The Appian Way

Adolphe Appia: a prominent figure in the history of modern theater, lesser known as an early influencer of early modernity in 20th-century architecture and aesthetics

Adolphe Appia (18621928) is a prominent figure in the history of modern theater, best known for his writings on the mise-en-scène and stage design for the operas of Richard Wagner. Far less is known about the Swiss scenographer's importance in twentieth-century architecture and aesthetics. The Appian Way is the definitive account of Appia's significance in this field. It is centered on his remarkable drawings that are at once austere and atmospheric: framing a series of scenes capturing stairs, landings, platforms, and terraces, all staged before a distant horizon under a luminous sky, the drawings are generally monochrome, but the subtle hues of the paper imbue each with a distinctive, ambient undertone. Appia himself might be thought about in the same way; he was distant yet also enigmatically present in the ensuing drama of modern architecture and stage design.

Comprised of four main chapters and a coda, this engaging and accessible book is structured as a dramatic story that traces the contours of Appia's lifehis personal circumstances, convictions, aesthetic preferences, desires, and motivationsall aimed at constructing a comprehensive portrayal of his life and his work, within the horizons of his time. Appia's drawings are reproduced here in full color, accompanied by a vast range of archival material, much of which has never been published before.

• First comprehensive critical biography of modern Swiss scenographer Adolphe Appia (18621928) with a focus on his relevance to architecture
• Articulates the understated role of scenography in the development of modern European architecture and aesthetics

• First book to feature all of Adolphe Appia's outstanding drawings in large scale and in full colour

  Autorentext

  Ross Anderson lehrt als Associate Professor für Entwerfen und die Geschichte und Theorie der Architektur an der School of Architecture, Planning and Design der University of Sidney.

  Klappentext

  Adolphe Appia (1862-1928) is a prominent figure in the history of modern theater, best known for his writings on the mise-en-scène and stage design for the operas of Richard Wagner. Far less is known about the Swiss scenographer's importance in twentieth-century architecture and aesthetics. The Appian Way is the definitive account of Appia's significance in this field. It is centered on his remarkable drawings that are at once austere and atmospheric: framing a series of scenes capturing stairs, landings, platforms, and terraces, all staged before a distant horizon under a luminous sky, the drawings are generally monochrome, but the subtle hues of the paper imbue each with a distinctive, ambient undertone. Appia himself might be thought about in the same way; he was distant yet also enigmatically present in the ensuing drama of modern architecture and stage design.

  Comprised of four main chapters and a coda, this engaging and accessible book is structured as a dramatic story that traces the contours of Appia's life-his personal circumstances, convictions, aesthetic preferences, desires, and motivations-all aimed at constructing a comprehensive portrayal of his life and his work, within the horizons of his time. Appia's drawings are reproduced here in full color, accompanied by a vast range of archival material, much of which has never been published before.