In the Temple of the Self: The Artist's Residence as a Total Work of Art

Astreasuretrovesofcreativity,thehomesofartistsreflecttheintellectualworldsoftheircreators.StartingwiththeVillaStuckinMunich--theaesthetic,conceptualcosmosandlife'sworkofthearistocraticartistFranzvonStuck--thisuniquevolumeintegratestheartist'shouseasacategoryintotheinternationaldiscourseandisthefirsttoassignthesebuildingsthestatusofmajorworks.About20examplesbringtolifethefascinationthattheseartisticfantasiesholdforartlovers,includingbothexistingprojectsandsomewhich,althoughtheyhavebeenlost,wereofuniqueimportanceintheirdayandstillretaintheircharisma.Alongwithpaintings,sculpturesandphotographs,plansandmodelsconveytheinterrelationshipbetweenartandlifeaswellastheharmonyoftheartsexpressedbyRichardWagner'shistoricalconceptofthetotalworkofart.AmongthehousesfeaturedareSirJohnSoane'sMuseum,London;WilliamMorris'sRedHouse,Bexleyheath;LouisComfortTiffany'sTiffanyHouse,NewYorkCity;MortimerMenpes'flat,London;theFernandKhnopffVilla,Brussels;JacquesMajorelle'svillaandgarden,Marrakesh;KurtSchwitters'Merzbau,Hanover;andMaxErnst'shouse,Arizona.