Interieur van een kamer in het huis van George Gill Green in Woodbury before 1889

This photograph shows an interior room from the residence of George Gill Green in Woodbury. Though the photographer is unknown, the image offers a fascinating glimpse into the material culture of wealth and domestic space at the turn of the 20th century. The ornate fireplace, surrounded by decorative objects and intricate woodwork, speaks to the aspirations and values of the upper class. The arrangement and display of objects can be read as a constructed performance of identity, reflecting not only wealth but also taste and social standing. Notice the assumed absence of the labor required to maintain the home, thus underscoring the privileges afforded by wealth, and consider what this omission reveals about the power dynamics inherent in such domestic spaces. Ultimately, this photograph invites us to contemplate the relationship between space, identity, and social class. It’s a quiet yet powerful statement on the construction of self through the spaces we inhabit.