Celebrating the Centenary of Peter Thornton Online

Peter Thornton was Keeper of Furniture and Woodwork at the V&A (1966-1984), where he was known for his expertise, flair and imagination in the presentation of historic interiors at Ham House, Osterley Park and Apsley House, all at that time managed by the V&A. His work at the V&A also encompassed research into seventeenth- and eighteenth-century silks; musical instruments, and the distinctive, innovative redesign of galleries including the V&A’s Costume Court. Thornton is also remembered as Curator at Sir John Soane's Museum (1984-1995) and for his many highly influential books, including Seventeenth Century Interior Decoration in England, France and Holland (1978) and Authentic Decor: The Domestic Interior 1620-1920 (1984). As a historian of British and European interior decoration, he pioneered an approach to the presentation of the historic interior that was rooted in research, drawing on house inventories and other archival sources to informal the representation of interiors and his publications.

This one-day symposium will present a series of talks exploring different aspects of Peter Thornton’s work and his enduring legacy today.