The Antechamber: Toward a History of Waiting

Helmut Puff explores the history of waiting in antechambers, interior rooms designated and designed for people to linger, in early modern continental Western Europe. He shows that time divides as much as it unites, and that waiters sought out occasions to improve their lot or disrupt the scripts accorded them. This wide-ranging study demonstrates that waiting has a history that has much to tell us about social and power relations in the past and present.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 262 pages
Publication date: 31 October 2023
Publisher: Stanford University Press

Helmut Puff invites readers to embark on a captivating journey through societies and spaces of the past, focusing on a unique temporal modality: waiting. Through a rich tapestry of sources, including literature, memoirs, manuals, chronicles, visual materials, and more, Puff presents a comprehensive history of waiting, intricately woven within the confines of antechambers—interior rooms purposefully designed for individuals to linger and engage in meaningful interactions. In the early modern era of continental Western Europe, antechambers emerged as a hallmark of the residences of the elites. These rooms, acting as a time-space infrastructure, played a pivotal role in shaping encounters between individuals of different social standings. By imposing spatial distance and temporal delays, antechambers established authority, rank, and power. Puff delves into the intricate logic and profound experiences of waiting within these formative spaces, revealing that time serves as a divider and a unifier, simultaneously. Contrary to popular perceptions, early modern Europeans approached their temporal existence with a sense of apprehension rather than a passive acceptance. Time was not an external force imposed upon them but rather an integral part of their daily lives, intricately linked to their actions and decisions. Within the confines of antechambers, waiters sought opportunities to improve their circumstances, occasionally challenging the prescribed scripts and protocols. Situated at the crossroads of history, literature, and the history of art and architecture, this expansive study showcases the rich history of waiting, offering valuable insights into social and power relations throughout different eras. By exploring the nuances of waiting, readers gain a deeper understanding of the complexities of human interaction, the dynamics of power structures, and the enduring impact of historical events on our understanding of time and society.

Weight: 386g
Dimension: 150 x 227 x 18 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781503637023