Collecting Modern: Design at the Philadelphia Museum of Art Since 1876 - Hardcover

Hiesinger, Kathryn B.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0300122195 ISBN 13: 9780300122190

Publisher: Yale University Press, 2011

Synopsis

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. Collecting Modern 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 overview reveals changing attitudes toward collecting over time, as Philadelphia (historically a conservative city) and its flagship museum were confronted with the dramatic aesthetic shifts heralded by 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 a thoughtful analysis of the Museum's history as a steward of contemporary decorative arts, this beautiful publication is a vital reference for anyone interested in the history of museums, decorative arts, and design.

About this title

About the Author:

Kathryn Bloom Hiesinger is Curator of European Decorative Arts after 1700 at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Review:

“Simply put: this is a marvelous book about a marvelous collection.” —Modern magazine
(Modern Magazine)

“Handsome book.”—Interior Design (Interior Design)

About this edition

• Publisher: Yale University Press
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 0300122195
• ISBN 13: 9780300122190
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 304