POWER, POLITICS, PATRONAGE and the Decoration of the British Country House with Dr Louise Voll Box

The sumptuous interior decoration and garden design of eighteenth-century British country houses defined the tastes of their owners and reflected emerging commercial practices. But design decisions also expressed other messages.

Textiles, wall treatments, and furniture could also manifest political affiliations, imperial connections, ancestry, and identity. Drawing on examples from across England and Scotland, this lecture illustrates how country house decorative schemes can be interpreted in the contexts of power, patronage, and politics.

DR LOUISE VOLL BOX is an art historian and educator who recently joined The Johnston Collection as CEO. In her previous roles at the University of Melbourne, Louise taught in the art history and Master of Art Curatorship programs. Her research centres on eighteenth-century visual culture, prints, and the history of collecting. She has presented on these topics at international conferences and has been awarded prestigious research scholarships to study archives and collections in the UK, USA, and Europe.

This lecture is presented on-site at The Johnston Collection. Please see your ticket for details.

Image supplied: The Tapestry Room, Osterley Park, Isleworth, Middlesex (National Trust UK).