Jugend Munchner Illustrierte Wochenschrift Fur Kunst Und Leben; Vols. 1 - 2, Nos. 1 - 52

Munich & Leipzig: G. Hirth's Kunstverlag, 1897. First edition. Hardcover. Orig. gray pictorial cloth covers Very good. 2 Vols. 872 pages. 30 x 23 cm. Jugend  (German:  "Youth") (1896–1940) was an influential German arts magazine. Founded in Munich by Georg Hirth the weekly was originally intended to showcase German Arts and Crafts, but became famous for showcasing the German version of Art Nouveau.  It was famous for its shockingly brilliant covers and for its avant-garde influence on German arts and culture, ultimately launching the eponymous Jugendstil  ("Youth Style") movement in Munich. In addition to modern illustrations and the ornamentation of Art Nouveau, Jugend featured impressionist and expressionist art, as well. Covers are color lithographs, a cornucopia of interior designs with a host of black and white and color lithographs within the text. Index in Vol. II. Small stamps of H. Leitner, Hamburg front free endpapers and title page. Also, miniscule H. Leitner stamps at lower front covers, practically indiscernible. slight crincle at backstrip heads.