The Hiding Man…

Posted on 7/2/26

This unknown, heavily ornamented and richly textured room is a typical example of a late 19th-century interior. At the time, rooms like this were viewed as warm, inviting, and artistically complete. The occupant of this apartment would have been surrounded by decorative execution on nearly every surface. The walls and ceilings are fully ornamented, and the room is illuminated by gaslight. Let’s take a closer look at this remarkable space.

Can you spot the man? It is always fun to see typical portraiture from this period with a bit of a twist.

Note the bright marble mantel to the left. By the time this photograph was taken, this style of fireplace was beginning to be considered outdated. Books of the period encouraged homeowners and decorators to heavily drape the mantel shelf in order to cover or soften its appearance.

Here is a closer view of this mustachioed gentleman, tucked into what looks like a playful hide-and-seek position. It is always nice to see a little humor added to historic photographs from this era. Who is this guy? What is he doing there? Is this his house? Were they being silly for the camera? And why is he wearing a hat indoors?

To the right of him, you can see books and papers stacked beneath the cabinet.

In the reflection, we can see the opposite side of the room, where a large painting in a gilded frame hangs prominently.

This gasolier has old bones and, like the one featured in last week’s article, appears to be from an earlier era. If you can identify the maker, please share it in the comments section below. Around the central post above the shades are the heads and antlers and the arms are of some type of winged creature.

The window is covered only by a lace curtain. Above it is a valance with a braided ball-and-fringe design.

In the foreground is a dramatic metallic clock set on a pedestal. Behind it, you will notice that the shutters are closed to keep out the sun. This may have been done for the photograph, to help control the exposure, but it is also possible that the blinds were commonly closed at this time of day.

People of this era often filtered or excluded sunlight from their rooms for a variety of reasons. In summer, it helped keep interiors cool. On ordinary days, it protected furnishings, carpets, and richly colored wallpapers from fading, while also providing privacy. Filtered light also softened harsh glare and created a more pleasant atmosphere in the room, as noted in some sources of the period.

This beautiful clock is from Ansonia Clock Co., New York, “Florida” base and figural “Group No. 1089”.

This beautiful gilt frame, with its plush interior border, stands out against the ornamental wallpaper. On the left, a banner hangs in the corner, while on the right, another item appears to be tacked onto the woodwork. These pieces seem to be homemade crafts, following the popular trends promoted in illustrated in periodicals of the era.

Here we can see that the ceiling is decorated with a delicate pattern, with a stripe running alongside the corner molding. Even the simplest designs were carefully executed, helping to blend the overall decorative theme and soften the transition from more ornate surfaces to simpler ones.

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