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“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times”—so writes Charles Dickens in A Tale of Two Cities (1859), succinctly capturing the dualities of the Victorian age (1837-1901). In this course, we will explore dualities and contradictions of the Victorian era through fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and the visual arts. We might think of the Victorians as sin-obsessed, dignified, proper, prudish, and tight-laced, but these same Victorians lived in an age of urban squalor, disease, rampant deprivations, prostitution, and child labor. This era of production and consumption witnessed rapid expansion of the British Empire; growth in literacy and industrialization; and the glory of the Great Exhibition of 1851, the first ever World’s Fair.  Alongside these achievements came epidemics (typhoid took the life of Prince Albert in 1861); the Crimean War crisis and conflicts in India, Africa, China, and the West Indies; religious doubt; and the greed of imperialism, which underpins Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre (1847). We will encounter the angel in the house and her fallen sister in Christina Rossetti’s Goblin Market (1862); Queen Victoria and Prince Albert alongside their poorest subjects in Henry Mayhew’s London Labour and the London Poor (1851); a clash between agrarian southern England and the industrial north in Elizabeth Gaskell’s North and South (1855); the divided human being in Robert Louis Stevenson’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1886); and a scrooge transformed into a charitable man in Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol (1843).  Course work includes 4 briefs, an exhibition on the Collaborative Organization for Virtual Education (COVE), and a final 8–10-page paper.

Timelines, Galleries, and Maps

Marble Statues | Gallery Image

Marble statues at the Great Exhibition of 1851 were a testament to artistic excellence, national prestige, and the enduring influence of Neoclassicism within Victorian culture. They reflected the era’s admiration for classical antiquity and its emphasis on moral, historical, and allegorical themes. The exhibition also became a platform for engaging with… more

Posted by Amanda Francis on

Food Vendors in and around the Great Exhibition of 1851 | Gallery Image

Due to dining and seating restrictions in the Crystal Palace, food and refreshment vendors stationed themselves right outside the Great Exhibition of 1851. Most notably, the renowned French chef Alexis Benoît Soyer, pictured in the third image above, took over the nearby Gore House in London and transformed the space into Soyer’s Universal Symposium of All Nations, a… more

Posted by Audrey Wakefield on

Hats & Headwear | Gallery Image

In Victorian England, headwear was as much an indicator of status as it was a fashion statement. Women's hats were elaborate and colorful; the more elaborate, the wealthier. During the time of the Great Exhibition, circa 1850s, the most popular headwear for women was the bonnet, which became more structured throughout the early to mid 19th century.

Hats & Headwear Booth--… more

Posted by Augustine Goebel on

Majicola Pottery | Gallery Image

Majolica pottery stands as one of the most significant ceramic innovations of the nineteenth century, blending artistry with function in a striking display of color and craftsmanship. The Bard Graduate Center notes the introduction of majolica by Minton & Co. at the Great Exhibition of 1851,  which quickly gained commercial success and widespread… more

Posted by Kayla Moody on

Hats & Headwear | Gallery Image

‘The London Carnival’-- Artist: Walter Crane (1845–1915), Engraver: W. J. Linton. An image showing the wealthy at play in which the artist stresses appearance (and hats). The composition focuses on surfaces and textures, with close attention being paid to the elaborate floral accessories attached to the hats: a world where appearance is the primary currency and… more

Posted by Augustine Goebel on

Mirrors as Accessories and Wall Decorations | Gallery Image

The Great Exhibition of 1851 in London was the world’s first international fair! It displayed Britain’s technological advancements, among many other luxurious items from other countries. Mirrors were a lavish item in the Victorian era, and this booth showcases several unique… more

Posted by Samantha Rizk on

Lighting Fixtures | Gallery Image

The Victorian era was a time of rapid advancements in technology and a shifting industrial landscape, and lighting fixtures were no exception. Victorians largely relied on three forms of lighting: candlelight, oil lighting, and gas lighting. One home might even incorporate all three types of lighting in one room––with, for example, a candelabra on the mantlepiece, oil lamps on tables and oil… more

Posted by El Marks on

The Great Exhibition's Display of Timeless Clocks, Chronometers, and Watches | Gallery Image

At the Great Exhibition's conclusion, over 100 copies of the four-volume 'Reports by the Juries' were distributed to foreign governments and notable participants. The reports consist of the juries' comments and assessments of the works displayed in the exhibition. The idea and decision to illustrate the reports with photographs is attributed to… more

Posted by Christianna Poblete on

The Great Victorian Book Binding: Books and Binding at the Great Exhibition of 1851 | Gallery Image

Books used to be seen as something that was a collector's item, read and obtained by the wealthy. However, as modes of production became cheaper, so did accessibility. The middle class could now purchase books for cheaper, but the books still looked as if they were of high quality. They were easier to produce in bulk yet maintained their stunning exteriors. Middle-class… more

Posted by Bella Lagatta on

Jewelry | Gallery Image

During the Victorian era, jewelry was not only a fashion statement, but a form of expression that reflected wealth, social status, and personal sentiments, such as love, loss, and close relationships. Many of these pieces were created with symbols that held deep sentimental value, often inspired by different aspects of nature, such as flowers or animals.… more

Posted by Julia Schempp on

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