Design for Curtains 1841 - 1884

This is a design for curtains created by Charles Hindley and Sons in the late 19th century. As we consider this design, it’s important to think about the Victorian era it comes from, a time marked by Britain’s extensive colonial reach and rigid social structures. The drawing itself presents an ideal of domesticity, of a home made beautiful, secure, and private through carefully chosen ornamentation. Yet, this very ideal was built on global exploitation, with raw materials sourced from colonized lands and often crafted by exploited labor. The layers of fabric, the ornate details – they speak to a culture of excess enabled by profound inequalities. Consider, too, how gender roles were reinforced within the domestic sphere. The aesthetic labor of decorating a home often fell to women, a task that both confined and defined their social roles. This drawing, then, is not merely a design for curtains, but a window into the complex social, economic, and gendered dynamics of its time.