In many respects, the modern world was forged in the Victorian age. By the time Queen Victoria died in 1901, transport, communications, the global economy and many aspects of social life were recognisably similar to those of our own day. These revolutionary developments are thoroughly explored in the book's three major sections: society, technology and world. The contributors, all experts in their fields, consider the ideas, products, inventions and social changes wrought by the Victorians. A look at the artistic taste and patronage of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert is followed by an exploration or the home life and leisure of ordinary Victorians, education and the changing roles of women and men. Other areas covered include Victorian religious ideas, architecture and the development of new technologies from photography to transport, as well as the Victorian's intriguing attitudes towards animals and nature. Chapters on the Far East, India and Africa and the colonies of white settlement explore the influence of these areas on Victorian approaches to art and design. A final section highlights the changes brought about during Victoria's long reign by contrasting its early years with its final achievements. Throughout the book an array of wonderful contemporary photographs, posters, paintings, sculpture, domestic ephemera, costume, medical equipment and many other objects and images from the V & A and other international collections have been chosen to complement the lively and informative text.