Gezicht op een landhuis in Cark c. 1870 - 1880

Alex Rivington made this image of a country house in Cark using a printing process. The house, stately and surrounded by lush greenery, speaks to a particular English ideal - the landed gentry. In what era was this ideal most potent? How did the social class of that period shape their environment, even in the architecture of their homes? The image itself, printed and bound, is an interesting artifact. Who was the audience for this image? Was it meant to celebrate and reinforce the existing social order, or to critique it? Perhaps an archive of architectural photos could provide further insight. The history of art is more than just the history of objects. It is the history of power, class, and the institutions that shape our understanding of the world.