This course offers a broad survey of the design and the material remains of the pre-modern interior. The goal is to offer an introduction to issues of form, style, function, public and private, as we trace the transformation of the meanings of interior space from Late Antiquity to the “invention” of the modern interior in the mid-19th century. We will explore specific buildings, artists, and design projects, from both western and non-western contexts, in order to grasp the enormous variety of ideas and approaches. We will use primary texts, critical writings, and visits to several of New York’s remarkable museums and other cultural institutions.

This course offers a broad survey of the design and the material remains of the pre-modern interior. The goal is to offer an introduction to issues of form, style, function, public and private, as we trace the transformation of the meanings of interior space from Late Antiquity to the “invention” of the modern interior in the mid-19th century. We will explore specific buildings, artists, and design projects, from both western and non-western contexts, in order to grasp the enormous variety of ideas and approaches. We will use primary texts, critical writings, and visits to several of New York’s remarkable museums and other cultural institutions.