The Century of Modern Design: Selections from the Liliane and David M. Stewart Collection - Tapa dura

One of the worlds most important collections of twentiethcentury designThe Stewart Collection in Montrealcelebrates its thirtieth anniversary in 2010. The Stewart Collection incorporates iconic furniture, ceramics, textiles, posters, graphic art, jewelry, and everyday objects from the 1930s to today. This book presents items chronologically, highlighting contrasts and parallels between works including posters by Max Bill, an armchair by Frank Lloyd Wright, and a drawing for the Bakelite Corporation by Rolf Scarlett. Striking contrasts abound in the juxtaposition of such diverse works as silverware by Puiforcat, glassware by Alvar Aalto, ceramics by Russel Wright, textiles by Marianne Straub, and a lamp by Karl Trabert. Each decade of the twentieth century is introduced by an essay giving the context that shaped the works, providing a history of modern design. Great designers, including lesser-known but highly influential figures, are presented alongside their signature creations that retain a prominent place in the design world today.

David A. Hanks is the curator of the Stewart Program for Modern Design at the Montreal Museum, and author of Design for Living.