Architectural Ornament reveals the fascinating interplay of art, society, politics, and commerce from antiquity through modernism and explains ornament's near demise and recent revival. It is a stunningly documented argument against artistic chauvinism and a lively survey of modern architecture. In over 250 illustrations, Brolin shows the breadth of ornamental expression through the centuries and proposes an approach to ornament that allows new and old buildings to coexist in harmony.