THOMAS HOPE: REGENCY DESIGNER

From July 17 to November 16, The Bard Graduate Center for Studies in the Decorative Arts, Design, and Culture is presenting Thomas Hope: Regency Designer.  This exhibition will be on view first at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London from March 22 to June 22, 2008; it is the second in a series of exhibitions organized by the Bard Graduate Center to be shown at the V&A.

Designer, patron, collector, and author Thomas Hope (1769 - 1831) is one of the major figures in the history of British design who had a profound impact in Britain. Hope helped shape and define what became known as the British Regency, a mode of design and decoration that continues to be influential. Despite the key role he played in the fields of interior decoration, design, and decorative arts, however, Hope’s significance has been largely overlooked. This exhibition examines his incomparable contribution and the remarkable works of art that were created under his patronage. It also further extends the Bard Graduate Center’s international reputation for organizing exhibitions on under-recognized aspects of British design culture and history.