Design for a Screen

This Design for a Screen was made by Charles Hindley and Sons, using pen and brown ink on paper, sometime during the late 19th century. This drawing gives us a glimpse into the aesthetic values of Victorian England. During this period, screens were not merely functional objects but symbols of status and refinement. A screen like this would have been placed in the homes of the upper classes as a marker of gentility. The ornate design reflects the Victorian penchant for elaborate ornamentation. In this design, one can see motifs which evoke a sense of romanticism and nostalgia for the past. In particular, the screen is decorated with what appears to be a coat of arms, which alludes to aristocratic lineage and the social hierarchies of the time. Such screens provided privacy, but they also staged and managed social interactions. They represent the Victorian negotiation between public display and private life, and how even domestic objects were imbued with social meaning. This piece reminds us of the stories that objects can tell, and how deeply intertwined art and social identity truly are.