Project « The Decorative Arts collections from the 18th to 20th century »

The notion of decorative arts is itself problematic. It reflects a possible tension between the utilitarian and aesthetic values of the objects in question. The decorative arts therefore seem to be halfway between other artistic forms that do exist but are not thought to serve any purpose (the fine arts) and objects which have an undeniable use but lessor artistic potential (knick-knacks, everyday objects). 

This results in disparate collections of variable classification: objects that are used but are of an age, beauty and rarity that makes them works of art, one-off works by artists, mass-produced industrial products, involving a variety of materials and techniques. This project is examining these very many and varied objects, placing them in the context of the tangible and visual culture in which they were created with a view to understanding how they form a collection and ascertaining how best to highlight their true value.