A New Narrative of Historical Styles in Nineteenth-Century Britain
type: CreativeWork
description: For most of the twentieth century, historicism – understood here as the conscious use of forms and styles from the past – was seen as an outdated, reactionary, and backward mode of design. Closely associated with the architecture and decorative arts of the nineteenth century, it has led to an understanding of historicist objects as being about empty retrospection and a lack of invention, evidence of a temporary lapse in artistic progress before the advent of modernism at the end of the century. This dissertation challenges these notions by examining how the use of historical styles and forms was perceived and understood in the nineteenth century itself, incorporating both debates on architecture and on the design of decorative arts. As the nineteenth century marked an explosive growth in printed matter of all sorts, the (illustrated) press played an increasingly important role as the public arena in which debates surrounding style played out. This dissertation therefore utilizes this broad archive to explore the use of historical style through three aspects: the language used around the revival and adaptation of historical styles; specific narratives of identity that surrounded historicizing objects; and the underlying logic of appropriation that underlay the use of historical forms. The first chapter sets out the wider debate surrounding the use of style in British design and manufacturing, focusing on four main stakeholders: government-sponsored reformers and educators, in particular those involved in the Great Exhibition of 1851 and the South Kensington project; the art press, as embodied by *The Art-Journal*; manufacturers and artisans; and finally, the ‘silent majority’ of the consuming public. Subsequent chapters present a kaleidoscopic view of the treatment of various historical styles in the nineteenth century. The second chapter, on the ‘Alhambresque’, contrasts the theories and artistic practice of Owen Jones (1809-1874) to the reception of his architectur…
abstract: For most of the twentieth century, historicism – understood here as the conscious use of forms and styles from the past – was seen as an outdated, reactionary, and backward mode of design. Closely associated with the architecture and decorative arts of the nineteenth century, it has led to an understanding of historicist objects as being about empty retrospection and a lack of invention, evidence of a temporary lapse in artistic progress before the advent of modernism at the end of the century. This dissertation challenges these notions by examining how the use of historical styles and forms was perceived and understood in the nineteenth century itself, incorporating both debates on architecture and on the design of decorative arts. As the nineteenth century marked an explosive growth in printed matter of all sorts, the (illustrated) press played an increasingly important role as the public arena in which debates surrounding style played out. This dissertation therefore utilizes this broad archive to explore the use of historical style through three aspects: the language used around the revival and adaptation of historical styles; specific narratives of identity that surrounded historicizing objects; and the underlying logic of appropriation that underlay the use of historical forms. The first chapter sets out the wider debate surrounding the use of style in British design and manufacturing, focusing on four main stakeholders: government-sponsored reformers and educators, in particular those involved in the Great Exhibition of 1851 and the South Kensington project; the art press, as embodied by *The Art-Journal*; manufacturers and artisans; and finally, the ‘silent majority’ of the consuming public. Subsequent chapters present a kaleidoscopic view of the treatment of various historical styles in the nineteenth century. The second chapter, on the ‘Alhambresque’, contrasts the theories and artistic practice of Owen Jones (1809-1874) to the reception of his architectur…
author: Huits, Elisabeth
language: eng
keywords: decorative art, great exhibition of 1851, historical styles, historicism, history of art, international exhibition, print cultures, revivalism, style, The Art-Journal, Victorian era
license: https://apollo8-f-pro.lib.cam.ac.uk/bitstreams/b629fb07-9b99-4809-a57d-adf6da85f76a/download
license: https://www.rioxx.net/licenses/all-rights-reserved/
date published: 2023-01-31
date modified: 2026-07-22T22:24:20Z
provider: Cambridge University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of Cambridge

PropertyValue
property ID: DOI
value: 10.17863/CAM.99786