This book traces the evolution of aesthetics and design - ranging from unique to collective objects, i.e., from the "oeuvre" to the "product" - over the last century and a half. The central topics discussed by the author include: the aestheticization of merchandise; design's relationship with art, crafts , and technique; the advent of industrial aesthetics. He also introduces the reader to the main theories in the field of design aesthetics, from Baudelaire's and Marx's early reflections in the 19th century to contemporary and post-modern outlooks championed by Baudrillard and Flusser.

Andrea Mecacci teaches Aesthetics in the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Florence.