- Altina Schinasi was an American artist and designer who excelled in textiles, ceramics, and jewelry.
- She designed the iconic Harlequin cat-eye glasses in the 1940s.
- Her artistic style was characterized by its bold use of colors, geometric patterns, and abstract forms.
Today’s Google Doodle pays tribute to Altina Schinasi, a celebrated American artist and designer, on her 116th birth anniversary. Schinasi’s artistic influence was far-reaching, as she excelled in various mediums like textiles, ceramics, and jewelry.
One of her notable contributions was the design of the iconic Harlequin cat-eye glasses in the 1940s, which drew inspiration from Venetian masquerade masks and became synonymous with elegance and glamour.
Schinasi’s artistic style was characterized by its bold use of colors, geometric patterns, and abstract forms.
She skillfully blended diverse influences, such as Native American and African art, as well as Modernist art, to create visually captivating and dynamic designs.
Her remarkable talent and unique vision established her as one of the most significant textile designers of the 20th century.
Today, her artworks continue to be revered and sought after by museums and private collectors worldwide.
Altina Schinasi, born on January 18, 1922, in New York City, hailed from a family with a strong artistic background.
She honed her skills at the Art Students League of New York, where she studied under renowned artists Hans Hofmann and Morris Kantor.
Notably, she was honored with the American Crafts Council’s Gold Medal and later served as a ceramics professor at the University of California, Berkeley.
Today, her impressive artworks can be found in prestigious institutions such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Smithsonian American Art Museum.
Among her remarkable contributions, Altina Schinasi created several noteworthy pieces, including the “Altina Schinasi” rug, designed for the Knoll Textile Company in 1955, the “Aphrodite” ceramic vase, crafted for the Steuben Glass Company in 1960, and the “Opus II” necklace, which she designed in 1965. These creations serve as a testament to her artistic brilliance and pioneering approach to design.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel https://bit.ly/3Tv8a3P to watch news from Pakistan and around the world.
