Casa Frumoasa  
  The House Beautiful in Rural Romania  
     
  Jan Harold Brunvand, with a preface by Paul Petrescu  
  Columbia University Press - East European Monographs #630  
  Cloth, 160 pages, 127 illus., $47.50  
  ISBN 0-88033-528-9  
   
     
  Anyone who has traveled in Romania or has an interest in the country has admired the striking tradition of exterior house decoration. This book surveys and illustrates the historical forms of Romanian house decoration, elements of innovation in the tradition (in design, materials, methods, etc.) and examines the aesthetics of the designs as well as their metaphorical and symbolic functions.

The fieldwork from which the bulk of this book derives was done in a period (1970 - 1981) that represents a watershed point between ancient styles of house decoration and the changing tastes and materials of the modern world. It was during this time that the Communist regime was breaking down and a new order was about to arise. House decoration at that time was a vivid vernacular expression both of the peoples' frustrations and of their unflagging optimism and creativity. The illustrations are beautiful, comprehensive and unique; the bibliography is extensive, with English explanations of all foreign titles.

To order a review copy please fax a request on the letterhead of your periodical to the Publicity Department of Columbia Univesity Press, 212-459-3677.

[ This description and information is quoted from from the CUP website: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/cup/index.html ]		  
     
  Color versions of the black & white pictures in the book are available: Click thumbnails below to see the larger images. The numbers under the thumbnails are the numbers of the black & white pictures in the book. The numbers are not continuous, because we do not have all the pictures in color.  
           
  Book Cover   Photo 001   Photo 004   Photo 008   Photo 010  
                     
           
  Photo 011   Photo 012   Photo 013   Photo 014   Photo 017  
                     
           
  Photo 018   Photo 019   Photo 020   Photo 021   Photo 023  
                     
           
  Photo 024   Photo 028   Photo 029   Photo 030   Photo 032  
                     
           
  Photo 033   Photo 034   Photo 035   Photo 036   Photo 038  
                     
           
  Photo 040   Photo 041   Photo 045   Photo 046   Photo 052  
                     
           
  Photo 054   Photo 056   Photo 063   Photo 066   Photo 067  
                     
           
  Photo 070   Photo 071   Photo 072   Photo 074   Photo 075  
                     
           
  Photo 076   Photo 078   Photo 079   Photo 081   Photo 082  
                     
           
  Photo 084   Photo 085   Photo 086   Photo 087   Photo 091  
                     
           
  Photo 092   Photo 093   Photo 095   Photo 096   Photo 097  
                     
           
  Photo 099   Photo 101   Photo 107   Photo 111   Photo 112  
                     
  Unpublished photographs of Dr. Brunvand in Romania during the fieldwork are also available: Click thumbnails below to see the larger images.  
     
           
 

Professor Brunvand
(Not in the Book)

   Professor Brunvand
(Not in the Book)		   Professor Brunvand
(Not in the Book)		   Professor Brunvand
(Not in the Book)		   Professor Brunvand
(Not in the Book)		  
     
                     
  Dr. Brunvand's books are available at the major book stores worldwide near you, plus some large online stores including the following sites:  
  www.amazon.com   www.amazon.co.uk  
  www.barnesandnoble.com   www.wwnorton