RESEARCH GUIDE: HISTORY OF INTERIORS
Topics On This Page:
- All Time Periods
- Ancient Egypt
- Ancient Greece
- Ancient Rome
- Middle Ages: Early Christian, Byzantine & Romanesque
- Gothic
- Italian Renaissance & Baroque
- Spanish Periods
- French Renaissance, Baroque & Rococo
- French Neoclassical & Empire
- English Renaissance, William and Mary, & Queen Anne
- Georgian & Regency
- American Early Colonial, Georgian, Vernacular & Federal
- Nineteenth Century
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In the Library
The Elements of Style, Revised Edition
edited by Stephen Calloway and Elizabeth Cromley
Covers interior architectural details from 1485 through the 20th century, with photographs and line drawings
Furniture in History 3000 B.C. - 2000 A.D.
by Leslie Piña
Covers furniture styles throughout history, with photographs and line drawings
Furniture : World Styles from Classical to Contemporary
by Judith Miller
Covers furniture styles throughout history, with color photographs
Great Architecture of the World
by John Julius Norwich
Covers architecture and architectural ornamentation, with color photographs, line drawings, floor plans, elevations, and renderings
Janson's History of Art : The Western Tradition
by H.W. Janson and Penelope J.E. Davies
Covers art and architecture, with color photographs, line drawings, and floor plans
Mirror of the World : A New History of Art
by Julian Bell
Covers art and architecture around the world from prehistory through the 20th century, with color photographs
An Outline of European Architecture
by Nikolaus Pevsner
Covers European architecture from the fourth century to twentieth century, with color photographs and floor plans
Online
Architectural Digest
Features American and European art, furniture and decorative arts, with revival works and contemporary rooms in period styles as well as original pieces
Art Images for College Teaching
Features art, architecture and decorative arts from all time periods and all regions of the world, with high-quality images that may be used for educational purposes
The Art Institute of Chicago Collections
Features ancient, American and European art, furniture, decorative arts, and textiles, with high-quality images that may be used for educational purposes
Digital Imaging Project
Covers architecture from around the world, focusing on public buildings, with high-quality images that may be used for educational purposes. This link takes you directly to the Chronological Index so that you can browse by time period
Furniture | Victoria and Albert Museum
Features all styles of furniture from around the world, with brief articles, style guides, and high-quality images that may be used for educational purposes
Getty Museum Collection
Showcases art, architecture and decorative arts from all time periods and all regions of the world, with high-quality images that may be used for educational purposes
Great Buildings Collection | ArchitectureWeek
Covers architecture around the world, from Stonehenge and the Egyptian pyramids to the present, with interior and exterior photographs, drawings, floor plans, sections, and elevations that may be used for educational purposes
LACMA Collections
Features art, architecture and decorative arts from all time periods and all regions of the world, with high-quality images that may be used for educational purposes
The Metropolitan Museum of Art Collection
Covers the art, architecture and decorative arts of almost every country and time period, with high-quality images that may be used for educational purposes. To browse by curatorial department, use the Department filter on the left: departments include American Decorative Arts, Asian Art, Egyptian Art, Medieval Art, and more.
In the Library
Atlas of Egyptian Art
by Prisse d'Avennes
Features art, architecture, architectural ornamentation, and decorative arts, with color and black and white illustrations
Egypt : People, Gods, and Pharaohs
by Rose-Marie Hagen and Rainer Hagen
Covers art and architecture, with color photographs
Egyptian Art in the Age of the Pyramids
by the editors of the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Covers art and architecture, with color photographs, floor plans and line drawings
Online
The British Museum
The Ancient Egypt galleries feature art, architecture and decorative arts, with high-quality images that may be used for educational purposes
Egyptian Antiquities | The Louvre
Features art, architecture and decorative arts, with high-quality images that may be used for educational purposes
Egyptian, Classical & Ancient Near Eastern Art | The Brooklyn Museum
Features art, architectural ornamentation, and decorative arts, with high-quality images that may be used for educational purposes
In the Library
Masterpieces of Classical Art
by Dyfri Williams
Features art and decorative arts, with color photographs
Sites of Antiquity : From Ancient Egypt to the Fall of Rome, 50 Sites That Explain the Classical World
by Charles Freeman
Features architecture, with maps and color photographs
Triumph of the Hero : Greek and Roman Myth
by Tony Allan
Features art and decorative arts, with maps and color photographs
Online
The British Museum
The Ancient Greece and Rome galleries feature art, architecture and decorative arts, with high-quality images that may be used for educational purposes
Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Antiquities | Louvre Museum
Features art, architecture and decorative arts, with high-quality images that may be used for educational purposes
Perseus Digital Library | Art and Archaeology Artifact Browser
Features Greek and Roman architecture, sculpture and vases, with color photographs, floor plans and site plans. Select an artifact type and then select Period to see art and architecture from a particular time period such as Classical or Hellenistic
In the Library
The Art and Life of Pompeii and Herculaneum
by Michael Grant, et al.
