18th Century FloorsPage 1
Floors were normally made of pine imported from the Baltic region of northern Europe. The wood was probably left bare, with no paint or varnish, and simply scrubbed to keep it clean. Carpets and rugs were imported mainly from the Middle East, and were expensive items. In portraits of families of the 'middling sort' set in the home, as seen here, a square of carpet or rug was often shown laid in the centre of the parlour, with the floorboards exposed around the edges.
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Group portrait of the Brewster family, by Thomas Bardwell, 1736; oil on canvas.
© Geffrye Museum
© Purchased with the assistance of the Art Fund, the MLA/V&A Purchase Grant Fund and the Friends of the Geffrye Museum