3 Review(s)

Among the most influential figures of the Gothic Revival in nineteenth-century Britain, Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin (1812-52) distinguished himself as an architect, author and interior designer. His illustrated lectures on ecclesiastical design were first published in 1841 and are reissued here with An Apology for the Revival of Christian Architecture in England (1843). Reflecting the influence of the author's conversion to Catholicism, the works discuss a range of architectural features, their functions and where they should be implemented. Pugin also outlines, with some amusement, the dangers of executing designs that do not follow his principles. The highly detailed illustrations are drawn with an architect's precision, showing both realised and unrealised designs. Contrasts (revised second edition, 1841), Pugin's most famous work, is also reissued in this series. Together, these publications remain essential reading for those seeking to understand the growth of the Gothic Revival.