In addition to suggesting a new insight into Loos' s conception of modernity, this thesis will begin to examine the ways in which Loos's works have been studied and presented by scholars. What are the repercussions of looking at Loos' s discussion of ornament or his design for the Chicago Tribune Tower when removed from the context of his other writings, his architectural designs, and the cultural context in which they were created? Since the initial publication of "Ornament and Crime" in 1908, Loos's essay has been presented as lectures, republished in numerous periodicals and books, and adopted as part of the twentieth-century's canon of architectural literature.
However, by isolating Loos's writing from its larger context and conveniently omitting particular buildings from the discussion ofLoos's works, historians and architects have artfully constructed an inaccurate representation of his role in the development of Modem architecture and Viennese culture.