‘[The Art of the Book] reveals how, over 75 years, Thames & Hudson has changed the way we think about culture … utterly absorbing and uplifting … We need publishers like Thames & Hudson now, just as we did at the end of the second world war, to help us experience the best that humanity can achieve’ Observer A celebration of 75 years of publishing at Thames & Hudson – a delight for bibliophiles, historians, art lovers and fans of the T&H brand. In 1949 Walter and Eva Neurath founded Thames & Hudson with a clear aim: to create a 'museum without walls' through books that would make art and scholarship accessible to all. This volume – the most comprehensive history of an illustrated publisher ever undertaken – tells through its books the history of a progressive, groundbreaking company that, 75 years later, remains true to those core founding ideals. The story of Thames & Hudson is the story of the illustrated book. This special publication, divided into three chronological chapters, provides a comprehensive delve into the company's history. An introduction and three essays by historian Anna Nyburg take us from its origins in Vienna on the cusp of the Second World War to the 1960s and a change in management, and to the new millennium and beyond. Thames & Hudson's rich output of groundbreaking and award-winning titles – ranging across the subjects of art, archaeology and architecture; history, design, photography and fashion – is celebrated in stunning pictorial spreads, as beautiful and compelling as the books themselves. The Art of the Book will be a valuable resource for those interested in the history of bookmaking and T&H's impact over the years, and a must-have for collectors, enthusiasts and anyone with an appreciation for the art and evolution of publishing.
