Since the collapse of the Iron Curtain in 1989, Prague has become one of
Europe's--and the world's--most popular tourist destinations. As in
London, Paris, and Rome, visitors flock to the gorgeous buildings and
monuments that grace the streets of Prague, entranced by structures
ranging from Gothic and baroque to cubist and neoclassical. And while
hundreds of thousands stroll over Charles Bridge and gaze up at St.
Vitus Cathedral each year, far fewer venture away from the crowds to
seek out the countless gems of art nouveau peppered throughout Prague.
With Art Nouveau Prague, Petr Wittlich--one of Europe's leading
experts on nineteenth- and twentieth-century architecture--tours those
monuments and buildings of Prague that are most representative of the
art nouveau movement while offering insightful commentary on each. Along
the way, Wittlich visits such sites as the Municipal House, the Wilson
Railway Station, the Grand Hotel Europa, and works by sculptors
Frantisek Bílek, Ladislav Saloun, and Stanislav Sucharda.
An introductory essay by Wittlich emphasizing the role of art nouveau
within contemporary currents of modern European art accompanies more
than one hundred color illustrations of some of the most stunning
examples of art nouveau architecture and decoration in existence, and a
detailed bibliography provides additional reading for each of the sites
displayed in the book. Art Nouveau Prague is a must-have for those
traveling to Prague for the first time or for anyone who appreciates or
wants to learn more about art nouveau style.
