In the second half of the nineteenth century, design books and popular periodicals stressed the importance of surface treatment in the conception of a unified domestic interior. The exhibition The Fabrics of the Home, on view April 4 through August 16, 2009 at the Museum of Art, will focus on upholstery and wallpaper treatments from 1850 to 1900 as elements of cohesively conceived interior designs and as works of art and historical documents.

Nineteenth-century furniture is one of the strengths of the Museums collection. Over the last ten years, a concerted effort has been made to acquire rare furniture that retains its original upholstery. Other works in the collection have undergone extensive evaluation, and historically accurate fabrics have replaced modern show covers. This is the Museums first comprehensive presentation of the upholstery collection. In addition, wallpaper sections recently gifted to the Museum will be on view for the first time and will illustrate the important complementary roles of upholstery and wallpapers in formal rooms.