21 October 2025

 

Seminar:  ‘All that’s Rich’: The Intended Meanings

of Luxury Goods in Stuart Interiors

Julia Hamilton, City University of London

 

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Overview 

James VI & I’s outward-looking approach, his peace with Spain in 1604, and England’s ambition towards colonisation and trade facilitated the adornment of Stuart interiors. This paper discusses how the movement of people, materials and objects brought luxury goods to the Stuarts’ Privy Lodgings. Their attempts at creating foreign interiors of unknown lands in English royal palaces promoted England’s rising global reach. It will become clear that luxury goods were not only employed to project identity, power and majesty, however. They were also manipulated to define layers of accessibility and intimacy within the kings and queens’ Privy Lodgings. These patterns were maintained throughout the Stuart period to express continuity and legitimacy of the House of Stuart. The discussion joins the recent increased interest in the Silk Roads, the Mughal Court, diplomacy, colonisation, mobilisation, and trade.

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Chair

​Ellie Woodacre

 

Presenter bio

Julia Hamilton recently submitted her doctoral thesis entitled ‘Stuart Style: The spatial and decorative impact of Anna of Denmark’s English Privy Lodgings on the development of a dynastic style of interior decoration (1603-1688)’ at City, University of London under the supervision of Anna Whitelock. It will be examined by Erin Griffey and Dries Raeymaekers in January 2025. Julia spent ten years in the Heritage sector at National Trust’s Ham House and at Windsor Castle for the Royal Collection Trust, developing and delivering interpretation and Adult Learning programming on architecture and display. At both properties, she witnessed first-hand how a visitor’s engagement increased after having a greater understanding of the functionality of space and hearing stories of people and objects. She is an Associate Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, a member of the Furniture History Society and the Understanding Portraits Network, NPG London