Now I Lay Me Down to Eat: Notes and Footnotes on the Lost Art of Living

Now I Lay Me Down to Eat: Notes and Footnotes on the Lost Art of Living, 1980. Scarce. A deep dive into the fascinating ways different cultures have furnished and lived in spaces over the past several thousand years, by sociologist and design theorist Bernard Rudofsky. Originally written as a series of articles for the Italian magazine Domus in the 1930s – updated by Rudofsky and expanded upon in this exhibition catalog for his show of the same name at the Cooper Hewitt in 1980, and still fresh today. Great examples of quirky pieces of furniture throughout history, including an 18th century medical dragon-shaped rocking chair, Mughal satires of how European women ate, communal dining set ups from Pompeii and the monasteries of Mount Athos, the Sultan's swimming pool at Topkapi Palace, many examples of glamorous toilets and commodes, a space-saving piano that unfolded into a bed, and more.

Good condition – some yellowing and wear to cover and pages, two creases to upper right hand corner of cover. Former owner stamp and inscription on endpaper. See images for reference, and feel free to email with any further questions.