Customer Reviews

Gottfried Semper: Architect of the Nineteenth Century

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It must seem pretty odd to have such a high opinion of a
pretty remote subject: the biography of a peripatetic,
19th century German architect. But the author, Harry
Mallgrave, is uniquely qualified to explore the vexatious
artistic and architectural disputes of the 1830s to the 1870s
in such a way that the major themes of the century run
through the career - indeed, through the blood - of Gottfried
Semper. And this is no accident for Semper, a fiery
personality, was a central participant in the intellectual
crusade that gave us "modern" culture.

In this way, not only do we come to understand the roots of
the contemporary professional dilemmas in architecture, but
we are encouraged to see the larger, synthetic patterns of
German intellectual life that are so important to the
formation of our modern (and post-modern) approach to
"the good life."

I highly recommend the book, notwithstanding the rather
daunting price tage, and believe that this long-awaited
study marks an important contribution not only to the
overall intellectual history of the nineteenth century,
but it similarly marks a new standard in the writing of
architectural biography. Mallgrave's mastery of fact and
interpretation is exemplary; his style, perfectly suited to
his task.