Nineteenth-Century Interiors

This volume of primary source materials documents the nature of the home and the theories and discussions around the concept. It examines the class divisions that become evident with the ostentatious lifestyles of political and society hostesses at the peak, whilst middle-class housing often in suburbia, seemed to have created a separation of home and work, arguably suggesting men and women lived in separate spheres. Working-class interiors, often seen the eyes of middle-class observers, were at the bottom of the hierarchy and often reflected concerns of social inequality and misery. The documents also address the process of purchasing and decorating a home, advice on decoration and home management, the nature of taste and comfort, and the symbolic roles of the home as an anchor in society. Accompanied by extensive editorial commentary, this collection will be of great interest to students and scholars of art history.

Clive Edwards is Professor Emeritus of Design History at Loughborough University.