Features art, architecture and decorative arts, with color photographs and floor plans
A History of Roman Art
by Fred S Kleiner
Features art, architecture and decorative arts, with color photographs, renderings and maps
Vitruvius : The Ten Books on Architecture
by Vitruvius Pollio
Covers architecture and architectural ornamentation, with line drawings and floor plans
Online
The British Museum
The Ancient Greece and Rome galleries feature art, architecture and decorative arts, with high-quality images that may be used for educational purposes
Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Antiquities: Roman Art | The Louvre
Features art, architecture and decorative arts, with high-quality images that may be used for educational purposes
Perseus Digital Library | Art and Archaeology Artifact Browser
Features Greek and Roman architecture, sculpture and vases, with color photographs, floor plans and site plans. Select an artifact type and then select Period to see art and architecture from a particular time period such as Hellenistic or Roman
Roman Art | The Brooklyn Museum
Features art, architectural ornamentation, and decorative arts, with high-quality images that may be used for educational purposes
In the Library
Byzantium and Islam : Age of Transition, 7th-9th Century
edited by Helen C Evans with Brandie Ratliff
Features art, architecture and decorative arts, with color photographs
Masterpieces : Medieval Art
by James Robinson
Features art and decorative arts, with color photographs
Romanesque Art
by Victoria Charles and Klaus H. Carl
Covers Romanesque art and architecture throughout Europe, with color photographs and floor plans
Romanesque Art
Covers Romanesque art and architecture throughout Europe, with color photographs
Online
Medieval | Victoria and Albert Museum
Features medieval art, architecture and decorative arts, with high-quality images that may be used for educational purposes. The article on Medieval Monasteries is particularly good. To see more images, scroll down to Related images from the collection, click Search the Collections home, and search for Medieval
Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts | The Morgan Library & Museum
Focuses on illuminated manuscripts from the Middle Ages and Renaissance, with high-quality images that may be used for educational purposes
Style Guide: Romanesque | Victoria and Albert Museum
Features Romanesque art, architecture and decorative arts, with high-quality images that may be used for educational purposes. To see more images, scroll down to Related images from the collection, click Search the Collections home, and search for Romanesque
Svetlana Tomekovic Collection of Byzantine Art | Index of Christian Art
Features art and architecture, with an emphasis on churches and frescoes. Includes images that may be used for educational purposes
In the Library
Churches & Cathedrals : Masterpieces of Architecture
by Stacey McNutt
Features art and architecture of European churches from the early Christian period through the Middle Ages and Gothic periods, along with the revival styles of later European and American churches. Includes color photographs
The Cloisters : Medieval Art and Architecture
by Peter Barnet and Nancy Y. Wu
Features art, architecture and architectural ornamentation, with color photographs and floor plans
Gothic Art
by Victoria Charles and Klaus H. Carl
Covers Gothic art and architecture throughout Europe, with color photographs and floor plans
Online
Decorative Arts: Middle Ages | The Louvre
Features medieval art, tapestries, and other decorative arts, with high-quality images that may be used for educational purposes. To see images of the art works, click on Decorative Arts on the left, then click Middle Ages on the right, and make sure to browse all the rooms
Gothic | Victoria and Albert Museum
Features Gothic art, architecture and decorative arts, with high-quality images that may be used for educational purposes. The article on Gothic Architecture is particularly good. To see more images, scroll down to Related images from the collection, click Search the Collections home, and search for Gothic
In the Library
The Palladian Ideal
by Joseph Rykwert
Features interiors, exteriors and architectural details of buildings designed by Palladio and by other architects in the Palladian tradition, with color photographs, floor plans and drawings
Renaissance
Covers Renaissance art and architecture throughout Europe, with color photographs and floor plans
The Renaissance : Masterpieces of Art and Architecture
by Susan Wright
Covers Renaissance art and architecture throughout Europe, with drawings and color photographs
