Journal of Art Historiography (Jun 2016)
Hans Sedlmayr, The Architecture of Borromini, Munich: Piper 1930, introduced, edited and translated by Karl Johns
Abstract
Hans Sedlmayr published two editions of Die Architektur Borrominis in 1930 and 1939 with the second edition reprinted 1973 and 1986. We have followed the first edition but included the preface and essay written for the second edition (in 1939 replacing the original introduction) as an appendix at the end. In what was somewhat unusual for him, he invested his theoretical ideas with the substance of example in what turned out to certainly be quite a multi-facetted career. His most well meaning critics called for him to provide more concrete examples, and among other things, this book stands out for that reason. Among the art historians in the University of Vienna at that time monographic studies were also out of the ordinary.
