‘But art has nothing to do with forgery, with lies. The paths of art may be thorny, but they are clean.’ 

Ornament and Crime comprises a selection of essays by celebrated Viennese architect, Adolf Loos, and cover the full range of design - from architecture to jewellery, pottery to plumbing, craft training to printing. A great enthusiast and great hater, Loos and his ideas were absolutely fundamental to 20th century aesthetics, as well as being very enjoyable to read. He extols heroes and denigrates villains, as he makes quite clear- ‘If you want to have a contemporary craft, if you want to have contemporary utility objects, then poison the architects’.   

The Penguin on Design series includes the works of creative thinkers whose writings on art, design and the media have changed our vision forever.