Author Description

Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin (1812-1852) was one of the most influential architects and designers of the nineteenth century. This catalogue and the exhibition it accompanies establish Pugin as a figure of worldwide significance. He is little known in the United States, but his ideas and the styles he created are the basis for the Gothic Revival in America. This most characteristic and dynamic style to emerge in the nineteenth century became synonymous with the period as a whole. The objects in the exhibition reflect Pugin's pioneering diversity as a product designer and the modernity of his design principles. Ten essays and their illustrations have been prepared by scholars of international stature. They show the development of pre-Pugiman Gothic, underline the revolutionary nature of Pugin's role in the history of architecture and design, and reflect his status now as an international figure. A. W. N. Pugin: Master of Gothic Revival was held at The Bard Graduate Center for Studies in the Decorative Arts, New York, from November 9, 1995 to February 25, 1996.