment and caryatids of the south facade of the Pavillon Turgot, Louvre Palace, Paris, by Eugène Guillaume, circa 1857.jpeg|Pediment and caryatids of the south facade of the Pavillon Turgot, Louvre Palace, Paris, by Eugène Guillaume, c.1857
The Grand Salon of the apartments of the minister of state.jpeg|The Grand Salon of the apartments of the minister of state, currently known as the Napoleon III Apartments, in the Louvre Palace, designed by Hector Lefuel and decorated with paintings by Charles Raphaël Maréchal, 1859-1860
Baroque Revival-Neo-Baroque jewelery toilet of Empress Eugénie, by Jules Fossey, circa 1860, unknown materials.jpeg|Baroque Revival jewelery toilet of Empress Eugénie, by Jules Fossey, c.1860, unknown materials, Château de Compiègne, Compiègne, France
Hôtel Fieubet (Quai des Célestins), Paris, repaired by J. Gros, 1860.jpeg|Second Empire style facade of the Hôtel Fieubet (Quai des Célestins), Paris, repaired by J. Gros, 1860
Eclectic center table, by Gustave Herter, circa 1860.jpeg|Eclectic center table, by Gustave Herter, c.1860, rosewood, rosewood veneer, maple, burled wood, ash (secondary wood), brass, and scagliola, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City
Bust of a Woman with a Diadem, by Albert-Ernest Carrier-Belleuse, circa 1860–1870, ceramic.jpeg|Academic bust of a Woman with a Diadem, by Albert-Ernest Carrier-Belleuse, c.1860–1870, ceramic, Musée d'Orsay, Paris
Renaissance Revival-Neo-Renaissance cabinet on stand, made by the firm of of Henri-Auguste Fourdinois, designed by Hilaire, Pasti and Néviller, 1861-1867.jpeg|Renaissance Revival/Neo-Renaissance cabinet on stand, made by the firm of of Henri-Auguste Fourdinois, designed by Hilaire, Pasti and Néviller, 1861-1867, various types of wood, hardstones, and marble plaques, V&A Museum
Poster, by A. Ponsot, 1876, chromolithography.jpeg|Poster, by A. Ponsot, 1876, chromolithography, unknown location
Palace of Justice, Rome, by Guglielmo Calderini, 1888-1910.jpeg|Palace of Justice, Rome, by Guglielmo Calderini, 1888-1910
Main exhibition building intended "to capture the imagination of the visitor", at the 1889 World Exhibition in Paris, unknown architect, 1889.jpeg|Main exhibition building intended "to capture the imagination of the visitor", at the 1889 World Exhibition in Paris, unknown architect, 1889
Ceramic gallery, pavilion at the 1889 World Exhibition in Paris, unknown architect, 1889.jpeg|Ceramic gallery, pavilion at the 1889 World Exhibition in Paris, unknown architect, 1889
Interior of La Cigale.jpeg|Interior of La Cigale, Nantes, Brittany, France, designed by Émile Libaudière, and decorated with sculptures by Émile Gaucher and paintings by Georges Levreau, 1895
Jupiter and Semele, by Gustave Moreau, 1894-1895, oil on canvas.jpeg|Jupiter and Semele, by Gustave Moreau, 1894-1895, oil on canvas, Musée National Gustave Moreau, Paris
Louis XVI style Revival-Neo Louis XVI style centre table, late 19th century, gilt wood and marble top.jpeg|Louis XVI style Revival/Neo-Louis XVI style centre table, late 19th century, gilt wood and marble top, private collection
Sturdza Palace in the Victory Square, Bucharest, Romania, by Iulius Reinicke, 1898-1901-destroyed by WW2 bombardments in 1944.jpeg|Sturdza Palace in the Victory Square, Bucharest, Romania, by Iulius Reinicke, 1898-1901-destroyed by WW2 bombardments in 1944
Art Nouveau fan decorated with irregularly-shaped medallions.jpeg|Art Nouveau fan decorated with irregularly-shaped medallions, made and sold by La Grande Maison de Blanc, 1902, paper, lithography, wood, metal, and gilding, Musée Galliera, Paris
Ceiling of the Gheorghe Petrașcu House (Piața Romană no. 5), Bucharest, de Spiru Cegăneanu, 1912.jpeg|Romanian Revival/Neo-Romanian ceiling of the Gheorghe Petrașcu House (Piața Romană no. 5), Bucharest, by Spiru Cegăneanu, 1912
Double grill "Aux danseurs", model from the Pavillon du Collectionneur, by Edgar Brandt, 1925, wrought iron.jpeg|Art Deco double grill "Aux danseurs", model from the Pavillon du Collectionneur, by Edgar Brandt, 1925, wrought iron, unknown location
=== Present day ===
:Main: Gen Z maximalism
"After the Recession of 2008, design trends turned to minimalist—making a statement with less. As the economy recovered over the next decade, society began accumulating wealth with more disposable income, collecting objects of interest, traveling more, and populating their homes with meaningful and significant art and accessories." - Dawn Cook, co-owner of BLDC Design. https://www.thespruce.com/what-is-maximalist-style-4685629
Today's maximalism -- also called cluttercore -- may have the same objective as the past incarnations of showing off, but there's a twist. Instead of accruing items to prove you can afford them, modern practitioner use decor and designing fundamentals as a way to express personality and values.
