Biedermeier

eds. Anna Kozak, Agnieszka Rosales Rodríguez, graphic design Jerzy Gruchot, Wojciech Koss / Full Metal Jacket, 420 pages, ill., National Museum in Warsaw, Warsaw 2017, ISBN 978-83-7100-413-1

The richly-illustrated catalogue for the “Biedermeier” exhibition takes us back to the culture of the first half of the 19th century, sometimes referred to as a “lesser” or “domestic” romanticism. The presented artefacts, from paintings, drawings and prints, to artistic crafts such as furniture, porcelain, glass, silver, fashion, jewellery, toys, friendship books, and household knick-knacks, offer fascinating insight into the lifestyle and tastes of the period. The essays found in the catalogue elaborate on the various iterations of the Biedermeier style, at the same time rendering a multi-dimensional picture of the period’s people and their customs.