Title: Farbige Raumkunst der Vergagenheit
Author: Adolf Feulner
Publisher: Julius Hoffmann Stuttgart, 1930
Edited by Adolf Feulner, introductory text in German ; 90 pages, 80 full color illustrations
The opulent character of this vintage book has only heightened since its original publication in 1930. Farbige Raumkunst der Vergangenheit translates to Colorful Rooms of the Past, an apt title, considering the wealth of lush illustration on each page. Rather than choosing to represent these sumptuous spaces in black and white photographs, the rooms are depicted through painted illustrations, in a style reminiscent of Impressionism, with a predilection for visible brushstrokes, vibrant color, and the flicker of light of the many luminescent surfaces rendered in the illustration. The decadent rooms chosen for this charming volume were culled from some of the most luxurious urban residences and rural castles in 17th and 18th century Germany, from the peak of the Baroque and Rococo styles. Among the multitude of grand interiors featured are famous landmarks including the Castles Hellbrunn, Wikersheim, and Kirchberg. Each illustration successfully conveys the way in which this historical moment came to be characterized by an extreme affinity for gilding, ornamentation, curvilinear forms, and a precocious display of the decorative arts, and large-scale portraiture, landscape, and history paintings. Each detail of this volume and the rooms that are presented on its handsome pages contributes to its value not only as an inherently beautiful object, but also as a historical resource for students of the period, and for those who wish to incorporate aristocratic sensibilities into their own spaces.
