The American Middle-Class Home, 1850-Today: The Domestic Interior

In this course we will study the visual and material culture of the American middle-class home, 1850 to today. In contrast to the prevailing interest in the high-end decorative arts and homes of the very wealthy, we will examine mass-produced decorations and home-made crafts. How have people constructed and communicated their identities via domestic interiors? How do toys mirror or shape our perceptions of home? From prints to posters, houseplants to aquariums, this course will consider the effects of technology and mechanical reproduction on the look of domesticity. We will also study the culture of at-home visual entertainments, from early “magic lanterns” and optical toys to the effects of televisions and computers on perception and social life.