The Age of the Baroque–one of the most creative periods in world history–began around 1600 and lasted until the mid 18th century. It was a passionate, transitional era which gave rise to mavericks like Vivaldi, Bach, Spinoza, and Descartes. Andrea Zuvich, also known as the 17th-century lady, is a historian, novelist, and former thespian who specialises in ‘everything Baroque’. She’s also a member of the female Early Modern coterie the Hoydens and Firebrands and the founder of a wonderful website where she aggregates and spreads information about 17th-century history and culture. Last week, I had an opportunity to meet with this delightful woman.
The Custodian: What first got you interested in the Baroque period?
Andrea Zuvich: Oh, gosh. I suppose I’ve always had that growing up. My mom always had classical music on and the classical stations—and they sometimes played Baroque. There was a programme I used to listen to growing up in the States called Sunday Baroque which I’d listen to every Sunday starting from when I was 9 or 10. There was just something about Baroque music that got into my heart more than any other style of music. It’s funny because I was definitely the baby of the family and my sisters were a good deal older than me. They were always listening to Madonna and all the major pop singers, but they [contemporary pop music singers] didn’t really do the same thing for me.
C: Did you come over to Europe to work or study? I know you completed your history degrees in the States…
A: I did take some courses in the UK as well with Oxford. I’d always dreamed of coming over here but it never seemed like a possibility. I met my husband online—on Facebook—and he’s from Northampton. We hit it off really well, so it was easier for me to move over there than for him to come to the States. It was really difficult because I’m so close to my mom.
C: You have two books and more on the way…
A: I’m working on two or three others at the moment. William and Mary which I’ve sectioned off into two books, and William Alone which is after Mary’s death. The other one is pure historical fiction—it’s about a restoration actress I made up. It’s the first time I’ll be writing in first person.
C: I came across your novel The Stuart Vampire as well. That looks really cool. In the West there’s been this persistent image of vampires as 17th-century rakes and dandies—the Baroque genre is simply perfect for vampire stories.
A: Yeah I think the 17th century is perfect for any story! I was able to go into different periods which I found really liberating. It starts off in Victorian London, goes back to the 17th century, hits into the Italian Renaissance, and it goes back and forth throughout time.
C: Reminds me of the The Historian by Elisabeth Kostova—I would definitely recommend it. It also also hops between the modern day and Early Modern history. I think a lot of us, as historians have developed a craving; like an appetite for certain aesthetics—historical periods that we can’t help being drawn to.
A: I know some writers who absolutely abhor the Baroque type of art. They say ‘Oh it’s just a bunch of fat ladies and rolls of flesh and debauched scenes and vomiting and drunkenness’—and I think—’well you have to think that rich people were usually a bit larger, and ideals of beauty were different than they are now.’
C: I can’t tell you how many pieces of Baroque artwork I’ve seen where the women are beautifully voluptuous and the men have these florid, plump cheeks; those—I suspect–were symbols of aristocracy.
A: Yeah that’s the thing, there’s such a difference from what people thought then than from what people think now.
C: I was reading that you were one of the founders of the Garden History tours at Kensington Palace. How did you first start that?
A: The thing is, it came about in a fun way. I started volunteering at the place in 2010. It was during a period of renovation for the palace. I was there and I would help visitors and explain what was going on to them. One of my supervisors said there was an idea about creating a tour of the gardens. It had never been done before and they wanted to get some of us together to research the gardens and come up with a route for the palace. We worked like crazy on it, but it was so interesting because we found so much information.
C: Are you still involved with the tours?
A: Actually I just did a tour yesterday—my first one of this summer.
C: Do you find that you meet interesting characters when you’re travelling either in the UK or on the Continent and incorporate them into your writing?
A: Of course. If you go anywhere and you meet some memorable people, you might end up putting them in your book!
C: What would you say is your favorite Baroque building in Europe?
A: Blenheim Palace is a little more 18th century, but I’d have to say that’s my favourite. My husband and I got married there. The whole building is this English Baroque extravaganza. As an aside I really think that the architecture and historical sites of this country are so important to the national identity of the British people that we have to do whatever we can to save them.
C: Agreed. When you look at something by John Milton, or this palace here, or this sculpture by so- and-so, it’s not that you’re looking at the material itself, but there’s so much humanity that’s gone into it and it’s been a long, long process which runs to our present time and connects everything together. Those connective literary and artistic symbols are always there and they inform our perception and culture.
C: What would a typical day look like for a 17th-century noble lady?
A: She would wake up in the morning, have cup of hot chocolate, rise and be prepared by her maidservants, attend morning mass, write some letters—if she were able to; not all women were able to write—and depending on whether she had many children or any children, the day would depend on that.
C: What about for you, The 17th-Century Lady?
A: For me it depends on the schedule. If I’m not booked for a tour, or a talk, or research in the archives, I usually get up, do my exercises, and go and sit at my desk to start writing.
You can find out more about The 17th-century Lady at her website below: