research snag

Well I did find the image that started my journey of really trying to understand the specifics of the Nordrheine clothing text and of course it is a one off. There is one image, it has no catalogue number and a day of searching the museum website brings up nothing. Nothing in books, nothing anywhere.

I really need to know the specific techniques used. I know the basics but the specifics don’t seem to translate well. though if it does, then that is remarkable too. 

I have been looking for extant items that use techniques seen in portraits to see if I can find them in texts. It does help. I’ve already started looking into river pearl production (there is an effort to restock those mussels which is exciting.)

This has also meant I am looking for the best resolution images to see these painted details to then help in “reading” lower quality images.

I spent the better part of my research “career” with low resolution images. Very low. ANd often in black and white and even the best images often hid fabric weaves (monochrome damask especially.)

What it meant for me was I learnt to look for certain tells and I got very good at it in part because I was an avid collector of patterns from the age of about 14. I had memorised Patterns of Fashion by my late teens anyway. So that meant by the time I got into the specific time and place of the renaissance North I knew how pattern shapes presented in art work taking into account fabri types.

Anyway. Now I have a fair bit of text to backup my interpretation of what is going on in artwork. But I need more. The Koelner haus inventory is fantastic, it has been transcribed twice. The 1957 one I need to get hold of as it seems to include all the spelling variances. I think the 1884 transcription has been tidied to the point that some of the text may no longer be as useful as it should.

But I can at least rest assured that my difficulties are not down to my skill, but is entirely a lack of information for the 16th century. There is a wonderful understanding right up until 1500. And then there is a big gap until the 1570s.

side detour

It turns out my miracle skin powder is no longer made. It was basically talc with vitamin C (MAP) and a little anti-inflammatory and zinc oxide as a UV block. I mixed it into my moisturiser.

Given I need sunblock (hello high UV index in New Zealand) and I can’t use any of the sunblocks on the market- none, nada, I have spent too much to learn this- this was really important.

But it looks like I can get the main products separately and can make my own. I can’t get the powdered liquorice root extract but I think I at least test the liquid. 

I think it’s about 15% Vit C to talc. 

persistence pays off

In other words I am back in my own storage of research. I found another example of the technique I was after so hooray! But also found the image of half length shirts I am using as an inspiration for my own kit.

Linen now costs a heck of a lot and it’s also a heck of a lot hotter where I live. So reducing layers of gathered fabric around the body is going to have this double effect of being able to save money and reduce heat.

I also found a bundle of images of women in sleeveless linen garments that are fitted through the body. They were not my research so I want to try and find the source of them before putting them in my own. With the Lemberg finds, the chemise in Koehler and the Polydorf finds (the one with the half length shirts) I think we can justify this sort of arrangement a lot more now than ever before. And that’s fantastic. The artwork was telling us this, but now we have enough information to back it up.

I also found photos of the cutie frog needle case again 🙂 And a pattern for a pineapple purse. Both of which I very much want to recreate.