Love of the Artistic Life

The late loth century was a time when people were fascinated by the lives and lifestyles of artists. Many modelled their own homes on an artist’s studio and the relaxed atmosphere of an artist’s house with its comfortable chairs, collections of paintings and etchings hung in tiers from a picture rail or perhaps standing on an easel, a scattering of rugs and furs, potted plants and dried flowers, collections of interesting objects, including Oriental ceramics and furniture, and antiques. (more…)

With a feverish desire to be in tune with high society, the well-to-do aped the taste of the Prince Regent’s court. The result was a Classical elegance with exotic flourishes.

No style more aptly named than Regency, for unlike most styles that bear the name of a current ruler, Regency has at its heart the tastes of the Prince Regent himself. The architects he employed set the style in buildings, and the furnishings in his homes were copied by the fashionable set. Even his critics fed off him by lampooning and caricaturing his scandalous private life and outrageous cronies. (more…)