Who painted My room in 18 Stamford Street Blackfriars about AD 1829.?

My room in 18 Stamford Street Blackfriars about AD 1829. was painted by Henry Cole in 1828.

Where can I see My room in 18 Stamford Street Blackfriars about AD 1829.?

My room in 18 Stamford Street Blackfriars about AD 1829. is held by Victoria and Albert Museum.

What movement is My room in 18 Stamford Street Blackfriars about AD 1829.?

My room in 18 Stamford Street Blackfriars about AD 1829. is associated with British Romanticism.

Artwork

My room in 18 Stamford Street Blackfriars about AD 1829.

Henry Cole , 1828

My room in 18 Stamford Street Blackfriars about AD 1829. is a watercolor work on paper by the British Romanticist artist Henry Cole. It dates from 1828 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

About this work

Overview

This watercolour, executed between 1827 and 1829, records the interior of Sir Henry Cole’s residence at 18 Stamford Street, Blackfriars. Rendered on paper and originally affixed to a card bearing a handwritten title, the artist’s signature and a note from Cole, the work now exists as a detached image. It offers a visual document of a modest urban dwelling in early nineteenth‑century London.

Subject & Meaning

The composition centres on a table and chair, surrounded by a rug, a dresser, and wall‑mounted objects, while shelves display books and assorted items. A window on the rear wall admits daylight, illuminating the space and suggesting a quiet, contemplative atmosphere that reflects the personal taste of a young, forward‑looking professional before his public prominence.

Technique & Style

The artist employs a restrained palette of browns, greys and blues, balancing warm and cool tones. Delicate chiaroscuro creates depth, while careful rendering of textures—fabric, wood, glass—conveys a convincing sense of materiality. The watercolour’s fine detail and subtle modelling give the interior a realistic, almost photographic presence.

History & Provenance

The piece was originally mounted on a card that included a handwritten title and a note by Cole himself, indicating his direct involvement with the work. Over time the mounting was removed, but the watercolour has remained associated with Cole’s early domestic environment, providing a rare visual record of his personal surroundings prior to his later public career.

Context

In the late 1820s London, middle‑class homes began to reflect emerging ideas about comfort and refinement. The room’s furnishings and decorative choices exemplify the modest yet progressive aesthetic of a young professional, offering scholars a point of comparison with contemporary interior design manuals and pattern books.

Legacy

Because few visual sources survive that depict private interiors of this period, the watercolour serves as a valuable reference for researchers of British domestic design. Its detailed portrayal of objects, colour scheme, and spatial arrangement contributes to a broader understanding of early Victorian taste and the domestic backdrop to Cole’s later cultural initiatives.