E-14: English Drawing Room of the Victorian Period, 1840-70
SEE IT IN PERSON
● On view now — Gallery 11
Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago · verified July 2026
Discussion
FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG
Narcissa Thorne must have imagined the occupants of this miniature drawing room to be loyal subjects of the English Crown, as it abounds with images of Queen Victoria and her husband, Albert. Thorne was amused by the lavish decoration and heavy ornament of Victorian furniture, which by her time had become unfashionable. The many ornate objects in this room were cleverly constructed using a mix of faux and genuine luxury materials: the candelabras, for example, are painted to look like gold, whereas the bases of the lamps flanking the doorway are made from real ivory.
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More by Narcissa Niblack Thorne
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E-19: French Dining Room of the Louis XIV Period, 1660-1700
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