Lunchtime Lectures: Displaying Global Connections in Stuart Interiors

It was under the Stuarts that England gained maritime supremacy and colonisation took hold. Stuart interiors showcased luxury goods that were obtained through these initiatives to project magnificence to the court and foreign representatives. Objects were displayed thematically in an attempt to recreate spaces from unknown lands.

 

This talk will explore display patterns across four generations of Stuarts. Learning how textiles, silver, exotic woods and porcelain were used to adorn their Privy Lodgings spaces. Objects from the V&A's collection will be highlighted to aid the reimagining of Stuart spaces.

 Dr Julia Hamilton specialises in Stuart interiors. Her PhD thesis explains how royal interior decoration evolved in England between the Tudor and late Stuart periods. She attributes certain spatial and decorative patterns to the creation of a Stuart style of interior decoration. Julia spent a decade in the heritage sector at National Trust's Ham House and at Windsor Castle for the Royal Collection Trust, developing and delivering interpretation on architecture and display. She is an Associate Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, a member of the Society for Court Studies and a member of the Furniture History Society.