Essential Modernism

“Chapters devoted to furniture, lighting, ceramics and glass, industrial and product design, and graphics and posters present sumptuous illustrations and brief introductions to the achievements of many. . . . This is eye candy for the design buff, ideal for browsing on a cold winter’s day.”—Ann Landi, Wall Street Journal

“[An] ambitious survey . . . which wraps up the varying strands of early modernism in a neat—and weighty (480 pages)—package that includes furniture, lighting, ceramics and glass, industrial and product design, graphics and posters, as well as a generous selection of attractively photographed houses and interiors.”—Judith Gura, Modern Magazine

“The 1920s, ‘30s, and early ‘40s was that essential period where disparate Modern art, architecture, and design movements intermixed, producing countless canonical works and enduring legacies. This massive survey drinks from that fire-hose of early 20th century history, highlighting countless examples of Modern furniture, lighting, ceramics/glass, industrial design, and graphic design, with a healthy dose of architecture (primarily houses) thrown into the mix.”—Metropolis Magazine


“Bradbury has pulled together the diverse strains of modernism in a readable and visually attractive package covering the most influential designers and their iconic works. A useful addition to every design historian’s bookshelf.”—Judith Gura, author of Postmodern Design Complete

“Bradbury’s book is a concise yet detailed survey of classic 20th-century design under both Modern and Modernistic umbrellas. It provides both information and inspiration about the incredible work that was produced during this critical time.” —Steven Heller, co-author of The Moderns: Midcentury Modern Graphic Design