Since the collapse of the Iron Curtain in 1989, Prague has become one of Europe's--and the world's--most popular tourist destinations. As in London, Paris, and Rome, visitors flock to the gorgeous buildings and monuments that grace the streets of Prague, entranced by structures ranging from Gothic and baroque to cubist and neoclassical. And while hundreds of thousands stroll over Charles Bridge and gaze up at St. Vitus Cathedral each year, far fewer venture away from the crowds to seek out the countless gems of art nouveau peppered throughout Prague. With Art Nouveau Prague, Petr Wittlich--one of Europe's leading experts on nineteenth- and twentieth-century architecture--tours those monuments and buildings of Prague that are most representative of the art nouveau movement while offering insightful commentary on each. Along the way, Wittlich visits such sites as the Municipal House, the Wilson Railway Station, the Grand Hotel Europa, and works by sculptors Frantisek Bílek, Ladislav Saloun, and Stanislav Sucharda. An introductory essay by Wittlich emphasizing the role of art nouveau within contemporary currents of modern European art accompanies more than one hundred color illustrations of some of the most stunning examples of art nouveau architecture and decoration in existence, and a detailed bibliography provides additional reading for each of the sites displayed in the book. Art Nouveau Prague is a must-have for those traveling to Prague for the first time or for anyone who appreciates or wants to learn more about art nouveau style.

Since the collapse of the Iron Curtain in 1991, Prague has become one of Europe's--and the world's--most popular tourist destinations. As in London, Paris, and Rome, visitors flock to the gorgeous buildings and monuments that grace the streets of Prague, entranced by structures ranging from Gothic and baroque to cubist and neoclassical. And while hundreds of thousands stroll over the Charles Bridge and gaze up at the St. Vitus Cathedral each year, far fewer venture away from the crowds to seek out the countless gems of art nouveau peppered throughout Prague. With Art-Nouveau Prague, Petr Wittlich--one of Europe's leading experts on nineteenth- and twentieth-century architecture--tours those monuments and buildings of Prague representative of the art nouveau movement and offers insightful commentary on each. Along the way, Wittlich visits such sites as the Municipal House, the Wilson Railway Station, the Grand Hotel Europa, and works by sculptors Frantisek Bílek, Ladislav Saloun, and Stanislav Sucharda. An introductory essay by Wittlich emphasizing the role of art nouveau within contemporary currents of modern European art accompanies more than one hundred color illustrations of some of the most stunning examples of art nouveau architecture and decoration in existence, and a detailed bibliography provides additional reading for each of the sites displayed in the book. Art-Nouveau Prague is a must-have for those traveling to Prague for the first time or for anyone who appreciates or wants to learn more about art nouveau style.

This critical survey of the Art Nouveau movement reveals the diversity of this style across the breadth of the European continent. With the inclusion of Eastern Europe and the full range of artistic media, the book shows how this movement changed the face of European art and design from Paris to Prague. Clearly structured by country, it traces the emergence of Art Nouveau, highlighting the particular interpretations of the style in each country. Countries covered include: Belgium; Spain; Britain; Austria; Hungary; and Russia. Each chapter contains sections on political and cultural contexts, specific visual characteristics and key artists and designers. It analyzes the contribution of both well-known artists and designers such as Gaudi; Van de Velde; Mackintosh; and Mucha, and brings to light many others whose contributions have been largely inaccessible. With a bibliography and glossary, this text should provide a useful introduction to this subject.

This pocket-sized yet comprehensive guidebook to modern architecture in Prague shows its development from the Art Nouveau and beginnings of the Modern Style at the turn of the 20th century, the unique Cubist buildings from the years before World War I, the "National Style" of the newly established Czechoslovak Republic, the functionalist avant-garde of the inter-war period, the most remarkable examples of post-World War II buildings, and the revival of architectural production after 1989. 200 pages cover 220 buildings spanning the period 1900 to 1997. Each entry contains a descriptive text, period photographs, and selected entries are provided with plans. An indispensable companion for discovering the vast architectural heritage of the Czech capital.

Vital Art Nouveau 1900 presents a selection of the most outstanding works of Czech and European Art Nouveau style from the collection of the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague, all of which are on permanent display at the Prague Municipal House. This volume establishes the Art Nouveau arts and crafts as part of the forward-looking trends and emancipation efforts that evolved in the late nineteenth century; as a reformist art movement, Art Nouveau strove to achieve a unity between art and life, aspiring to overcome the Romantic duality of beauty versus reality, or "the truth of life." These rebellious artists not only forced a break with the rigidity of existing art practices, but also regenerated forms of artistic expression that many considered to be stagnant. Infused with the popular aesthetic theories of the times, such as Vitalism and Spiritism, the Art Nouveau aesthetic answered and responded to the new zest for life that swept nineteenth-century society as a whole. Masterpieces of decorative art exhibited at the famous Paris World's Fair of 1900 are reproduced in this volume in color, alongside a variety of works ranging from paintings, poster art, magazines and ceramic works to jewelry, glassware and furniture.

A volume created to accompany an exhibition considers the popular and influential style of art nouveau showcasing all mediums from Tiffany lampshades to Lalique jewelry.

Buenos Aries boasts a number of impressive buildings in a range of architectural styles. But when Anat Meidan, an art collector with a passion for La Belle Époque, moved to the city, she was delighted to discover how much of the city's Art Nouveau architecture from the early 20th century had survived. The author set about researching these extraordinary buildings as well as the people who designed and built them. Working with Gustavo Sosa Pinilla, Meidan toured the city and documented its architecture, using a few well-placed connections to gain access to the interiors of private homes and buildings usually closed to the general public. In this meticulously researched, richly illustrated book, featuring hundreds of splendid photographs, the reader is invited to share the author's voyage around the city as she narrates a very personal account of her love affair with Buenos Aires.