ALEXANDER KOCH (1860-1939)

ALEXANDER KOCH (1860-1939)
EXPOSITION DE TURIN 1902
L'exposition Internationale des arts decoratifs modernes a Turin 1902. Darmstadt: Alexander Koch, 1902. 4to, pp.[8],340, [1], publisher's adverts., French text, text by George Fuchs and F.H. Newbery, illustrated throughout, 4 coloured plates, 2 tinted, Jessie M. King decorative title for Scottish section, on different paper, the "Papier de garde" (end papers) supplement are used as end papers, original Art Nouveau designed vellum gilt
30cm x 22.6cm
Note: Extremely rare in this fine condition, this book was published in connection with the first international exhibition of modern decorative art, Turin 1902, which included architecture, interior design, painting, ceramics, metal works, book illustrations, typefaces, glass, etc. Participants included Holland, Scotland (the book includes an extensive article on Charles Rennie Mackintosh and the Glasgow School), Germany, Austria, Hungary, Italy, Belgium, France, USA, Denmark, Sweden, England, and Japan. A special emphasis on the German contribution, with designs and typographical arrangement by Peter Behrens is also included. The Turin Exposition of 1902 was the first to celebrate the emergence of the Art Nouveau style in Italy and is considered the first international exhibit of modern decorative art. Turin was a centre of liberal ideas and creativity and thus a receptive environment for Imported modernism with work exhibited by Behrens, Mackintosh, Olbrich, et al. Italian artisan workshops and individual craftsmen such as Carlo Bugatti were also featured. The exposition was concerned also with the renewal of Italian architecture. A bold, exuberant, stylistically appropriate setting was created by Raimondo D'Aronico, at that time the chief architect to the Sultan in Constantinople. His work for the exposition was influenced by a visit to the Darmstadt Artist's Colony designed by Joseph Olbrich. His entrances, pavilions and exhibition and administrative buildings are illustrated in the first section of the present book, which deals with architecture.