Casa Frumoasa

Casa Frumoasa Synopsis

Anyone who has travelled in Romania or has an interest in the country may have 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, material, methods and so on), and examines the aesthetics of the designs as well as their metaphorical and symbolic their functions.;The fieldwork from which the bulk of this book derives was done in a period 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 people's frustrations and of their unflagging optimism and creativity.