History of Design: Decorative Arts and Material Culture, 1400-2000

by Bard Graduate Center (Primary Contributor), Pat Kirkham (Editor), Susan Weber (Editor)

Spanning six centuries of global design, this far-reaching survey is the first to offer an account of the vast history of decorative arts and design produced in Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Indian subcontinent, and the Islamic world, from 1400 to the present. Meticulously documented and lavishly illustrated, the volume covers interiors, furniture, textiles and dress, glass, graphics, metalwork, ceramics, exhibitions, product design, landscape and garden design, and theater and film design. Divided into four chronological sections, each of which is subdivided geographically, the authors elucidate the evolution of style, form, materials, and techniques, and address vital issues such as gender, race, patronage, cultural appropriation, continuity versus innovation, and high versus low culture.
 
Leading authorities in design history and decorative arts studies present hundreds of objects in their contemporary contexts, demonstrating the overwhelming extent to which the applied arts have enriched customs, ceremony, and daily life worldwide over the past six hundred years. This ambitious, landmark publication is essential reading, contributing a definitive classic to the existing scholarship on design, decorative arts, and material culture, while also introducing these subjects to new readers in a comprehensive, erudite book with widespread appeal.

Genres: History, Material Culture, Design, Nonfiction, Reference, Art

698 pages, Hardcover

First published November 28, 2013

Reviews

[Richa · Rating 4 out of 5]

When it comes to Design History, there is very little available on India. Whatever this book offers is mostly Islamic art and motifs in India. Technically there is so much more in terms of motifs, stories, architectures, murals when it comes to India but it hardly gets any coverage due to lack of research. This book is good in giving an overall brief review continent wise.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

So I guess I know what to expect as an intro if I go to Bard's Decorative Arts graduate program. History of Design illustrates pieces from all over the world from 1400 to 2000. The illustrations are beautiful, and the various authors offer insight not just into items that designed, but into coverage in the past (including criticisms of the downplaying of indigenous American cultures that just didn't happen to make items out of the most durable materials).

This book is thick and a little daunting. I got it from the library, and think I probably had to renew it about 15 times before I got through it completely. I got a little annoyed at the end as many more objects were referred to than were illustrated, and in previous sections basically everything had been illustrated that was mentioned. Guess there are just too many pieces that survive from the past century (it could probably be its own volume if they tried to include them all). This was a really interesting book, and while it didn't delve too deeply into any one time or place or material, it did give me a really sense of the progression of design all over the world from 1400 until now. I would recommend it for anyone who is interested in antiques, decorative arts, or design.

[Frederic · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a survey of an entire world of art and design, and as a result is inevitably going to have to be selective. It is also a rather massive volume, so it's more inclusive than many such could be. It's probably a very good introduction to the subject for someone who has no broad cross-cultural experience. But as a material culture professional with many years of experience in the field, I was hoping for more insightful analysis, I was hoping to learn things I didn't already know; and that didn't really happen (to be fair, my expectations were undoubtedly raised by the volume being produced by the Bard program, for which I have extremely high regard). It would be great to hand to a smart high-school student or an undergraduate, but for me that's it's utility more than a professional reference. The book is also attractive enough to work as a coffee-table book.

[Mills College Library]

745 H67367 2013