Authentic Decor: The Domestic Interior 1620-1920

London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1993. 265 x 265 mm, 408 pp, 532 illustrations in colour and b&w, index. Previous owner's signature on the half-title page. Pictorial card cover. This history of interior decoration surveys the decoration and arrangement of the domestic interior in the Western world between 1620 and 1920. The illustrations show rooms as they actually were and many are supplemented by a number of coeval designs which throw light on contemporary intentions and aspirations. The author illustrates and describes the way in which aristocrats, artists, the beau monde and the bourgeoisie arranged their houses and planned their interiors in Europe and America. The importance of lighting is stressed and points are made about hygiene, the use of rooms such as the boudoir, and where meals were served. Important features of the period are described and telling details pinpointed. NOTE: the book weighs 1.9 kilos.. First paperback edition.. Soft cover. Very Good.