THE PHILADELPHIA MUSEUM OF ART WAS FOUNDED IN 1876, AFTER ITS HOME CITY HOSTED THE CENTENNIAL, WITH THE PRIMARY GOAL OF ACQUIRING IMPORTANT EXAMPLES OF CONTEMPORARY DESIGN AND DECORATIVE ARTS. THIS SPECIAL BOOK EXPLORES FOR THE FIRST TIME THE DEVELOPMENT AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS EXTRAORDINARY COLLECTION, MAKING UNPRECEDENTED USE OF THE MUSEUM'S ARCHIVAL RESOURCES, MUCH OF WHICH HAS NEVER BEEN PUBLISHED. THIS VOLUME REVEALS CHANGING ATTITUDES TOWARD COLLECTING OVER TIME, AS PHILADELPHIA ( HISTORICALLY A TRADITIONAL CITY ) AND ITS FLAGSHIP MUSEUM WERE CONFRONTED WITH THE DRAMATIC AESTHETIC SHIFTS TOWARD MODERNISM.
FROM BEING THE LARGEST INSTITUTIONAL COLLECTOR OF TIFFANY GLASS IN THE LATE 19TH AND EARLY 20TH CENTURIES, TO COAXING FLORENCE KNOLL BASSETT OUT OF RETIREMENT IN 2005 TO DESIGN HER OWN EXHIBITION, THE MUSEUM HAS MADE A UNIQUE CONTRIBUTION TO THE HISTORY OF DESIGN THROUGH ITS COLLECTIONS AND PROGRAMS. PROVIDING THOUGHTFUL ANALYSIS OF THE MUSEUM'S HISTORY AS A STEWARD OF CONTEMPORARY DECORATIVE ARTS, THIS BEAUTIFUL BOOK IS A VITAL REFERENCE FOR ANYONE INTERESTED IN THE HISTORY OF MUSEUMS, DECORATIVE ARTS, AND DESIGN.
THE RARE OUT OF PRINT 1ST EDITION LARGE FORMAT HARDCOVER MODERNISM DESIGN BOOK MEASURES 10 3/4" W X 12 1/4" H X 1 1/8" D, WITH 304 PAGES. IT IS PRINTED ON PREMIUM PAPER STOCK FEATURING 299 ILLUSTRATIONS, INCLUDING 251 IN FULL COLOR, AND A WORKS ILLUSTRATED LIST.
IT IS IN EXCELLENT " LIKE NEW " VERY CLEAN CONDITION WITH VERY LIGHT SIGNS OF HANDLING. PLEASE SEE PHOTOS FOR CONDITION REFERENCE. IT IS NOW BEING OFFERED HERE FOR AN EXCELLENT PRICE.