This was extremely lovely, even in digital form.

I will admit up-front that I am not exactly known for my vast repertoire of artistic knowledge. However, if you live with one long enough, you pick up some stuff by osmosis, and the Art Nouveau movement has always interested me stylistically. Or, to boil it down to the basics I probably ought to be using when discussing art, I think it's pretty. :)

I'm not quite sure I would consider this the essential reference. It might perhaps work as such for those that are more familiar with the artists included, but I was a bit disappointed with the lack of biographical info on the art and the artists themselves that had been promised. The little blurbs at the end were nowhere near enough information to do anything other than perhaps remind someone who already knew who the person was.

I can't speak as to the completeness of the art and artists included except to say that there were quite a few I had certainly never seen before and I was impressed with the breadth of the movement. I liked that it was separated by country of origin, and the fact that not simply paintings but jewelry and even wallpaper. It certainly gave the reader a taste of the period, which I thought was fun and useful.

This book was provided to me for free via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.