Sotheby's Auction Catalogs : French and Continental Furniture & Decorations
Auction catalogs feature French, Italian and other European furniture and decorative arts from the Renaissance to the present, with color photographs
Online
Baroque | Victoria and Albert Museum
Features Baroque art, architecture, interiors, ornamentation, and decorative arts, with high-quality images that may be used for educational purposes. The Baroque Style Guide is particularly good. To see more images, scroll down to Related images from the collection, click Search the Collections home, and search for Baroque
Decorative Arts: Renaissance | The Louvre
Features Renaissance art, furniture, tapestries, and other decorative arts, with high-quality images that may be used for educational purposes. To see images of the art works, click on Decorative Arts on the left, then click Renaissance on the right, and make sure to browse all the rooms
Renaissance | Victoria and Albert Museum
Features Renaissance art, architecture and decorative arts, with high-quality images that may be used for educational purposes. The Renaissance Style Guide is particularly good. To see more images, scroll down to Related images from the collection, click Search the Collections home, and search for Renaissance
In the Library
Golden Age of Spain : Painting, Sculpture, Architecture
by Joan Sureda
Features Spanish art and architecture from 1492 to 1659, with color photographs
Islamic Art : Architecture, Painting, Calligraphy, Ceramics, Glass, Carpets
by Luca Mozzati
Covers the basic elements and history of art, architecture and design throughout the Islamic world
Moorish Architecture in Andalusia
by Marianne Barrucand and Achim Bednorz
Features architecture and architectural ornamentation, with color photographs, floor plans and line drawings
Romanesque Art
Covers Romanesque art and architecture throughout Europe, with color photographs and a chapter on Spain
Online
Discover Islamic Art | Museum With No Frontiers
Includes high-resolution images of over 1200 works of Islamic art and architecture from across the Islamic world, along with scholarly entries for each object and brief bibliographies for further reading
Islamic Architecture | Victoria and Albert Museum
Provides a wealth of information on and images of architecture and ornamentation through the Islamic world, including the Alhambra in Spain
Medieval & Renaissance Design Styles | Victoria and Albert Museum
Features a number of different design styles, which together tell the story of early European art and culture from 300 to 1600
In the Library
Period Rooms in the Metropolitan Museum of Art
by Amelia Peck
Highlights French Baroque and Rococo interiors and furnishings, with color photographs
Renaissance
Covers Renaissance art and architecture throughout Europe, with color photographs and floor plans
Sotheby's Auction Catalogs : French and Continental Furniture & Decorations
Auction catalogs feature French, Italian and other European furniture and decorative arts from the Renaissance to the present, with color photographs
Versailles : A Private Invitation
by Guillaume Picon and Francis Hammond
Features art, architecture, furniture, textiles, and other decorative arts, with color photographs
The Wrightsman Galleries for French Decorative Arts, the Metropolitan Museum of Art
by Daniëlle O. Kisluk-Grosheide
Showcases late 17th- and 18th-century French furniture from Baroque, Rococo and Neoclassical periods, with color photographs
Online
Baroque | Victoria and Albert Museum
Features Baroque art, architecture, ornamentation and decorative arts, with high-quality images that may be used for educational purposes. The Baroque Style Guide is particularly good. To see more images, scroll down to Related images from the collection, click Search the Collections home, and search for Baroque
Decorative Arts | The Louvre
Features art, furniture, tapestries, and other decorative arts, with high-quality images that may be used for educational purposes. To see images of the art works, click on Decorative Arts on the left, then click Renaissance or 17th-18th centuries on the right, and make sure to browse all the rooms
Rococo | Victoria and Albert Museum
Features Rococo art, architecture, ornamentation and decorative arts, with high-quality images that may be used for educational purposes. The Rococo Style Guide is particularly good. To see more images, scroll down to Related images from the collection, click Search the Collections home, and search for Rococo
In the Library
Châteaux of the Loire Valley
by Jean-Marie Pérouse de Montclos and Robert Polidori
Covers art, architecture, interiors, and furnishings, with drawings and color photographs
