Periods in the Victorian Era
The Victorian era includes the years from 1837 to 1901, which was the reign of Queen Victoria.
The Victorian age included Gothic Revival, the cluttered look that we normally think of as Victorian,
Aestheticism (Japanese influence, ebony wood, blue and white porcelain, and strong influence of
nature), Art Nouveau (flowing lines, and use of women and flowers), Japonisme (high interest in things
Japanese), the Arts the Crafts Movement (simplicity and craftsmanship), and Celtic Revival (Irish
influence). Many of the fashions we think of as Victorian are actualy Edwardian, which ranged from
1901 to 1910.
Victorian Style
The ornate clutter of Victorians was due to several things. One was because new materials allowed
it. The other was to show their new wealth, gained from the Industrial Revolution. The wealthier they
were, they more things they could obtain and show off. The more wealthy could afford to travel and
brought back things from other countries. The wealthier they were, the more ornate their furniture,
dress, and decoration could be. There was fabric everywhere. With it came new dyes and, hence, new
bright colors: peacock greens and blues, magentas, violets, and pinks. The colors even spilled into the
glass. Everything was highly decorated, and all the decorations were taken to the extreme. The deep
color of the wood was masculine, the fretwork was feminine, and there was a special box or container
for everything.
Victorian Women
The role of Victorian women and girls had changed. They had servants to do the dirty work, and
their main role was to create. They tatted lace, embroidered, burned designs into wood, wrote letters,
and played music. Appearances were also very important, and they spent a lot of time entertaining,
visiting others, and dressing. Wives and daughters were treated as fragile and helpless, and their job
was to make sure the man's household ran smoothly and was comfortable. They were moral, domestic,
feminine, and passive - even in the bedroom. It was not polite for women to discuss these things or
think about them, even in the bedroom, so it was also common for men to have mistresses. Is it any
wonder that the 1920's were roaring?
Victorian House Styles
Houses during the Victorian era also included several styles. These include Italianate, Second
Empire, Stick Eastlake, Queen Anne, and Gothic Revival. Italianate consisted of flat roof lines,
corniced eaves, angled bay windows, porches with Corinthian columns, and symmetrical lines. Stick
Eastlake structures include square bays, flat roof lines, free-style decorations, and lots of spindles and
brackets. Queen Anne houses have a gabled roof, insets with textured shingles, angled bay windows
under the gable, wrap-around porches, and sometimes a round tower or two. Gothic Revival houses
are distinctive with their arched window mouldings.
Victorian House Colors
Some Victorian house colors are striking, while others are subtle. Colors include reddish brown,
terra cotta, olive-yellow, Indian red, olive, buff, dark slate, blue-green, and bronze-green. Some include
wilder colors in a mix of lavender, pink, Chinese red, and lime green. Some color schemes include
three colors, but most ornate houses have at least six colors. Each color might be used to highlight a
different part of the architecture. The Octagon House in Irvington, New York, was said by its owner to
include, ''Two shades of red for the columns and windows, a dusty rose for the body of the house, two
grays for the trim and gutters, light blue for receding elements, blue under the porch, tan on the porch
ceiling, light tan on the steps, two shades of violet for scrollwork, bright red for circular decorations
and white on the flowers.'' The house can be seen at Upstatehouse.com.
|
