Category: 1440-1449

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1440-1449

1440-1449, 15th century, decade overview

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1449 – Petrus Christus, A Goldsmith in his Shop

1440-1449, 15th century, artwork analysis

Petrus Christus juxtaposes the lofty style of a wealthy couple preparing for their wedding with the more humbly dressed goldsmith and others.

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1440 – Fra Filippo Lippi, Portrait of a Woman with a Man at a Casement

1440-1449, 15th century, artwork analysis

Angiola di Bernardo Sapiti and Lorenzo di Ranieri Scolari dress in keeping with 1440s Florentine fashions.

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Jean Paul Gaultier’s iconic cone bra corset repr

Jean Paul Gaultier’s iconic cone bra corset represented a riff on the 1950s bullet bra taken to sexual and material extremes. The ruched velvet dress includes lacing on the back, acting as a sensual detail as well as a way to fit the dress to the body. The multi-panel design enables the dress to conform more closely to the body, just as a corset would. The most provocative detail of the ensemble is clearly the exaggerated cones placed at breast-level on the center front of the dress. The dress debuted in Gaultier’s Fall/Winter 1984 collection Barbès, inspired by the neighborhood of the same name in Paris. In an 1984 Vogue article he says his goal is to “provoke new ideas about how pieces can be put together in different ways”. Unfortunately, many American publications did not mention the cone bra corset dresses. The European press however, chose to cover this controversial silhouette. One journalist from British Vogue referred to the dress as “just two cornetti from Gaultier”. Cornetti, being an Italian pastry similar to a croissant, which the journalist felt resembled Gaultier’s cones. The cone bra might’ve not been seen in America if it wasn’t for Madonna. The singer adopted the silhouette for her stage costumes, especially her 1990 Blonde Ambition tour. She became so identified with the cone bra that parodies and costumes of her featured the silhouette. This collection and silhouette earned Gaultier a spot in fashion history as he continually challenged convention. Read more at the link in the bio!
#fashionhistory #digitalhumanities #20thcenturyfashion

This remarkable painting of a young woman drawing

This remarkable painting of a young woman drawing appears in miniature in an illustration depicting the Paris Salon of 1801, where it was submitted and placed on display. The painting itself entered the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection in 1917 and until 1951 was displayed as a work of the renowned Neoclassical artist Jacques-Louis David (Sterling 121). It was not until 1996 that the painting was attributed to Marie Denise Villers instead. Although there has been speculation that the piece is a self-portrait of Villers herself, it’s believed the sitter is Val d’Ognes, a fellow student. The young woman of the painting is wearing the quintessential costume of the time: a classical-inspired chemise gown. The neckline of the dress is difficult to see because it is blocked by the young woman’s arm, but we can catch a glimpse of it appearing just underneath her bicep, showing that it has a low, rounded scoop neck. Tucked into the bodice is her kerchief, which is secured with a delicate gold-colored oval brooch and gives a more conservative neckline. Her dress is most likely made from fine Indian muslin (cotton) as such materials were popular for this style. Underwear during this time had been reduced to a minimum of a linen chemise and a pair of stays for bust support, though the most daring young women might leave those at home. However, since this young woman’s dress is opaque, she was most likely wearing a plain white underdress just beneath her gown for modesty. Read more at the link in the bio!
#fashionhistory #digitalhumanities #19thcenturyfashion

