Domestic Space in France and Belgium: Art, Literature and Design, 1850-1920

The domestic space - lived, experienced, and represented - embodies the complexity and multiplicity of modern life. Taking in a multitude of perspectives - from interior design, through to architecture, art history and cultural history - this truly interdisciplinary study is the first book to offer an in-depth study of the meaning and identity of domestic spaces and domesticity in modernity. Uniting a range of approaches to the study of interior space across 14 chapters, the book explores the domestic sphere, its conception and representation in art, and its relationship with changing social attitudes during a period of intense cultural transformation to address this neglected area of modernity.

The comparative case-studies, presented from a global collection of scholars from the US, UK, France, Italy, Canada and Belgium, identify how particular sites and cultural forms intermingled and informed one another alongside wider developments in artistic production - taking in photography, architectural innovation and literary modernism. As such, the book offers a vital new addition to our interpretations of artworks, texts and modern homes at the turn of the 20th century. Richly illustrated and drawing upon both archival research and critical theory, its fourteen essays delve into the historical context to highlight the enduring legacies of 19th century design today.