Movements of Modernity

The artistic significance of the Glasgow Art Nouveau movement has long been recognized but its social significance is only just beginning to be acknowledged. This accomplished work examines the history of the Glasgow movement from its inception through to its demise. However, the book is more than an exercise in historiography. By considering the contributions of social theorists like Peter Burger, Theodor Adorno and Walter Benjamin, the author illustrates how Art Nouveau can be located within an avant garde. The book also reveals to what extent the contact which the Glasgow group had with the Secessionists in Vienna was significant for the development of their work. The result is a theory of art nouveau which departs in significant respects from the established views put forward by commentators like Thomas Howart and Robert MacLeod.