As the full title suggests "Modernismus: an attack on some of the more extreme tendencies of modern art" is an all out defence of tradition and a fierce attack of modernism, in art (including painting sculpture and architecture).

The author, Sir Reginald Blomfield, ex-president ot the Royal Institute of British Architects, disparaged the modern movement. However a review of the book by The Spectator of April 1934 considered his writing to be the "sort of thing... more suited to the pages of a school magazine", and his arguments illogical, not critical, and using "unsupportable assertions". The review further stated that "it is impossible to discover from this book what modernism is : the only conclusion one can draw is that it is anything approximately contemporary of which Sir Reginald Blomfield disapproves."

Blomfield however, used Modernismus as a derogatory term, defining it rather loosely as: "ismus is a Ger- man suffix : German is not English ; therefore, it is im- measurably inferior." Interestingly, Blomfield approved of St Saviour's church (Eltham, UK, 1933) designed by modernist church designer N.F. Cachemaille-Day (1896-1976). Having notable projecting brick fins it was said to have been inspired by the 12 century St. Cecile Cathedral of Albi in France and thus appealed to Sir Reginald.

While The Spectator concludes that "there is little "meat" in this book for any serious student of modernism", the book remains a marker of how modernism was received by an eminent representative of the architectural establishment - who had already lost credibility as the guardian of traditional architecture, causing an outcry when in Dec 1932 he proposed the demolition and redevelopment of John Nash's Roman classical-styled Carlton House Terrace (1827-63).