The English version of the major book from Petr Wittlich, which charts the crisis and development of Czech monumental sculpture at the turn of the 19th/20th century and explores the new decorative style associated with the movement known as Secession or Art Nouveau. The author presents and defines the individual and common features of the work of F. Bílek, S. Suchard, L. Saloun, Q. Kocian, J. Maratka, B. Kafka and J. Stursa. The author focuses on their creative, as well as individual contributions, and he also appreciates their common tendency towards being human, i.e. humans placed within the universal myth of his origins and mission. The book is abundantly illustrated and is designed for the general reader as well as the specialist.

Duncan's comprehensive survey of Art Deco--the 20th century's last truly sumptuous style of decorative art--serves as a history of Art Deco, an encyclopedia of its artists and craftsmen, and a handbook for the enthusiast, student, or collector. 170 illustrations, 50 in color.

An extremely rich Belgian collection of Art Nouveau articles is behind the adventure leading to the conceiving of this book. Michel Draguet, in eight reference-filled chapters, guides the reader through the period between the end of the last century and the beginning of the present one, the herald of deep changes inspiring an art which, stemming from the symbolist and decadent instances, unfolds like a page of literature. The articles of applied arts figuring in the book have the flavor of the poetry of Baudelaire and Mallarme, recall the microcosm of Proustian interiors and take us back to an atmosphere steeped in the contributions of several arts, from dance to painting and sculpture, wherein the search for new techniques clearly does not play merely a minor role. Between literature and industry, a portent of the new century striding in, "Treasures of Art Nouveau" gives us back the savor of a world fully aware of the winds of change. Michel Draguet, Doctor in Philosophy and Literature and Agrege in Philosophy and Literature. Professor at the Universite libre of Brussels and qualified researcher at the Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique. Expert in the history of turn-of-the-century painting. Curator of several exhibitions and author and co-author of books, among which: "Bruxelles fin de siecle" (Paris, Flammarion, 1994); "Khnopff ou l'ambigu poetique" (Paris, Flammarion, 1995 - The 1996 Arthur Merghelynck Award of the Royal Academy of Belgium); "Mendelson "(Brussels, 1995); "Chronologie de l'art du XXe siecle" (Paris, Flammarion, 1997) and "Rops Cabinet de dessins" (Paris, 1998). Editor of the writings on art by Baudelaire and Mallarme.

Rarely has a subject been served by a book of this stature. Five years in the making, it covers all aspects of Art Nouveau in France in 624 authoritative pages and 740 illustrations. Arwas traces the evolution of the movement as it developed, primarily in Nancy and Paris, with the help of carefully chosen illustrations, many never published before. Ranging from the 1900 Paris exhibition to paintings, graphics and posters and such collecting fields as furniture, jewellery, ceramics, book bindings and sculpture, the informative, witty text ranges over architecture, haute couture, and the role of women in Art Nouveau with a particular look at such theatrical icons as Sarah Bernhardt, Loïe Fuller and the Grandes Horizontales. Destined to become the standard book on the subject, both content and design will appeal widely to the connoisseur, the specialist and the collector, as well as to the novice who will be introduced to the magical wonders of the style.