Fireplace wall paneling from the John Hewlett House 1740 - 1760

Editor: So, this is a photograph of the Fireplace wall paneling from the John Hewlett House, dating from around 1740 to 1760. The original paneling is at the Met. The blues and reds really strike me. What stands out to you? Curator: The tiling around the fireplace captures my attention. Note the repetition of small, narrative scenes. Consider what these miniature dramas, constantly viewed and revisited, might signify. Editor: Miniatures… so each tile has a little scene on it? What kinds of stories might they be telling? Curator: Precisely. Common vernacular imagery; tales both secular and possibly religious, domestic, all carrying embedded values. Remember that, historically, interiors like these served as stages for expressing wealth, lineage, and aspirations. What feelings do these tiles conjure for you? Editor: A kind of playful elegance, almost? Like serious wealth, but not devoid of character. Were these narrative tiles common at the time? Curator: Indeed. Tilework became fashionable as it spread via increased trading and colonization. Consider this colonial interior as a reflection of these global movements – what’s *really* at hearth, so to speak. How might the original inhabitants have felt surrounded by these recurring images? Editor: Perhaps comforted by familiarity, while still aware of the world beyond. It’s fascinating to think of these as more than mere decoration but also a way to engage with stories, tradition and social messaging on a daily basis. Curator: Precisely. Spaces speak; in every decorative flourish, every arrangement.