The exhibitions of the Victorian and Edwardian eras are the lens through which this book examines the economic, cultural, and social forces that helped define Britain and the Empire. It focuses on exhibitions in England, Australia, and India from the Great Exhibition to the Festival of Empire.

"This is the first scholarly book on de Forest. It explores his career in the decorative arts by examining cultural context, material culture, biography, and patronage. Lockwood de Forest (1850-1932) is best known as an artistic decorator with a flair for designs based on the arts and crafts of the Middle East and India. He began his career in partnership with Louis Comfort Tiffany. By 1883, de Forest had his own business and successfully introduced the East Indian craft revival to the United States. His interior designs and furnishings were embraced by some of the wealthiest families of the Gilded Age. His family home at 7 East Tenth Street in New York City served as a designer showcase and was compared to Arab Hall, a pinnacle of exotic design that was part of Frederic, Lord Leighton's home and studio in Holland Park, London. Complemented by sixty color plates and 132 black-and-white illustrations." --Publisher description.