The Elements of Design: A Practical Encyclopedia of the Decorative Arts from the Renaissance to the Present

In the bestselling tradition of The Elements of Style, The Elements of Design is a comprehensive visual survey of the design styles that have had the greatest impact on the decorative arts in the Western world. With more than 3,000 prints, photographs, and line drawings, the book covers five centuries of the Western decorative arts tradition, including Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, Regency, Gothic, Art Nouveau, Art Deco, Modernism, and the Space Age.

The key elements of the Western decorative arts tradition are explored chronologically. Each chapter begins with a broad introduction to the era, summarizing its key style features. Within the chapter there follows close examination of individual objects, including ceramics, glass, silver and metalwork, furniture, and textiles. All the items illustrated form a visual vocabulary of each design movement. The book also includes biographies of innovative designers, information on conservation and maintenance, and a comprehensive glossary of design terms.

Compiled by a team of experts under the guidance of design specialists Noël Riley and Patricia Bayer, The Elements of Design is an indispensable reference work for collectors, design historians, interior decorators, set designers, and all those interested in our decorative arts heritage.