Design for a Tudor Paneled Hall and Staircase 1850 - 1900

This is an anonymous design for a Tudor Paneled Hall and Staircase. It gives us insight into the architecture of the Tudor period in England, a time of significant social and political change. The design embodies a very particular aesthetic. Paneling and ornate details denote wealth and power, reflecting the rigid social hierarchy of Tudor society. The staircase itself becomes a stage, reinforcing the performative aspect of social life for the elite. Yet, this image exists because someone, somewhere, was employed to draw it. Who were these people behind the scenes who built and decorated these spaces? What were their lives like compared to those who inhabited these halls? How did this architecture play a role in shaping identities and experiences across different social classes? Consider how the design’s emphasis on grandeur and order reflects and reinforces the power structures of the time.