Study Group Details
589: Why You Should Like Victorian Furniture
Tuesday11:45 - 1:15
Starting September 26
In-Person
Victorian furniture was a reaction to the boring classicism of the 18th century. It is probably the most misunderstood of all American furniture styles. The course will explain the unique Victorian aesthetic—anti-classicism and the idea of the picturesque—and survey the various revivals that were popular during the 19th century, including Gothic, Rococo, Renaissance, and Eastlake. The survey culminates at the end of the century when a reaction set in with the Aesthetic Movement and the Arts and Craft critique that ushered in Modernism. The course will cover the most important designers such as John Henry Belter and the Herter Brothers, and even Shaker furniture (yes, it was Victorian too!).
Recorded: YES
View Syllabus
This study group is new
Class Type: Lecture and Discussion
Class Format: In-Person
Hours of Reading: Less than 1 hr/week
Study Group Leader(s):
Oscar Fitzgerald
Oscar Fitzgerald, PhD, taught all the American furniture history classes in the Smithsonian and George Washington University masters program in decorative arts. His American Furniture: 1650 to the Present is the standard textbook in the field. He lectures on furniture topics worldwide, including presentations to appraisers, collectors, museums, and colleges.