Photo from the 2008 Lavazza Calendar, by Finlay Mackay, probably 2007, photo.jpeg|Photo from the 2008 Lavazza Calendar, by Finlay Mackay, c.2007, photo
Screenshot of PONPONPON.jpeg|Screenshot of the PONPONPON music video, song by Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, 2011
Screenshot of the Filth, Filth, All Around song.jpeg|Screenshot of the Filth, Filth, All Around song from The Amazing World of Gumball, by multiple animators, 2017-2018, 2D and 3D animation
Interior from Misha Kahn's home, unknown location, by Misha Kahn, circa 2017.webp|Interior from Misha Kahn's home, unknown location, by Misha Kahn, c.2017
Maximalist interior of the Studio Job headquarter in Antwep, Belgium, 2018 or before (01).jpeg|Maximalist interior of the Studio Job headquarter in Antwep, Belgium, 2018 or before
Maximalist interior of the Studio Job headquarter in Antwep, Belgium, 2018 or before (02).jpeg|Maximalist interior of the Studio Job headquarter in Antwep, Belgium, 2018 or before
Interior of Pink Zebra, Kanpur, India, by the Renesa Architecture Design Interiors Studio, 2018.jpeg|Interior of Pink Zebra, Kanpur, India, by the Renesa Architecture Design Interiors Studio, 2018
Memphis-inspired mural on a 7-storey building, Brooklyn, NYC, by Camille Walala, probably 2018, mural on a brick wall.jpeg|Memphis-inspired mural on a 7-storey building, Brooklyn, NYC, by Camille Walala, probably 2018, mural on a brick wall
Page of a sticker book, sticker designs by @ritak sino, 2020 or before, digital.jpeg|Page of a sticker book, sticker designs by @ritak_sino, 2020 or before, digital
Lobby of the Hotel Les Deux Gares, Paris, unknown designer, circa 2020.jpeg|Lobby of the Hotel Les Deux Gares, Paris, unknown designer, c.2020
Outfit, by Jennifer Oseh, circa 2021 (01).jpeg|Outfit, by Jennifer Oseh, c.2021
Outfit, by Jennifer Oseh, circa 2021 (02).jpeg|Outfit, by Jennifer Oseh, c.2021
Outfit, by Kenzo S-S ’21, 2021.jpeg|Outfit, by Kenzo S/S ’21, 2021
Poster, by Daniel Herwitt (aka Sunflower Form), circa 2022, digital.jpeg|Poster, by Daniel Herwitt (aka Sunflower Form), c.2022, digital
The Studio Job home page, as it looked in May 2023.jpeg|The Studio Job home page, as it looked in May 2023
== Style ==
=== Decor Tips ===
* One or two anchor furniture pieces
* Coordinate your wallpaper
* Don't forget to use the ceiling
* Play with furniture shapes
* Add well thought out pieces, not ones just to fill space
* Layer to unite color schemes, patterns and themes
* Shop for vintage pieces or decorate with family heirlooms
* Try using house plants in your design
* "Moments of “high impact” like a wall mural, neon sign, or an oversized light fixture"https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/maximalist-design-36897524
=== Fashion Tips ===
* Wear what you love
* Mix and match colors, patterns and prints.
* Don't forget to also play around with textures (ie: velvet, corduroy, silk, satin, linen, etc.)
* Don't just layer clothing, but accessories too.
== Notable Figures ==
* Iris Apfel
* Madeline Castaing
* Jennifer Oseh
* Helena Bonham Carter
* Bea B Åkerlund
* Junstina Blakeney of Junglow
* Joy Cho of Oh Joy
* Kelly Mindell of Studio DIY
* Kanye West (2009-2011)
== Creative Arts ==
=== Literature ===
Considered an abstract concept in Post Modern Literature, the American Fiction: A-Z, Volume II describes the term The term "“maximalist fiction,” or maximalism, meanwhile, denotes fictional works, particularly novels, that are unusually long and complex, are digressive in style, and make use of a wide array of literary devices and techniques."https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/9781444337822.wbetcfv2m016 Maximalist literature lavishes their text with descriptions and information, and borrow from various techniques and genres to tell their story.
==== Notable Maximalist Authors & Works ====
* Thomas Pynchon - 'Gravity’s Rainbow', 'Inherent Vice'
* David Foster Wallace - 'Infinite Jest', 'The Pale King'
* Zadie Smith - 'White Teeth'
* Nicholson Baker - 'The Mezzanine', 'Room Temperature'
=== Music ===
==== Notable Maximalist Musicians & Works ====
* Kanye West - 'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy'
* Frank Zappa
* Charles Ives
=== Visual Arts ===
==== Notable Maximalist Visual Artists ====
* Dieter Roth
* Ding Yi
* Julie Verhoeven
* Li Huasheng
* Kam Tang
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Category:Design Aesthetics
Category:Visual
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