Originally published in 1990, acknowledges the social as well as the artistic significance of the Glasgow Art Nouveau movement by examining the history of it from its inception through to its demise. By considering the contributions of social theorists like Peter Bürger, Theodor Adorno, and Walter Benjamin, the author illustrates how Art nouveau can be located within an avant-garde. The book also reveals to what extent the contract which the Glasgow group had with the Secessionists in Vienna was significant for the development of their work.