Century Guild
Jugendstil 1896: German Art Nouveau Illustrations features a selection of artworks from the first year of the magazine Jugend - the namesake of the jugendstil movement. Over two hundred rare and fantastic illustrations, as well as German Art Nouveau vignettes and framing elements, are included in this limited edition three volume book set. These works are often mystical in nature, sometimes whimsical, other times eccentric– but always beautiful and fascinating.
To ensure maximum clarity and detail, all of the images in these books are captured directly from original books and magazines in the Century Guild collection using high-resolution photography and professional grade scans.The illustrations are supported with narrative about the period, as well as information about the artists and images; in many cases, we've been able to thoroughly research and identify artists often not attributed and identify historical background that had been previously unpublished.
Included in this set:
- Jugendstil 1896: German Art Nouveau Illustrations Volume 1
- Jugendstil 1896: German Art Nouveau Illustrations Volume 2
- Jugendstil 1896: German Art Nouveau Illustrations Volume 3
Presented in a custom, full-color hard sided slipcase, each book measures 6" x 9" softcover, 80 pp full color throughout.
About Jugendstil
Jugendstil (pronounced "YOU-gihnd-steal") is the term that was used in Germany at the end of the 19th century to describe the innovative and exciting design style known in France and America as Art Nouveau.
Jugendstil, or, "youth-style," was coined from the title of a popular magazine in Germany, Jugend, which published works from young artists who combined nature and fantasy, breaking tradition to create one of the most beautiful and lasting illustration styles of any century.
Each country had their own subtle variation on the Art Nouveau style, and the German version married mythologically-themed folk art and frenzied whiplashes of linework to make a previously unseen approach that is best described as psychedelic.
In late 19th century Germany, the cultural relationship to Nature was deeply connected to folklore and mythology, to magic and to imagination, its tendrils reaching more deeply into the earth than many other styles of Art Nouveau. To the untrained eye, these works might appear to simply be Art Nouveau, but through this series you'll understand how unique and powerful the artists were who worked in the jugendstil movement.
About Professor Anton Seder
From 1895-1899, Professor Anton Seder painstakingly labored to create a series of groundbreaking artworks depicting all manner of creatures magical and mundane. Professor Anton Seder was an educator and Director of the Kunstgewerbeschule (Arts and Crafts School) in Strasbourg, France from 1889 to 1915. During his tenure, he created a series of artworks exploring creatures from the realm of imagination, and creatures from our own world, all viewed through a unique and fantastic lens wherein the details of historical classical illustration converged beautifully with the aesthetics of Art Nouveau.
Over the last century, Professor Seder's mindblowing endeavors in imaginative illustration have become legendary among artists, and celebrated as some of the greatest artworks of any era by aficionados of Art Nouveau rarities. After more than a century, his body of work exploring "The Animal in Decorative Art" is finally being collected in a magnificent format, featuring high-quality photographs and scans taken from the large collection of artworks by Anton Seder held by the Century Guild Museum of Art.
An Exhibition in Your Hands
All the images in this book are taken directly from the rare, original period artworks in the Century Guild collection, and are printed at the absolute highest resolution possible. We take extensive care in our image processing and color correction to ensure that the artworks are presented with accuracy and detail.
While many books rely heavily on the imaging practices of third parties, images featured in Century Guild books are faithfully captured directly from the original source materials.
Each of our books are a unique journey through over two decades of mindful collecting, curation, and original research, making these volumes true permanent exhibitions.
Product information
No cost is spared in producing our books with exceptional quality. Century Guild's painstaking material selection process pushes the limits of today's printing standards, often involving custom-dyed cover stocks, spot varnishing, and presentations inspired by luxurious antique books.
We use sturdy, reinforced packaging to protect your item(s) in transit. Every order is carefully inspected and packed personally by our team to ensure quality and guarantee the safe arrival of your books, artworks, and other items.
AVAILABLE IN TWO BEAUTIFUL EDITIONS
- Limited edition hardcover
- Large-format 9 in. x 12 in. book
- Foil stamping and spot varnish
- 128 pp, full color throughout
- All high-resolution, original source images
- Edition of 3000
- Limited edition hardcover
- Presented in cloth-wrapped, foil stamped slipcase
- Each book hand signed on tipped-in vellum sheet
- AP edition
- High-quality midnight-black fabric slipcase debossed in red with Bernhard Pankok's 1896 Sphinx Moth illustration
The greatest fantasy illustrator you've never heard of
Rare artworks you won't find online
While the internet is a magnificent repository of data, at Century Guild we still love curling up with books! And many–if not most–of the images presented here are not available on the internet at all. Each image was captured from the original artwork, professionally photographed and meticulously color corrected, and printed for you to enjoy at the highest resolution possible.
