Lecture Notes on Modernism

Overview of Modernism Lecture

  • Importance of Germany as a major industrial power
  • Decline of the Ottoman Empire, losing territories like the Balkans
  • Armenian massacre by the Ottomans
  • Global competition for Africa and the impact of various powers (England, France, Russia) ignoring Germany

Historical Context

  • Post-1848 uprisings led to the creation of the dual monarchy in Austria-Hungary
  • Rise of nationalist sentiments in the Balkans, leading to conflict
  • Establishment of the Serbian secret society "Black Hand" and inter-Balkan aggression

World War I Impacts

  • The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand as a trigger for WWI
  • Introduction of trench warfare and its psychological effects (shell shock)
  • Ottoman involvement and subsequent decline post-war

Ottoman Empire Dynamics

  • Sultan Selim III's reforms met with resistance from Janissaries
  • Muhammad Ali's rise and conflicts with the Ottomans
  • Greek War of Independence leading to territorial losses for the Ottomans
  • Multiple revolts and reforms under different sultans through the 19th century

International Relations and Wars

  • Crimean War: Russo-Ottoman tensions and intervention by Britain and France
  • Balkan crises leading to the Treaty of San Stefano and Treaty of Berlin
  • Ottoman financial and administrative difficulties, leading to foreign intervention (Ottoman Public Debt Administration)

Nationalism and Modernization

  • Abdul Hamid II's reforms and the Young Turk Revolution in 1908
  • Loss of territories to rising nationalist movements in the Balkans
  • Outbreak of Italian invasion of Libya and subsequent Balkan Wars

Formation of the Republic of Turkey

  • Collapse of the Ottoman Empire after WWI, leading to Turkish War of Independence
  • Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's role in establishing modern Turkey
  • Abolition of the Sultanate in 1922 and declaration of the Republic in 1923

Influence of Modernism in Architecture

  • Emergence of the Bauhaus school and its purpose to merge art and industry
  • Contribution of artists like Walter Gropius, Kandinsky, and Klee in design evolution
  • Concept of architecture as a functional and aesthetic representation of modern ideals

Conclusion

  • Legacy of modernism in shaping contemporary design and architecture
  • Continuous influences seen in current architectural practices and philosophies.