DOMTILLA DARDI & VANNI PASCA
LIBRO
Design History Handbook is a useful introduction to the history of product design, tracing its development from the Industrial Revolution to the present.
The writing is clear and to the point, focusing on the key ideas behind historical periods and artistic movements while placing them in context with the evolution of product design. More concise than other reference texts, this book balances brevity with clarity, supported by well-chosen illustrations. It offers a solid overview of the discipline, which readers can explore further through more in-depth titles.
Written by Domitilla Dardi, a leading voice among Italy’s design historians and curators, the book touches on a wide range of subjects: Wedgwood ceramics, Thonet chairs, Gerrit Rietveld, the Bauhaus, postwar Italian design, Memphis and more. It covers the key figures, movements, and objects that anyone interested in design should know.
Why The Book is Interesting
This design history manual stands out for the way it connects the evolution of design with shifts in technology and society, offering a broad yet cohesive view of the field. Rather than focusing only on objects or styles, it draws lines between disciplines such as furniture, graphics, fashion, automotive and social design, showing how they respond to and shape their cultural contexts.
The book can be approached in different ways. Readers may follow it chronologically, through the development of movements and schools, or explore it thematically by tracing recurring ideas and forms across time. This flexible structure makes it accessible to those new to the subject while still offering clarity and depth for more experienced readers.
Its visual component is another strength. More than 300 illustrations, each accompanied by concise and informative captions, support the text without overwhelming it. The result is a book that is both readable and substantial, combining clarity with a wide-ranging perspective.
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Details
Silvana Editoriale
The Book is available on Amazon.com >
Hardcover, 296 pages
