At the turn of the century Munich was Germany’s leading artistic center. Together with Vienna and Paris, it was the birthplace of Art Nouveau, yet its role in the development of this style has been insufficiently recognized, a shortcoming this book redresses.
Artists, architects, and craftsmen developed a style that is generally considered to be one of the most beautiful in the history of arts and crafts. They worked in a great variety of media: furniture, metalwork, glass, textiles, ceramics, and graphics, and this book includes many examples of each. The period is notable for its wide range of styles, including radically modern ones adapted to the new industrial production methods.
The illustrated works, commentaries, and introduction form a comprehensive survey of Art Nouveau in Munich. Some 150 objects by thirty artists are reproduced and discussed. Many of the artists are well known and some have only recently been recognized as having had substantial influence on the development of Jugendstil. The works are arranged by artist, the illustrations and commentaries preceded by a biography written by a leading authority on the artist.
The wealth of information and newly researched material included in this book will make it the standard work on the subject as well as a handbook for collectors and art lovers. This publication accompanies the major exhibition shown in 1988-89 at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the J,os Angeles County Museum of Art, and the St. Louis Art Museum.