This intricate portrait of Dido Elizabeth Belle Li

This intricate portrait of Dido Elizabeth Belle Lindsay and Elizabeth Murray by David Martin, previously thought to have been created in 1778, has left historians questioning the true date due to the childish and out-of-date fashion choices more appropriate for the 1760s. The two were cousins and lived with their uncle Lord Mansfield. They are quoted in sources as enjoying each other’s company, and it was clear that Dido was extremely loved and accepted within the household. Mansfield was protective of her, clearly stating in his will Dido was a free woman. Some historians argue whether Martin has painted the two girls as social equals or not. In the 19th century many viewers thought this was a portrait of a mistress and her servant; however, the truth is that Dido was a gentlewoman in high society England. Other historians have read their poses and expressions as sisterhood and companionship, Dido being depicted with equal status to her cousin, as she is also looking straight at the viewer. Dido’s playful smile and childish pose further suggests that the painting was done in the late 1760s, as she would have been around 8, instead of 18 in 1778. She wears a white silk satin wrapper with matching turban and an ostrich feather. Fashionable turbans were derived from Turkish and Indian menswear, but became separated from their true meaning and culture of origin. Ensembles like hers were typical in portraiture to add elements of fantasy and exoticism. It is likely Martin chose this outfit for her to add a whimsical feeling, instead of her choosing it herself. Elizabeth Murray is shown wearing a typical child’s ensemble of the late 1760s, adding further speculation of the true portrait date. Her dress features a bibbed apron with a transparent overlining, which would be deemed too childish for an 18 year old woman (her age in 1778). If the portrait is truly from the 1770s, the girls were purposefully painted to look childlike. However, it is likely from the 1760s, with the 2 being children at the time. Read more at the link in the bio!
#fashionhistory #digitalhumanities #18thcenturyfashion

The barbette is the linen band worn by women under

The barbette is the linen band worn by women under the chin from 1200-1350 CE. The French word barbe means beard, so the band worn by women resembles a female beard, thus a “barbette.” Phyllis Tortora and Sara B. Marcketti describe how the barbette is worn in their Survey of Historic Costume: “Most women covered their hair entirely and wrapped veils so closely that only the face showed. A linen band – barbette – passed down from the temple under the chin and up to the other, called a fillet, rather like a crown.” An illumination from a medieval manuscript depicts a woman wearing a fillet on top with a barbette circling under her chin, with her hair left loose underneath. Daniel Delis Hill describes the head-dressing of upper-class women in the early middle ages in his History of World Costume and Fashion: “At the end of the twelfth century, women began to arrange layers of veils over circlets or small toques to more fully cover the hair. A linen band called a barbette was attached to the headdress and fixed under the chin to hold the arrangement in place.” The class differences would have been apparent through the quality of the linen worn; a noblewoman of means would have had an extremely fine, almost transparent barbette, and a working woman like this would have had something thicker and more coarsely woven. Her hair is covered by a complex caul. Read more at the link in bio!
#medievalfashion #fashionhistory #digitalhumanities

This cream patterned dress trimmed with pleated gr

This cream patterned dress trimmed with pleated green ribbons was considered a fashionable garment in 1862 with its full crinoline skirt and simple, but deliberate trimmings. The dress is made of a cream patterned silk and features a full crinoline skirt. The pattern consists of a repeat of a row of straight brown lines interspersed with a floral motif, a simple polka dot, and a light floral half-drop pattern. Most of the fullness is towards the back of the skirt compared to the front that is a bit more flat. The bodice is vest-like and there are eight mint fabric-covered buttons run down the center of the vest to hold it together. From the last button down, it is trimmed with mint pleated silk with a thin gold ribbon running through it all around to the back of the bodice, similar to the trim used on the full skirt edged with dark brown silk. A zouave-style jacket is worn over top of the dress and is made of the same patterned silk and has the same trim down the center front and on the sleeves as well. The sleeves are low-set and are curved slightly around the cuff area and peak at the back, making the trim come together at a sharp point. The zouave-style jacket was considered very fashionable at the time. Similar dresses in fashion plates and publications of the period show women in day dresses of light colors of simple patterns and trimmings. Read more at the link in the bio!
#fashionhistory #19thcenturyfashion #digitalhumanities

Stephen Burrows is celebrated for his graphic colo

Alfred Stevens’ La Dame en Rose shows a woman we

Alfred Stevens’ La Dame en Rose shows a woman wearing a dress fashionable for the 1860s. The garment has elaborate tiered lace trimmings on the skirts, collar, sleeves, and shoulder seams. It also has a ceinture at the waist to accentuate the wearer’s figure, rounded shoulders, and a slight train. The wearer is showing her stylishness by choosing a select number of trends to wear rather than putting them all on her dress at once. Several changes in the popular style of dress for 1866 are noted in the January issue of The World of Fashion. First it points to the adoption of round waists with a ceinture, or belt–a shift from the previously popular pointed waist lines. Another notable change is the abandonment of flowers used as trimmings in ball dresses. Instead fashionable women of the time turned to “ribbons in bands, in bows, and in rûches, and lace both black and white,” to adorn their evening gowns. Another popular style are dresses with double skirts; the under skirt is commonly made out of silk due to the fabric’s lightness and breathability. The sleeves of these dresses are cut straight with ornamentation on the shoulders and wrists, the seams do not sit directly on the shoulders but slope slightly off the shoulder to create a rounded silhouette. As the year progressed The World of Fashion noted in April a new design, the Princess Robe growing in popularity, this is characterized by the lack of a seam at the waist with less fullness in the hip area but stayed consistent with the presence of a train and full back. For promenade wear the upper skirts of the women’s dresses are looped up with cords to show the petticoats; due to their exposure the petticoats are made using the same fabric or a complementary fabric as the upper skirts. The dresses are typically blue, gray, pink, white, or black though most vibrant colors are considered novel. The dresses are trimmed with complementary ribbons and lace. The most common print is stripes, followed by plaid. In May 1866, The World of Fashion notes that the length of the skirts are cut to display the boots worn underneath. Read more at the link in bio!
#fashionhistory #19thcentury #arthistory

1840s womenswear saw the last years of Romanticism

1840s womenswear saw the last years of Romanticism, as in came the Gothic Revival which was reflected in fashion through the narrow arches and angles of the popular silhouette of the time. A long-waisted bodice, tight, narrow sleeves, and a dome- shaped skirt was considered very fashionable during this decade. The high waist of the 1830s lengthened and nipped in to form an extremely small waist with the help of a corset that ran from the breasts down to the hips, enforced with multiple channels of heavy cording and whalebone. The bodice fit smoothly and closely over the waist, typically ending in point, which rounded out by the end of the decade. Overall, bodices of the 1840s emphasized a long, small waist and sloped shoulders. A common style was a fan-pleated bodice with soft pleats over the chest. The fashionable skirt during this time was ever-widening, requiring more and more petticoats for support. At the end of the decade, a woman may have worn as many as 5 or 6 petticoats with one of them being made of horsehair (crinoline) to provide extra stiffness. The 1840s are marked by a general lack of trim. Instead, the focus was on textiles. Fine silk was becoming acceptable for daywear, as it was ideal for shaping long, narrow bodices and voluminous skirts. During these years, American women of the middle and upper classes could be aware of the newest trends due to popular ladies’ magazines such as Godey’s Lady’s Book and Peterson’s Magazine. These years also established the early Victorian ideal for meek and delicate women, and female moral virtue was thought to be displayed through clothing. Read more at the link in the bio!
#fashionhistory #digitalhumanities #19thcenturyfashion

The first decade of the 17th century saw a continu

The first decade of the 17th century saw a continuation of many Elizabethan trends, with small changes in skirt length, sleeve shape, and collar types slowly being introduced. The foundation garment for all dress was the chemise, atop which women now wore stays to create the desirable silhouette of the time. Heavily embroidered bodices, or waistcoats, were typical of the period, with the English particularly specializing in floral embroidered pieces. In terms of silhouette, the wheel-shaped French farthingale was still very much in fashion, though the hard edge of the skirt was often softened by a large ruffle or gathered flounce as we see here. The bodice typically came to a sharp point in the center and large leg-of-mutton sleeves were still favored. In England and France the large starched ruffs so essential to late 16th-century dress were replaced by still large, but now open, standing collars that framed the face. These collars are sometimes referred to as Medici collars as they were worn by Maria de’ Medici, Queen of France, as we can see in her 1607 portrait by Frans Pourbus the Younger. There were other changes as well over the course of the decade, particularly to the farthingale which became tilted at a more ‘acute’ angle with an elevated back. Two new fashion trends are evident via portraits: leg-of-mutton sleeves, and hems shortened to make heeled shoes more visible. The latter trend was indicative of France’s ascent into the role of Europe’s fashion leader. Read more at the link in the bio!
#fashionhistory #17thcentury #digitalhumanities

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