New Antiqueing Reality Show: Horror Vacui

The television is filled with reality shows that in some way deal with all things vintage and antique.  From the Grandmother of All Shows Antique Roadshow to some of the newer programs--certainly some more engaging than others.  At the low end of the spectrum are the shows about hoarders.  Those really pray on the folks who for one reason or another take comfort in stuff and chaos in their living environment.

I am certainly not a hoarder.  Oh no I am not.  But I have found out what I am--and the syndrome/disease has a name just made for a new reality show---  HORROR VACUI.

HORROR VACUI is the "fear of the empty.  The process of filling an entire space with detail."  Yes sir--that's me.  Just look at the walls in our dining room.

My philosophy?  There is always room for one more at least as our dining room is concerned.  Painting, french affiche, clock, To The Life Boats Sign, framed botanical, framed needlework, decorative metal clock faces, quirky things--FILLING THE ENTIRE SPACE WITH DETAIL.

At one point, horror vacui, specifically in art, called outsider art--was thought to be influenced by the mentally unstable and inmates of psychiatric hospitals.  Oh dear.

Italian art critic Mario Praz used the phrase to describe "the suffocating atmosphere and clutter of interior design in the Victorian Age. "  Shame on you Mario.  The Victorians were fabulous people with cluttered everything-- fabulous art (thank you Pre Raphaelite  painter Edward Burne-Jones)  Fabulous fabrics (thank you William Morris)  Fabulous writing (Thank you John Ruskin) and fabulous gardens (thank you Gertrude Jekyll).  Everyone of them did not follow the sparse approach--and more was better.  Ever visited Sir John Soane's house in London?--talk about horror vacui.

This is Sir John's house--not our dining room.

I should get on the stick and pitch this show to hollywood.  Dear Husbola and I will star in it.  Along with our pals Edward, William, John, Gertrude and Sir John.