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John Fowler
The Invention of the Country-House Style
Edited by Helen Hughes
Hardback £33.00 $66.00
Publication date 2005
96 pages
ISBN 978 1 873394 59 5
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Papers from the English Heritage conference: Inspired by the Past: John Fowler's Approach to Decoration and Restoration in a Changing World
The eminent
interior designer, John Fowler, was responsible for transforming some of
Britain's most important historic interiors. The 'Fowler style' was
tacitly accepted as the correct style for the decoration of a period
interior, despite the fact that this appearance of understated elegance
and comfort was in fact entirely an American invention. This fascinating
and controversial review of Fowler's work, containing full colour
illustrations, offers an important discussion of the treatment of historic
interiors and highlights his concern to create visually successful rooms
rather than to merely replicate earlier interiors. The impact Fowler had
on his contemporaries was immense and long-lasting, so much so that today
the 'Fowler style' has come to be considered by some as the only style for
the decoration of a country house.
Throughout the book the emphasis is on historic houses now in public ownership. The result is an insight not simply into Fowler but also into the changing approach to paint and colour over time... His pioneering work helped reinvent the country house at a crucial stage in its history.
The Georgian
This book will be of interest to anyone seriously concerned with the preservation, restoration or recreation of historic interiors. The authors present an interesting range of different perspectives on Fowler's work, from the personal (Peter Inskip's account of Fowler's methods, derived from watching him working) to the analytical (Christine Sitwell's piece on recent investigations into his schemes).
Context
Was this really a book about the 'Invention of the English Country-House style', and John Fowler's role in it, or was it a eulogy on this undeniably remarkable man? In fact, it altogether proved more interesting than either of these, although it must be said it does encompass a bit of both too.
Journal of Architectural Conservation Read the full review
It is impossible not to admire and be rather in awe of the outstanding contribution that John Fowler and Nancy Lancaster made to our understanding of the British country house.