Modern Sculpture
by Joseph Hudnut
W. W. Norton & Company Inc., 1929, New York
CONDITION:
This book is in poor condition. Hardcover, No Dust Jacket. First Edition. Signed by the Author, first Dean of Harvard University School of Design. The cover is worn along edges and corners with some discoloration and scuffing. The spine is missing; crashing is showing. Hinges weak. There are various inscriptions on the endpaper and bookseller notes. Signed and inscribed on the title page by the author. The text block is evenly toned, still supple. Good candidate for repair.
ATTRIBUTES:
First edition. Signed by the author. Hardcover. No dust jacket. Bound in paper over boards.
DESCRIPTION:
This book explores the evolution, forms, and core principles of three-dimensional art, offering critical perspectives on the nature of sculpture and its historical trajectories. The text examines key figures and regional movements in modern artistic expression, dedicating specific analytical chapters to the monumental impact of Auguste Rodin, developments in France, and subsequent trends across Central Europe, England, and America. Through these regional surveys, the volume maps out how traditional methods gave way to contemporary aesthetics during a period of rapid artistic transformation.
The author, Joseph Hudnut, was an influential American architectural scholar, educator, and writer. Born in Michigan, Hudnut pursued extensive academic training and later served as a professor and dean at major institutions, most notably as the first dean of Harvard University's Graduate School of Design. Known for his erudition and sharp critical voice, Hudnut wrote several important books and articles addressing the intersection of art, architecture, and modern culture.
As a mid-career work by a prominent architectural and design theorist, this volume holds significant value for understanding how mid-century scholars conceptualized the shift toward modernism in the visual arts. Collectors of art history, architectural theory, and modern critical texts will find the book compelling due to its author's pivotal role in shaping modern design education and thought in the United States. Its focused thematic structure and historical context make it an engaging representation of early twentieth-century art criticism.
FLASHBACK TO 1929 WHEN THIS BOOK WAS PUBLISHED:
When this book was published in 1929, New York was soaring upward with the construction of the Chrysler Building and the dizzying heights of Wall Street, just before the catastrophic October crash plunged the globe into economic despair. Amidst this era of rising architectural ambition, modernists like the architect and educator Joseph Hudnut were reshaping urban design, while the cinematic world was captivated by the release of the first Academy Awards. Across the Atlantic, the Vatican gained sovereignty through the Lateran Treaty, and physicist Alexander Fleming's earlier discovery of penicillin quietly laid the groundwork for a medical revolution.
Page Count: 90
Location: LIB-085