Overview

The 19th century in Western culture was a time of both confidence and turbulence. Industrial development produced a growing middle class as well as efficiency, convenience, and innovation across a range of fields from engineering to architecture. Alongside these improvements, the century began with the extended period of the Napoleonic Wars and was further disrupted by rebellions and revolutions both within Europe and in India, South America and other parts of the world. Slavery was abolished and urbanization increased dramatically. These myriad developments were reflected throughout the period in the proliferation of types of furniture, along with their categorization as 'industrial art' at the international exhibitions and world fairs and the increasingly adventurous range of materials that were sometimes used in their construction. Nonetheless, a strong antiquarian/historicist strand also prompted interest in the revival of past styles in areas of art and design, including furniture. Drawing upon a wealth of visual and textual sources, this volume of A Cultural History of Furniture presents essays that examine key characteristics of the furniture of the period on the themes of design and motifs; makers, making, and materials; types and uses; the domestic setting; the public setting; exhibition and display; furniture and architecture; visual representations; and verbal representations.

Full Product Details

Author:   Dr Catherine L. Futter (Brooklyn Museum, New York City, USA) ,  Christina M. Anderson (SELCS-CMII, University College London, UK)
Publisher:   Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Imprint:   Bloomsbury Academic
Dimensions:   Width: 16.60cm , Height: 2.00cm , Length: 24.20cm
Weight:   0.680kg
ISBN:  

9781350595729

ISBN 10:   1350595721
Pages:   336
Publication Date:   08 January 2026
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Tertiary & Higher Education
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   To order  
Stock availability from the supplier is unknown. We will order it for you and ship this item to you once it is received by us.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations Notes on Contributors Series Preface Introduction, Catherine L. Futter, Brooklyn Museum, USA and Christina M. Anderson, University College London, UK 1. Design and Motifs, M. B. Aldrich, Independent Scholar, UK 2. Makers, Making, and Materials, Christina M. Anderson, University College London, UK 3. Types and Uses, Camille Mestdagh, Independent Scholar, France 4. The Domestic Setting: Self, Stories, and Furniture in the Nineteenth-Century, Amy G. Richter, Clark University, USA 5. The Public Setting, Sylvain Cordier, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, USA 6. Exhibition and Display, Catherine L. Futter, Brooklyn Museum, USA 7. Furniture and Architecture, David Oakey, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, USA 8. Visual Representations, Caroline McCaffrey-Howarth, V&A Museum, UK 9. Verbal Representations: Writing Tables and Reading Chairs - Verbal-Textual-Intertextual Representations of Furniture, Emma Ferry, Hereford College of Arts, UK Notes Bibliography Index

Reviews

Author Information

Catherine L. Futter is Director of Curatorial Affairs and Senior Curator of Decorative Arts, Brooklyn Museum, USA. Christina M. Anderson is Principal Research Fellow, SELCS-CMII, University College London, UK.

Tab Content 6

Author Website:  

Countries Available

All regions