Venetian Blinds: A Study of the Design and Development from 1841 to 1946

PRES 6151 | New Orleans Architecture
Professor Robert Cangelosi

Randomly selected from a pool of New Orleans–based topics, this study explores the local and global evolution of Venetian blinds, focusing on the 1841 patent granted to John Hampson in Carrollton, Louisiana. While there are documented records of slatted window coverings in Europe and the Middle East dating back centuries, Hampson is widely credited with patenting the first mechanism that allowed the slats to be held at adjustable angles—a design that laid the foundation for modern Venetian blinds. Through patents, trade catalogs, and manufacturer innovations, this research traces the transformation of a simple shading device into a mass-produced architectural element with enduring global impact.

Catherine Restrepo

Meet Catherine, the former architect who traded blueprints for scuba suits and found a love for exploring ocean depths. Armed with a Nitrox specialty certification she tinkers mad-scientist style to concoct safer gas mixtures for sassier dives below. Currently honing her preservation skills by the river, this captain-in-training dreams of becoming a marine archaeologist out on the high seas. Drawn to water ever since she can remember, Catherine is perfectly proof that you can ditch a landlubber career to survey underwater artifacts and still keep your head above water. Whether cheerfully cursing floods in New Orleans or mapping lost treasures, this future underwater adventurist shows you can be anything your heart and diving compass point to next. The depths are calling and this seafaring conservator intends to dive right in!

New Orleans, LA, USAinfo@madameguignol.com
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