tussenstijl

Tussenstijl is a term used in art history and related disciplines to describe a style or approach that lies between two clearly defined stylistic periods or movements. The word combines Dutch tussen (between) and stijl (style), and in English scholarship it is often rendered as “intermediate style” or “transitional style.” It is not the name of a formal movement, but a descriptive category for analyzing works or features that blend elements from adjacent styles.

Use and scope

Tussenstijl is applied across disciplines, including architecture, painting, sculpture, and typography. In architecture, it can denote transitional phases between major traditions, such as late Gothic and early Renaissance in Northern Europe, where decorative motifs and structural ideas mix. In painting and sculpture, it refers to works that exhibit a hybrid vocabulary, drawing on attributes from both preceding and succeeding styles. In typography and design, tussenstijl describes typefaces or graphic approaches that blend characteristics of multiple typographic families during periods of transition.

Characteristics

Common features of een tussenstijl include hybridity and gradual evolution rather than abrupt switches. Works may combine motifs, proportions, or techniques from adjacent styles, reflecting changing materials, technology, patronage, or cultural exchange. Because the term is descriptive, its application can be regional and time-specific, and it does not imply a unified program or manifesto.

Significance

The concept helps scholars account for continuity and change within a single historical moment. It highlights how artists and designers navigate stylistic shifts and how local conditions influence the reception of new ideas.

See also: transitional style, hybrid style.