Cerulean skies, thatched roofs, flower gardens and carefree children playing beside the cottage gate epitomise the idealization of country life by Victorian artists of the late nineteenth century. Perpetuating this nostalgic vision of an exquisite rural idyll far away from the smoke and grime of the growing cities, their work found its greatest expression in images of cottages and cottage life.
Drawing on the watercolour of Helen Allingham, Myles Birket Foster and Charles Wilson, and the writings of Flora Thompson and Thomas Hardy, Andrew Clayton-Payne describes the cottages themselves, how they were built and organised internally as well as the farming and domestic traditions that determined the cottagers' lives. Harvesting, cider-making and wash day are a few of the activities he describes, as well as some of the more unusual customs associated with the "cottage pig" and beehives. By contrasting these nostalgic paintings with the reality of cottage life he finds that they often convey more of the truth than a casual glance might suggest.
Includes colour illustrations.
