Tiles & Styles—Jugendstil & Secession

A visual look at the decorative tiles manufactured in Germany, Austria, Hungary, and Bohemia/Moravia/Czechoslovakia in the years between 1895 and 1935.

Almost 600 images show the wide range of decorative motifs of the ceramic tiles manufactured in Germany, Austria, Hungary, and Bohemia/Moravia/Czechoslovakia in the years between 1895 and 1935. These tiles were used primarily on walls, floors, and stoves, but also furniture, trays, and more, were an affordable decor element that made art accessible to many.

They would also turn out to be some of the best examples of the Jugendstil and Secession movements in design: Both were variations of international art nouveau and rejected the conservative aesthetics of mainstream art. In Part I of the book, the authors place these movements within the context of art history, then explores the history of the tiles. In Part II, a broad look is taken at Arts & Crafts and Art Nouveau tiles, including influences from other Western and Central European nations.

This book will appeal to art historians, decorative arts aficionados, and anyone who appreciates beautiful, inspirational design.