glittersweet | Aug. 22nd, 2018

Aug. 22nd, 2018

This year has been full of putting things off. It’s a bit of a vicious cycle: I am tired and sore so rest, I get back to a project and mess it up/unpick it, I get disheartened, I put it aside, I choose something else, get a lot of questions about why it’s not perfect, then get discouraged, then at any point the tired and sore moves the whole cycle into a spiral.

So I now have all my important papers in one place, all my music in another, all my own art work in another, and all my costume references in yet another.

My hope is that I can move all my references to be with all my reference books and then all my fiction in one place and all my music books with sheet music etc.

I have wound up setting up a ~~little~~ lot of inflammation so ~~might~~ will just have to take a break.

Crossposts: https://pinkdiamond.livejournal.com/1957575.html

I haven’t shared to much of this side of my costuming interest- but I wound up collecting a lot of theatrical costume from the end of the 19thC.

Sarah Bernhardt, Lily Langtry, Ellen Terry, Elanora Duse, Adalina Patti, etc..

One of my all time favourite garments is a heavy brocade princess dress worn by Sarah Berhardt in Frou Frou. I bought a biography just for this view (though these images are from Gallica on BNF.

https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b8438771v/f27.item

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sarah_Bernhardt_-_Sarony,_New_York._LCCN2005683956.tif

https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b8438771v/f3.item

https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b8438771v/f5.item

http://www.artnet.com/artists/napoleon-sarony/sarah-bernhardt-1844-1923-new-york-jOJcTGEItnibRip88ZGoYQ2

Some of her other costumes are found in Die Mode (Maz von Boehn) as is a portrait of Eleanora Duse in the same role.

http:/http://memoria-attori.amati.fupress.net/S1010?genere=2&idcollegato=1&contesto=1

http://memoria-attori.amati.fupress.net/S1010?genere=2&idcollegato=1&contesto=1

Of interest is that these two gowns are very similar in effect. Alternating rows of dark patterned fabric with an open worked material in a pale shade on the tablier.

And no sleeves.

And a high neck.

Meanwhile other costumes worn by Sarah include a gown with perfectly shaped swags all over the tablier. This has also been said to be of her in the lead role of Camille

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sarah_Bernhardt,_Froufrou,_3695,_Photo_W._%26_D._Downey.jpg

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sarah_Bernhardt_by_C.R._Savage.jpg

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SarahBernhardt_alsKameliendame1881.jpg

https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b8438771v/f18.item

https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b8438771v/f24.item

And finally a very frothy confection that also happens to have an example of the very long form of cuirasse bodice that doesn’t end in a point but instead sits on the legs. This has also been said to be of her in the lead role of Camille

https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b8438771v/f1.item

(I cannot find the original of this particular scan)

The first of the following paintings by G. Clarin is in Die Mode. I hadn’t realised it was indeed based on the real costume above.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Georges-Jules-Victor_Clairin_-_Frou_Frou,_1882.jpg

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Clairin,_Georges_Jules_Victor_-_La_Promenade.jpg

Crossposts: https://pinkdiamond.livejournal.com/1957655.html

As per my prior post about Sarah Bernhardt I could not but help but have Lillie well represented in the research materials I collected on historic dress.

As a model and as an actress she appeared in paintings by Millais and in photographs.

One of my favourite ensembles she wore just recently came back to attention in House of Worth 1858-1952.