Architectural Ornament: Banishment & Return

 W. W. Norton & Company, 2000, softcover, illustrated, index, 304 pages, condition: very good.

Architectural Ornament reveals the fascinating interplay of art, society, politics, and commerce from antiquity through modernism and explains ornament's near demise and recent revival. It is a stunningly documented argument against artistic chauvinism and a lively survey of modern architecture. In over 250 illustrations, Brolin shows the breadth of ornamental expression through the centuries and proposes an approach to ornament that allows new and old buildings to coexist in harmony. Over 250 illustrations.

If, like myself, you've ever wondered about the real story behind modernism's half-hearted attempt to banish ornament, this is your book. I like to compare my joy in discovering this book to my joy in discovering a chapter in a book on the history of yodeling that was dedicated to explaining what led Jimmie Rodgers to introduce yodeling to country records.