Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius

by Nikolaus Pevsner

This books recounts the history of the Modern Movement in architecture and design and the men who were largely responsible for the shift to contemporary expression in design. 256 p. : ill. ; 20 cm. List of Plates. -- Foreword to the First Edition. -- Foreword to the Second Edition. -- Foreword to the Pelican Edition. -- Theories of Art from Morris to Gropius. -- From Eighteen-fifty-one to Morris and the Arts and Crafts. -- Eighteen-ninety in Painting. -- Art Nouveau. -- Engineering and Architecture in the Nineteenth Century. -- England, Eighteen-ninety to Nineteen-fourteen. -- The Modern Movement before Nineteen-fourteen. -- Notes. -- Supplementary Bibliography. -- Table of Names and Dates. -- Index.

Genres: Design, Architecture, Art, Nonfiction, History, Art History, Photography

Paperback

First published January 1, 1936

About the author

Sir Nikolaus Pevsner (January 30, 1902 - August 18, 1983) was one of the twentieth century's most learned and stimulating writers on art and architecture.

He established his reputation with Pioneers of Modern Design, though he is probably best known for his celebrated series of guides, The Buildings of England, acknowledged as one of the great achievements of twentieth-century scholarship. He was also founding editor of The Pelican History of Art, the most comprehensive and scholarly history of art ever published in English.

Reviews

[Jen]

I read this before studying in Paris and it was a gorgeous read. It certainly opened my eyes to architecture that I would otherwise just walk past. I recommend this to students of art history and also to those who are about to travel to Western European cosmopolitan areas.

Read it with google handy to enhance your experience. Look up what you don't understand or recognize. Great resource!

[Nico Macdonald]

Exhibited as an influence in Terence Conran: The Way We Live Now.

[Topaz]

This is a short easy read glossing over the key players from the 19th century who paid the foundation for modern architecture and design. There are many photos in color and black and white and is ideal for those just getting interested in the subject or grade school students.

The book is laid out chronologically with many names and structures named, but not all are shown. So some examples are described but there is not corresponding photo to show what the author is talking about.

The latest expanded edition has extra content at the end of each chapter highlighting the prominent names of individual and movements they are significant, almost like a summary for the reader and highlighting names for further reading.

Overall, this is a good book and most importantly, provides many names for further reading. There is a bibliography and just my looking up any of the names, one can find more books for further reading.

For the enthusiast or professional in the field of architecture or design, this is not really an important reference book to have. There are many copies of this book available for under $10 including the hardcover edition. I would probably get it from the library rather than buy it.

[Felix Tavchandjian]

Ultimately, it does what it says on the tin.

I don't know that i would recommend this to someone in search of a definitive academic text on the subject. I just find that reading older, opinionated art history books is a vibe on holiday.

In the end I think i was under the impression that the book would spend more time than it did on the final juncture into modern design (i.e. closer to the Gropius and Bauhaus end of the timeline). However I very much enjoyed learning about the theory/ideology behind Morris' arts and crafts movement.

Also i f**k with Art Nouveau

[Mary Ellen]

I've recently gained a new level of appreciation for William Morris and found a reference to this book in a bibliography. What a great find! This is considered a classic work, and in the 2005 addition is complemented by commentary from Richard Weston. I am clearly a novice in architecture and art, but I could follow the argumentation and learned from the wealth of exemplary photographs and art designs. Give it a try if you have a high comfort level with academic writing.

[Jack Theaker]

Tracking the wave of pre-war modernism in architecture and design, Nikolaus Pevsner geniusly clears a logical pathway from William Morris to the Bauhaus movement.

Throughout there is a technological determinism, he understands the economic base and its role in stifling or promoting artistic development, all along grappling with one of the most troubling questions of modernity and post-modernity: how do we dominate machines that are so far advanced from our human capabilities?

[Daniel Carrol]

Interesting look at the perhaps not obvious through-line from the Arts & Crafts movement to Modernism in the early part of the 20th century, sent me searching for more info on some of the artists, architects and buildings discussed within

[Alex]

Pevsner eloquently ties together architectural, artistic, social and industrial developments of the mid 19th century to trace a clear map of design movements that culminates in 20th century Modernism.

[Zachary Weaver]

Definitely an informative read on the, often seen as, awkward and chaotic period proceeding the international style and modernism as we know it. While it goes a long way in smoothing out the path from revival to modernism, his writing often drags on and lacks passion making it rather dull.

[Justin Evans]

Clearly, I read this in a haze. I don't remember it at all.

[Brian Kovesci]

Always good to brush up on historical references.

[Sam]

I may be reading this for class, but I like it enough to put it on here. It's an interesting take on art history, not a textbook.

Edit: This is pretty much all you need if you're interested in modern design. I don't always necessary agree with him but he has a certain way of putting things that is pretty endearing. I wish he was still alive just so I could see what he'd write about postmodernism. Actually, he'd probably have a heart attack about it.

[Erin Reilly-Sanders]

Another book read for class that I likely would not have chosen, I ended up enjoying this one more than most. The arc of its argument seemed easier to understand than most, looking at how the arts and Crafts movement and Art Nouveau came together with other ideas to create modernism, all from an English perspective. Additionally, the book piqued my interest due to the subject matter of two movements that I

[Will]

Two stars is generous for this wordy and poorly illustrated book that has a poor chronology. It is annoying when the author talks about items extensively that are not illustrated or with illustrations that lack scope.
The subject is great. I am a big fan of Morris, Wright and Klimt, to name a few, but I will try another text to get a better understanding of what lead up to the modern movement.
Don't waste your time or money on this one.

[Ralph Zoontjens]

Very good book treating developments around architecture and design during the 19th and early 20th century, up to early modernity. This has been the most important period for shaping the future of our mass-manufactured world, where we are now slowly climbing out of, entering the 3rd Industrial Revolution.

[Zaiga]

This book was originally published in 1936, and the copy I'm reading was revised and rewritten in 1960. I love reading about modern design's beginnings from someone who is living in that era. :)

[Erin]

A classic, but very dated and heavy-handed.

[David Mortimer]

A helpful introduction to modern design. Not brilliantly written but still fascinating and informative.

[Vanlilith]

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[Stella Mill]

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1W...

[lisaggi]

Interessante, spiegato in maniera semplice.

[Aras]

http://electric-pages.livejournal.com...