From Barbara Robbins comes this wonderful piece and an equally wonderful story! “There is an interesting story behind this silk picture. I bought it from my friend, probably about 4 years or so ago. It was in perfect condition. it had the reverse painted glass mat that they used to do. I had to chose… Continue reading Mourning Silk Art
Tag: Textiles
Property of a Lady: 18th Century Costume, Mourning and Art in a Neoclassical Miniature
This piece is pained on ivory, measured 1.75 (4.3cm) by 2.25 (6.8cm) inches (loop excluded), set in rose gold. We have a young woman looking up to the cherub carrying the scroll with the writing ‘TO BLISS’, behind her is the willow (gief) and to the distance are the cypress trees pointing their way towards the heavens. In front, we have urn resting on a plinth with ‘SACRED TO THE BEST OF FRIENDS’. All this is painted in hushed sepia tones, except for the cherub and female. On the reverse, we have tightly woven hairwork.
The Burns Archive: Dressed to Distress
Rather than write a myriad of superlatives about how magnificent the Burns Archive is, I’d rather let you all discover it for yourselves, with their wonderful new post about photography and mourning dress. >> Link / The Burns Archive: Dressed to Distress Of course, there are my little dissertations to view on mourning dress (without… Continue reading The Burns Archive: Dressed to Distress
Textiles: 19th Century, Part 2
Women were the symbolic representation of the family, from its wealth to its respectability. By the turn of the century, however, those in high society copied the neoclassical style in dress. Black dresses were cut to the neoclassical style, with black and white accessories, hair was covered in a plain, tight, white cambric cap with… Continue reading Textiles: 19th Century, Part 2