Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #111563 in Books
• Published on: 2007-06-01
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 240 pages

Synopsis
Art Nouveau, whose emergence at the same time as cinema was no mere coincidence, represents the most remarkable attempt to reconcile the demands of the technical age with the undying wish for beauty and glorification - or to pit them against the other. Here, the reform movement of the turn of the century is not only dealt with as an artistic event, but those economic and political interests which inspired, supported, and handicapped it are also taken into account. In the chapters "Movement," "Unrest", and "Equilibrium", the historical phenomenon as a whole is characterised and is also presented with its own distinct local features. The centres of Brussels, Nancy, Barcelona, Glasgow, Helsinki and Chicago are dealt with in subchapters as are Munich, Darmstadt and Weimar. Finally, Vienna, that city in which the synthesis achieved its culmination, is described separately. The outstanding artists are examined in detail in connection with the respective cities of their greatest activity. The result is a complex picture of the symbiosis of architecture, furniture design, and craftsmanship with their corresponding approaches to artistic revitalization.

Customer Reviews

interesting but not spectacular
Showcasing Art Nouveau (or Jugendstil as it is called in some countries) in 9 cities the book covers the style in all it's glory. From architecture to interior design and from the sober Glasgow to the stylish Barcelona and Brussels.

Now Art Nouveau is a tricky style. It's based on similar idea's developed in different cultures and this book shows the diverse result.

If you are very interested in the cultural influences ín Art Nouveau this will interest you. But it's not for the general public.

Helsinki's Art Nouveau will interest designers and architects and show an interesting minor development within the style. But most will probably ask what all the fuss is about for it's hardly on level with Gaudí or Horta.

Unfortunately the book is written in a difficult and boring way. You really have to concentrate on the text and sometimes you have to read it multiple times to understand what the writer is trying to tell. And since it's a reprint from 1991 the photo's are a bit dated but still ok.

For the fanatics then.