Landmarks of Twentieth-Century Design: An Illustrated Handbook [Hardcover]

Kathryn B. Hiesinger (Author), George Marcus (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1993

This comprehenisve study of international design includes essays on trends, innovations and significant objects of each decade of the 20th century. Hundreds of illustrations accompany detailed discussions of the aesthetic and intellectual impact of 20th-century design.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This handbook is a comprehensive study of international design, decade by decade, with essays on the trends, innovations, and significant objects of each period. The captions, which accompany the excellent illustrations, include detailed discussions of the aesthetic and intellectual impact of these "landmarks of 20-century design," from the Barcelona Chair to the Walkman, Larsen fabrics to Michael Graves's tea kettle. The second section includes short biographies of the designers with individual bibliographical references, along with a general bibliography and an excellent index. A splendid overview of a century of striking originality and aesthetic practicality. Recommended for all visual arts collections.
- Paula Frosch, Metropolitan Museum of Art Lib., New York
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

One of the most popular exhibitions at New York's Museum of Modern Art is the design collection, an assortment of utilitarian items chosen for their style. In this attractive book, 400 such items are arranged by decade, from a Tiffany vase made in the 1890s to the popular Michael Graves teakettle from the 1980s. In between are Corning tableware, London Transport posters, an Eames chair, Tupperware, Lightolier track lighting, and the Sony Walkman. A photograph (usually black-and-white) accompanies each entry, as does the name of the designer and manufacturer, dimensions, and a museum location. Each decade is introduced by an essay by the authors, who are colleagues at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The last third of the book consists of biographies of the designers, each followed by suggestions for further reading. A detailed index includes designers, manufacturers, and types of item--for example, fabric, lamp, typewriter.

There is little overlap between this work and the 101 items in the "Design" section of Contemporary Masterworks [RBB Ap 15 92]. That work includes fashion, cars, advertisements, and corporate-identity programs, none of which is found in Landmarks. Contemporary Designers [RBB F 15 91] is illustrated with many photographs but stresses the creators rather than their work.

Landmarks of Twentieth-Century Design will be a welcome addition to art collections in public and academic libraries. Sandy Whiteley

Product Details

• Hardcover: 431 pages
• Publisher: Abbeville Press; 1st edition (September 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1558592792
• ISBN-13: 978-1558592797
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 7.7 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #819,369 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Landmarks Help to Guide the Way, June 21, 2005

By 

Tropics Refugee (Middle Fla.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Landmarks of Twentieth-Century Design: An Illustrated Handbook (Hardcover)

This is a Terrific encyclopedia in the best sense of the word. Each decade receives a well written, thoughtful overview that address not only design but history and social views from many perspectives. A fine read for the this reason alone.

But wait there is more, approximately 30 individual pieces of design are chosen for each section, photographed and described in 100-300 words. The effect is like a cherished museum exhibition catalog. The choices range from iconic artworks to mass produced consumer goods, but no matter the pedigree the text and photos are illuminating and enjoyable.

In addition to all of this the designer's biographies will likely seem very familiar. This book appears to be one of the most widely used, and non-credited, sources of information on the internet.

The cost of this book has crept up in the last few years; however, it is among the few reference books that I find indispensable when researching, and more importantly it just seems to make me smile when I browse through the pages.