AN Outline of European Architecture

Pevsner, Nikolaus

ISBN 10: 0140201092 / ISBN 13: 9780140201093

Published by Penguin Books, 1950

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Synopsis:

Pevsner, Nikolaus, Outline of European Architecture, An

From the Inside Flap: 'A definitive and personal overview of the buildings that make European cities the glories they are, written by one of the great critics of the century.' Sir John Tusa The Guardian.

For over sixty years Sir Nikolaus Pevsner's study of European architecture has been regarded as a seminal work which has inspired countless students of architecture. In this updated large format edition with elegant and accessible design, an extra dimension is provided through the integration of over 200 superb colour photographs and new plans. Pevsner's claim that 'the good architect requires the sculptor's and the painter's modes of vision' is fully substantiated in this glorious volume.

Pevsner believed that the history of architecture was primarily a history of man shaping space. With this as his starting point, he reviewed the most beautiful and dramatic structures that represent the styles and cultures of Europe from the fourth century onwards. His grand tour of Romanesque basilicas, Gothic cathedrals, Renaissance villas and Baroque churches, eloquently defines 'the changing spirits of the changing ages'. In later chapters he considers the revival of medieval forms in the age of Romanticism and the Arts and Crafts Movement through to the radical and unsparing geometry of twentieth-century Modernism. His survey concluded in the post-war years and the start of the redefinition of many devastated cityscapes and in a new preface and an illuminating postscript the architect and academic Michael Forsyth brings the review right up to the present day. In a consideration of recent buildings in Europe by modern masters such as James Stirling, Norman Foster and Frank Gehry, he identifies a natural evolution of architectural achievement.

Through such a perceptive understanding of the heritage of past civilisations, and in the delineation of the buildings that continue to be recognized as the greatest symbols of artistic endeavour, Pevsner continues to be as stimulating and relevant as ever.

Pevsner believed that the history of architecture was primarily a history of man shaping space. With this as his starting point, he reviewed the most beautiful and dramatic structures that represent the styles and cultures of Europe from the fourth century onwards. His grand tour of Romanesque basilicas, Gothic cathedrals, Renaissance villas and Baroque churches, eloquently defines 'the changing spirits of the changing ages'. In later chapters he considers the revival of medieval forms in the age of Romanticism and the Arts and Crafts Movement through to the radical and unsparing geometry of twentieth-century Modernism. His survey concluded in the post-war years and the start of the redefinition of many devastated cityscapes and in a new preface and an illuminating postscript the architect and academic Michael Forsyth brings the review right up to the present day. In a consideration of recent buildings in Europe by modern masters such as James Stirling, Norman Foster and Frank Gehry, he identifies a natural evolution of architectural achievement.

Through such a perceptive understanding of the heritage of past civilisations, and in the delineation of the buildings that continue to be recognized as the greatest symbols of artistic endeavour, Pevsner continues to be as stimulating and relevant as ever.

Bibliographic Details

Title: AN Outline of European Architecture
Publisher: Penguin Books
Publication Date: 1950
Binding: paperback
Condition: Very Good