Material Cultures, 1740–1920

Interweaving considerations of identity and subjectivity, spatial contexts, materiality and meaning, this collection addresses the status and interpretation of visual and material culture. It argues that objects are conduits or signs of meanings, pleasures, and desires that are deeply subjective; more often than not, they reveal racial, gendered, and sexual identities. Through case studies, contributors demonstrate material and visual cultures to be less separate than current disciplinary ethos indicates.