Georgians Revealed

"For over a hundred years (1714–1830) a King George sat on the British throne. It was a time of transformation, as cities grew, trade expanded and taste and elegance fostered a great consumer boom. Yet what do we really know about the people of this period? Georgians Revealed explores the realities of their daily lives through a fascinating variety of objects, from playbills to porcelain, architects’ plans to fashion plates. It traces the Georgians’ love of shopping and celebrity, gambling and domestic design, and shows how a passion for entertainment created the circus, pantomime and modern ballet, as well as the notorious pleasure gardens and masquerades. Spanning high culture and business, consumerism and crime, this book unravels the contradictions and concerns that link the Georgian age so closely to our own. Featuring over 150 illustrations from the British Library’s rich collections, it offers a rare insight into a complex era that shaped our modern world"--