European Furniture in the Metropolitan Museum of Art : Highlights of the Collection
Features furniture dating from the Renaissance through the 19th century from French, England, Italy, Spain, Germany, and other parts of Europe
The French Archive of Design and Decoration
by Stafford Cliff
Highlights French furniture, textiles, wall coverings, and ornamentation from the 18th century to the start of the 20th century, with line drawings, sketches, renderings, and color photographs
Sotheby's Auction Catalogs : French and Continental Furniture & Decorations
Auction catalogs feature French, Italian and other European furniture and decorative arts from the Renaissance to the present, with color photographs
Online
Decorative Arts | The Louvre
Features art, furniture, tapestries, and other decorative arts, with high-quality images that may be used for educational purposes. To see images of the art works, click on Decorative Arts on the left, then click 17th-18th centuries or 19th century on the right, and make sure to browse all the rooms
Empire and Regency: Decoration in the Age of Napolean | New York Public Library Digital Gallery
Features Empire and Regency art, architecture, interiors, and decorative arts objects, with high-quality images that may be used for educational purposes
Neo-classicism | Victoria and Albert Museum
Includes a wealth of information on and many pictures of neoclassical art, architecture, interiors, and decorative arts and on architects Robert Adam and James 'Athenian' Stuart, with high-quality images that may be used for educational purposes
In the Library
Historic Interiors of England, Wales and Northern Ireland : A Photographic Tour
by Margaret Willes
Features interiors, furnishings and ornamentation, with color photographs
The Northern Renaissance
by Jeffrey Chipps Smith
Explores Renaissance art and architecture in England, France, Germany, and other parts of Europe
Sotheby's Auction Catalogs : English Furniture
Auction catalogs feature English furniture and decorative arts from the Renaissance to the present, with color photographs
The Victoria and Albert Museum's Textile Collection : Woven Textile Design in Britain from 1750 to 1850
by Natalie Rothstein
Highlights patterns used in British textiles, with color photographs
Online
British Galleries | Victoria and Albert Museum
Covers British art, architecture and design from 1500 to 1900, with high-quality images that may be used for educational purposes. To see more images, scroll down to Related images from the collection, click Search the Collections home, and search for British
Life in the Living Room 1600-2000 | The Geffrye Museum of the Home
Highlights interiors and furnishings of English homes from the 17th century to the present, with drawings, paintings and color photographs
Queen Anne | Fine Woodworking Gallery
Features chairs, dressers, desks, tables, and clocks in the Queen Anne style, with color photographs
In the Library
Classic Georgian Style
by Henrietta Spencer-Churchill
Features Georgian architecture, interiors, furnishings, and gardens, with color photographs and line drawings
Early Georgian Furniture, 1715-1740
by Adam Bowett
Features Georgian tables, seating, case goods, and other furniture, with color photographs, line drawings and details
English Style & Decoration : A Sourcebook of Original Designs
by Stafford Cliff
Features architectural details, interiors and furnishings from several English periods, with color photographs and line drawings
Regency Style
by Steven Parissien
Features Regency architecture, interiors and furnishings, with color photographs, line drawings and sketches
Sotheby's Auction Catalogs : English Furniture
Auction catalogs feature English furniture and decorative arts from the Renaissance to the present, with color photographs
Online
British Galleries | Victoria and Albert Museum
Covers British art, architecture and design from 1500 to 1900, with high-quality images that may be used for educational purposes. To see more images, scroll down to Related images from the collection, click Search the Collections home, and search for British
The Geffrye Museum of the Home : Search the Collections
Highlights interiors and furnishings of English homes from the 17th century to the present, with drawings, paintings and color photographs. Search for Georgian or Regency; click Refine search and check Decoration and furnishings to focus in on furniture
Life in the Living Room 1600-2000 | The Geffrye Museum of the Home
Highlights interiors and furnishings of English homes from the 17th century to the present, with drawings, paintings and color photographs
Regency | Victoria and Albert Museum
