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

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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.

Reviews

This volume contributes remarkably to the field of research on domestic space. It is an essential contribution to the discussion of spatiality of France and Belgium through its innovative and multidisciplinary themes and approaches. -- Camilla Murgia * Modern Language Review *
This brilliant and impressively edited anthology encompasses an eloquent analysis of how literature and art reflected the transience in domestic interiors. The chapters of this absorbing and revealing book portray domesticity as a main narrative via the distinctive contributions by the valuable eminent scholars in the field. -- Esra Bici Nasir * Journal of Design History *
This is the first book to offer an in-depth and scholarly study of a selection of domestic spaces in France and Belgium. There is a rich interplay of different disciplines at work, which makes the edited collection an interesting and informative read. * Anne Massey, Professor of Design, University for the Creative Arts, UK *
Describing the ways in which literary and artistic movements in France and Belgium both embraced the domestic interior and were largely defined by it, this book fills a much-needed gap in the study of the modern interior. * Penny Sparke, Professor of Design History, Kingston University, UK *
This richly illustrated volume offers an exciting interdisciplinary perspective on the representation of interiors in 19th century French and Belgian art and literature. Domestic spaces sparkle to life as embodiments of the complexities of modern urban life. * Hilde Heynen, Professor of Architectural Theory, University of Leuven, Belgium *

Author Bio

Claire Moran is Senior Lecturer in French, Queens University Belfast, UK.