This book presents a rich catalog from the Museum of Modern Art’s design collection, tracing how form, material, and function evolved across decades. Through descriptive passages and object notes, you’ll glimpse shifts in taste, technology, and craftsmanship that accompanied changing cultural moods.

From chairs and tables to glassware and gadgets, the selections reveal how designers moved between plain utility and expressive form. The text situates each piece in a broader story about design’s attitudes toward technology, industry, and everyday life, without needing prior knowledge of the collection.

Learn how simple shapes—circles, squares, and triangles—appealed to designers seeking potency in form.
See how natural motifs, like wave patterns and plant contours, echoed in objects of the period.
Observe a movement toward or away from technical mastery as new tools and materials emerged.
Understand the cultural context behind iconic pieces and their makers across different countries.

Ideal for readers of design history, museum catalogs, and anyone curious about how everyday objects became design icons.

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.

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