Covers Regency art, architecture, ornamentation, interiors, and furnishings, with high-quality images that may be used for educational purposes. The Regency Classicism Style Guide is particularly good. To see more images, scroll down to Related images from the collection, click Search the Collections home, and search for Regency
In the Library
American Vernacular Buildings and Interiors, 1870-1960
by Herbert Gottfried and Jan Jennings
Features American architecture, interiors, furnishings, and architectural ornamentation, with photographs, floor plans and line drawings
Great American Houses and Their Architectural Styles
by Virginia and Lee McAlester
Features American architecture, interiors and furnishings, with color photographs and floor plans
Colonial Houses : The Historic Homes of Williamsburg
by Hugh Howard
Features early American architecture, interiors and furnishings, with color photographs and floor plans
The Magazine Antiques
Features furniture and decorative arts, with color photographs
Sotheby's Auction Catalogs : Americana
Auction catalogs feature American furniture and decorative arts from colonial times to the 20th century, with color photographs
Online
American Furniture | Art Institute of Chicago
Features American furniture from the 18th and 19th centuries, with over 200 high-quality images that may be used for educational purposes. Click on Decorative Arts in the left sidebar to see American Decorative Arts from the 1700s to the present
Boston Furniture Archive | Winterthur
Features furniture produced between 1630 and 1930 in the Boston area
Digital Encyclopedia of George Washington | George Washington's Mount Vernon Estate, Museum & Gardens
Includes entries about the buildings, architectural details, and furnishings of Mount Vernon, with contemporary photographs and historic paintings, drawings, and other illustrations
Digital Library for the Decorative Arts and Material Culture | University of Wisconsin
Features early American furniture, ceramics and prints, with hundreds of high-quality images that may be used for educational purposes
Fine Woodworking Gallery
Features furniture in various styles of the 18th and 19th centuries, including Chippendale and Federal, with hundreds of high-quality images that may be used for educational purposes
Old House Online
Features architecture, interiors and furnishings in early American and revival styles, with hundreds of images that may be used for educational purposes
In the Library
Late 19th and Early 20th Century Decorative Arts
by Frederick R. Brandt
Features furniture and decorative arts, with color photographs
Regency Redux : High Style Interiors : Napoleonic, Classical Moderne, and Hollywood Regency
by Emily Eerdmans
Features architecture, interiors and furnishings, with photographs and drawings in both color and black and white
The Magazine Antiques
Features furniture and decorative arts, with color photographs
Victorian Gothic House Style : An Architectural and Interior Design Source Book
by Linda Osband
Features Victorian architecture, interiors, furnishings, and architectural ornamentation, with color photographs and line drawings
Online
American Revival Styles, 1840–1876 | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Includes a wealth of material on the various revival styles in American art, architecture, design, interiors and ornamentation
Old House Online
Features architecture, interiors and furnishings in early American and revival styles, with hundreds of images that may be used for educational purposes
Style Guide: Classical and Renaissance Revival | Victoria and Albert Museum
Features architecture, interiors and ornamentation from the Classical and Renaissance revivals, with many high-quality images that may be used for educational purposes
Style Guide: Gothic Revival | Victoria and Albert Museum
Covers art, architecture, interiors, and furnishings from the Gothic Revival, with many high-quality images that may be used for educational purposes. To see more images, scroll down to Related images from the collection, click Search the Collections home, and search for Gothic
Style Guide: Medieval Revivals | Victoria and Albert Museum
Features architecture, interiors and ornamentation from the medieval revivals, with many high-quality images that may be used for educational purposes
Victorian | Victoria and Albert Museum
Covers art, architecture, design, interiors, and ornamentation from the Victorian period, with many high-quality images that may be used for educational purposes. The article on Victorian furniture styles is particularly good. To see more images, scroll down to Related images from the collection, click Search the Collections home, and search for Victorian
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