{"product_id":"broken-glass-mies-van-der-rohe-edith-farnsworth-and-the-fight-over-a-modernist-masterpiece-paperback","title":"Broken Glass: Mies Van Der Rohe, Edith Farnsworth, and the Fight Over a Modernist Masterpiece - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eAlex Beam\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe true story of the intimate relationship that gave birth to the Farnsworth House, a masterpiece of twentieth-century architecture--and disintegrated into a bitter feud over love, money, gender, and the very nature of art.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"An intimate portrait . . . alive with architectural intrigue.\"--\u003ci\u003eArchitect Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e In 1945, Edith Farnsworth asked the German architect Mies van der Rohe, already renowned for his avant-garde buildings, to design a weekend home for her outside of Chicago. Edith was a woman ahead of her time--unmarried, she was a distinguished medical researcher, as well as an accomplished violinist, translator, and poet. The two quickly began spending weekends together, talking philosophy, Catholic mysticism, and, of course, architecture over wine-soaked picnic lunches. Their personal and professional collaboration would produce the Farnsworth House, one of the most important works of architecture of all time, a blindingly original structure made up almost entirely of glass and steel. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eBut the minimalist marvel, built in 1951, was plagued by cost overruns and a sudden chilling of the two friends' mutual affection. Though the building became world famous, Edith found it impossible to live in, because of its constant leaks, flooding, and complete lack of privacy. Alienated and aggrieved, she lent her name to a public campaign against Mies, cheered on by Frank Lloyd Wright. Mies, in turn, sued her for unpaid monies. The ensuing lengthy trial heard evidence of purported incompetence by an acclaimed architect, and allegations of psychological cruelty and emotional trauma. A commercial dispute litigated in a rural Illinois courthouse became a trial of modernist art and architecture itself. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eInterweaving personal drama and cultural history, Alex Beam presents a stylish, enthralling narrative tapestry, illuminating the fascinating history behind one of the twentieth century's most beautiful and significant architectural projects.\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlex Beam\u003c\/b\u003e has written four nonfiction books, two of them \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e Notable Books. \u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e named his most recent work, \u003ci\u003eThe Feud: Vladimir Nabokov, Edmund Wilson and the End of a Beautiful Friendship\u003c\/i\u003e, one of the best books of the year.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 368\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1 x 7.9 x 5.1 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e March 30, 2021\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Books by splitShops","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51767999922464,"sku":"9780399592737","price":18.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0974\/9764\/5344\/files\/e723364505f1cbcb9a3c5b931b10a41e.webp?v=1780322407","url":"https:\/\/ebocreations.com\/products\/broken-glass-mies-van-der-rohe-edith-farnsworth-and-the-fight-over-a-modernist-masterpiece-paperback","provider":"The E-Book Oasis LLC","version":"1.0","type":"link"}