Latvian book of the late XIX - early XX centuries as a phenomenon of artistic culture

Frolov Dmitrij Aleksandrovich

The article examines the process of formation of book culture in Latvia from the second half of the XIX century to the First world war. It was the beginning of the twentieth century that marked the birth of the book culture in Latvia, thanks to the fact that the art Nouveau style gave a powerful impetus to the evolution of book art. The book is considered here as a phenomenon of artistic culture, an achievement of design art. Describing the books of Latvian and German book publishers, we highlight the trends characteristic of their design.

Keywords:book culture, book publishing in Latvia, art Nouveau, social and historical process, book design, book graphics in Latvia.