Off the Wall Wonderful Wall Coverings of the Twentieth Century

by Bosker, Gideon; Whiteford, Sara Corpening

• ISBN13: 9780811835732
• ISBN10: 0811835731
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-12-01
• Publisher: Chronicle Books

Summary

Hypnotic flowering vines, black-and-white Op Art odysseys, and seas of patriotic warships are just some of the beautiful, strange, and fantastic patterns that have adorned the walls of homes the world over. In the tradition of best-seller Fabulous Fabrics of the 50s, this home decor reference book entertains while it inspires with flawless reproductions of 150 classic and unique wallpapers; many of which are drawn from the collections of the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, Smithsonian Institution. Covering every decade of the century, Off the Wall celebrates robust pattern and detail in all their manifestations. Lively text and captions help to capture the designers, trends, and world events relevant to each piece, and the broader evolution of the genre, from a 1948 mural of rural America, replete with plump livestock and ripening fields, to the boldly colored abstractions produced in the 1950s by Herman Miller for MOMA. A useful resource for collectors, designers, decorators, and artists, Off the Wall is a colorful and captivating tribute to a widely appreciated medium.

Author Biography

Lena Lencek is a professor of Russian Literature and Humanities at Reed College.

Table of Contents

Paper Dreams: History, Design, and Use of Wallpapers	p. 9
Grand Floral Parade: Blooms, Foliage, Garlands, Swags	p. 19
Circles and Squares: Geometrics, Abstracts, Op Art, Minimalist Art	p. 33
On the Go: By Land, Sea, Air and...Into the Wild Blue Yonder	p. 41
The Sporting Life: Athletics from A to Z, and the Country Life of Yesteryear	p. 49
Tall Tales: Narrative Wallpapers	p. 57
Noah's Ark: Animals, Civil and Savage	p. 69
A Yen to Travel: Exotica, People, Places, and Things	p. 79
The Great Outdoors: Beach, Mountain, Forest, Glade, Glen, Desert, Waterfall, Metropolis	p. 89
High Art: From Bauhaus to Pop, with Stops Along the Way	p. 99
Bringing Up Baby: Mother Goose and Other Kid Stuff	p. 109
Bibliography	p. 118
Index	p. 119
Table of Contents provided by Blackwell. All Rights Reserved.