Cosmopolitan Cliveden: Interiors, Decorum, Fancy Dress Balls

Showcasing the décor and interiors of Cliveden, East Melbourne, this presentation focuses on the years 1887 to 1895, during which period fancy dress balls and art exhibitions were held.

Giving context to Sir William and Lady Janet Clarke’s leading cultural and philanthropic roles in Melbourne and Victorian society, it foregrounds the rich material trappings, with which they both chose to surround themselves and the many guests they hosted at Cliveden, their large town residence designed by the Australian architects William Wardell and Walter Liberty Vernon.

Travelling through Europe for a year when this palatial townhouse was being built between 1885 and 1887, the Clarkes purchased furnishings, decorative art, and artworks abroad and patronised Australian decorative artists, painters, and artisans to adorn Cliveden’s splendid interiors.