A Cultural History of the Home in the Age of Enlightenment

The Enlightenment transformed the concept of home, influencing homemaking, visual and material culture, and industrial and sociological aspects. This volume discusses and reflects upon issues relating to the home through various approaches, including signification and meaning, the persons who inhabited them, the physical buildings and their furniture and furnishings, the work undertaken within them, the differing roles of men and women, the nature of hospitality, and the important role of religion in the home.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 264 pages
Publication date: 16 May 2024
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

During the Enlightenment period, the concept of "home" underwent significant transformations, encompassing a specific physical living space, the center of domestic life, and a notion associated with roots, origins, and retreat. The Enlightenment's influence on homemaking was multifaceted, encompassing literary and cultural manifestations, visual and material culture, and industrial and sociological aspects. These transformations shaped the concept of home in three key ways. Firstly, the literary and cultural manifestations, including attitudes towards education, social order and disorder, sensibility, and sexuality, played a significant role in shaping homemaking practices. Secondly, the visual and material culture of the home, as represented through print, portraiture, literature, objects, products, and dress and fashion, demonstrated the changing roles of the home in society. Thirdly, the industrial and sociological aspects, including concepts of luxury, progress, trade and technology, consumption, domesticity, and the notions of public and private spaces within a home, further influenced the concept of home. This volume explores and reflects upon various aspects of the Enlightenment home, including its signification and meaning, the individuals who inhabited it, the physical buildings and their furnishings, the work undertaken within them, the differing roles of men and women, the nature of hospitality, and the important role of religion in the home. Together, these chapters provide a valuable overview of the manners, customs, and operation of the Enlightenment home, shedding light on the complex and multifaceted nature of this significant social and cultural phenomenon.

Weight: 509g
Dimension: 244 x 169 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781350412248