GALLERY 9

A NEW ART OF LIVING

During the 18th century, the affluence that had previously been the preserve of monarchs was attained by an increasingly large segment of society. The spread of manufactured products around the globe progressively transformed economies and stimulated new modes of consumption in China, Japan and Europe where manufacturers offered new goods to an increasing number of consumers. As a result, greater attention was paid to the furnishing and decoration of houses as well as personal adornment and dress. Across all continents, the arts reflected an increased emphasis on the private sphere, the individual and the family and with the growth in global exchange, the arts developed an imaginative image of remote lands and cultures. Europe was increasingly pervaded by a philosophy of progress and reason referred to as the Enlightenment. This intellectual movement focused on the individual and their role in history, as illustrated by the American and French revolutions at the end of the century.