The Metropolitan Museum of Art - Works of Art: Virtual Reality Tour


	Works of Art

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		Virtual Reality Tour

		Gothic Revival Library, 1859. American. Gift of Mrs. Hamilton Fish, 1977 (Inst. 1977.1).

Navigating Virtual Reality Rooms and Objects

Prior to the mid-nineteenth century, private libraries—such as this example from a home in Newburgh, New York—were the exclusive preserves of wealthy men of scholarly bent. By the 1850s, however, the mechanized production of inexpensive clothbound books had brought the possession of a good library within the reach of the less affluent. Not as formal as the best parlor, the library became the family sitting room, a place that encouraged relaxation and even coziness. The Gothic Revival style was deemed especially appropriate for the design of these libraries and was intended to recall such scholarly preserves as monasteries and universities. This room and its furnishings have been brought together to represent this style, which had a profound influence on nineteenth-century design.

Learn more about the Gothic Revival Library.

Enter the library to find out more or follow the links below to discover more about the room and the style it represents.

People and Places

Frederick Clarke Withers
Andrew Jackson Downing
Alexander Jackson Davis
Calvert Vaux
Early Design of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Jefferson Market Courthouse

Gothic Revival Style

Pattern Books
Bookmaking in the Nineteenth Century
Nineteenth-Century Libraries

Gothic Revival Library Object List

Photograph Credits