The idea back then was that good, inexpensive objects of modern design were social levelers, extending art and beauty into countless working-class and middle-class homes, improving people’s daily lives, encouraging commerce and innovation. Spreading the word was central to the advancement of democracy and to the Modern’s core mission. The early Metropolitan Museum offered plumbing classes and trained designers to make jewelry, lighting fixtures and soap wrappers. The idea was that art museums born during and after the Industrial Revolution, unlike old royal collections, couldn’t and shouldn’t only collect masterpieces. If most Americans had little patience for Picasso, everybody needed a decent can opener.

Source: International New York Times June 06, 2019 19:21 UTC