Henry van de Velde's theory of linear ornament

The object of this study is to examine van de Velde’s theory of linear ornament and it sources, developed from the early 1890’s until late in his career. Van de Velde’s ideas on line derived from a variety of sources: the English Arts and Crafts Movement, the Art Nouveau notion of line, avant-garde movements in painting and contemporary theories in psychophysiology, aesthetics and philosophy. One purpose of this paper is to show how van de Velde synthesized these influences and distilled them in his writings. Another is to present van de Velde’s essays as an early 20th century example of the concept of line as an abstraction.