FASHION: THE VISUAL IMAGE

Symbolism, Power and Representation: Dress in

Portraits

Clothing is not just clothes It can carry a variety of social,

economic and moral distinctions and messages.

But, what we know of the past is just a small ‘scraping of the barrel.

NB: In the Middle Ages it was men who were the ‘fashion victims’.

A description of King  Louis IX of France (1214 - 1270):"he went into his garden dressed in a camel's-hair coat, a surcoat of linsey-woolsey without sleeves, a black silk cloak without a hood, and a hat trimmed with peacocks' feathers. At other times he was dressed in a coat of blue silk, a surcoat and mantle of scarlet satin, and a cotton cap."

THOSE MESSAGES CAN ACTUALLY BE LETHAL Inside-versus-outside perspectives

and hidden meaning in many styles, such as pleats on shirts or pants, which helped two major prison gangs identify each other.

A gang investigator told about a homicide where the dead person was found with a blue rag in his hand and a red rag in his back pocket.

“The dead person had been carrying two colors, thinking that depending on the situation, he would pull out a rag to show his affiliation with one group or the other, and he would be safe, But, he had misread the signs and had selected the wrong color. Thus, he was killed by a gang member who had perceived him as claiming alliance with a rival gang.”

WHAT WERE THEY SAYING? Until the late 1900s (Impressionism)

there was no art market of any note. Painters were jobbing hacks. Paintings were commissioned to show

the patron in a good light or show power.

It was the clothing in the pictures that was expensive and to be seen with meaning.

IF YOU KNOW THE DRESS HISTORY SOME PICTURES LOOK DIFFERENT

Jean-Honore Fragonard

THE SWING (1767)

Wallace Collection

THEY CAN SHOW CHANGES IN CIRCUMSTANCES AND PROJECT A MESSAGE

Beware of Mistakes When Looking at Visual Sources

Tissot (1883-5)

Paris

“L’Ambitieuse”

COLOURS WERE SO IMPORTANTBut they fade!

Meanings Do Change Around 1780

Duchess of Athol and her Children

Gender started at the age of 6 for boys, up until that time dress was much the same.

“Breeching” a great event for boys, he then moved away from his mother and into the world of males. In poor families dresses would be worn into the teens by boys.

For a girl womanhood was menstruation, as in many societies today

Blue for a Girl: Pink for a Boy

Some Medieval Propaganda Jan Van Eyk (1436)

Madonna and Child with Canon Joris who commissioned the painting

(Black and white of purity and piety)

Madonna blue or Vermillion

Brilliant blue was wealth (Lapis)

Canon to the left of the painting

Medieval babies were pretty ugly

SYMBOLISM (DUTCH)Goltzius (1578) Lucretia and Handmaids: Leyster (F) 1650 The Proposition

Spinning virtuous distaff spinster. Spinning moral rather than job. Duties of wife or passed by wife to servant.

Virgin Mary spinner of life Erotic metaphors for copulation,

needle passing through cloth, weaving shuttle, embroidery. (With a man in the room)

Stand on right If a man in the room (Cuckold or

mollycoddled) Lace making a frivolity when it was

frowned upon Male Spinner Topsy Turvy world.

Weak with women. Men in female domain were fools Women in male domain (Weaving)

respectable and strong

“Married in her Hair” Portrait of a Lady c1400 Veils from the time of

crusades, also in Genesis 24:65

Mary conceived through her ear to remain chaste so head covers should come to the ears

Head coverings not an option (Eve’s penance)

These head fashions really frowned on by the Church. One of the reasons that God sent the plague. Took time so vanity

Note fashion for shaving eyebrows (The 1930s 500 years in advance)

Once married exposing hair was tantamount to advertising whoredom

Hans Memling Portraits Woman’s hands

devotional. Man’s hands on frame of painting so secular.

Wealthy, black clothes (cork ash and indigo dyed-not fast), spotted fur (civet)

BUT did they really look like this? Pock marked and teeth. (mouth closed)

Giovanni & Giovanna Arnolfini Wedding (Van Eyk)1434

She is not pregnant – it is the fashion of the day (Hands through pockets to lift gown)

A Mass of coded social signals. Dressed in black and in fur. Simplicity and professionalism:

standing on right. Dominant Renaissance elbow Musical instrument harmony Dog for faithfulness Clogs show domestic harmony Fur slippers are sexual Oranges: Garden of Eden or

wealth “She I sin green for the last

time (green the marriage bed: The Song of Solomon) Also hope

Allegories upon Allegories The Procuress (Van

Honthorst) 1625 In Style of Caravaggio Lute the shorthand for lovers

and sex Hats and bonnets with feathers

show loose morals

(Borch)

Suiters Visit

THE AMBASSADORS (1533) Holbein 1447-1543 A Mass of Symbols and

Representations Left: Jean de Dinteville

Ambassador Francois Ist Right: George de Seelve,

Bishop of Lavaur (25) Silk, furs, gold velvet Liturgical Gloves. Black

for Good Friday am. (Red for Good Friday pm)

LITURGICAL GLOVES This is a pair of liturgical gloves from

1510 and were the property of an Archbishop in the Rhine region. They were knitted in red silk with metal threads at a gauge of 25 stitches to the inch. This pair of gloves demonstrates the use of gold thread incorporated into the knitting about the fingers to depict rings. It also demonstrates that the cuffs of gloves could be knitted as a part of the body of the glove and not applied.

These gloves are dated to 1245 and are a pair of liturgical gloves which belonged to the Archbishop Rodrigo Ximenez de Rada. They are knitted in silk at a very tiny gauge of approximately 25 stitches per inch. A variety of 2 color patterns decorate the gloves.

My Very Best Picture

Billy

TUDOR POWER POLITICSNot for Public Show Ruler of all he surveyed A catch for any woman A real political portrait

projecting state power: Tudors very political with a tenuous grasp on power

Note Red Hair Actual colour red and gold

(Powerful and forceful) What about that cod-

piece? Legs hugely important for

a man of the time. Renaissance elbow Bombazine breeches

A Chip of the Old Tudor Block Edward VI about 10 or 12

years old (Died of TB about 15)

Showing he was his father’s son, a necessity to carry the line

Red Hair? (Deliberate or would have been painted out.

Cod piece reflecting father’s virility. Renaissance elbow

An outward sign to the world of powerful continuity

Fur is Lynx Wheat colour is hope.

1546 Princess Elizabeth The Tudors were perhaps the

first monarchs to understand the importance of public relations and they carefully prepared their image for public consumption.

There is certainly little warmth in any of the portraits, but there is much majesty.

  note: As students of Elizabeth's

1st life know, the queen was very proud of her beautiful hands.  She considered them her best feature and took pains to have them prominently displayed in all of her state portraits.  As you view the following images, please note this recurring feature.

Who is this Woman? Black and Serious: Black and

white of virtue. Liturgical gloves but colour

faded Ermine for wealth and purity. Every indication that she would

marry and not be the dominant partner

Wealth and warmth in a cold setting

Sumptuary laws heavily concerned with fur

No indication of red hair: image change?

Actual picture russet and blue Broken ruff for unmarried

woman

Pelican Portrait 1575 This portrait is held by the

National Portrait Gallery , London.  It is not on display.  this picture shows the growing stylization of images of the queen.  There is a closed imperial crown over each shoulder.  The crown is on top of both a rose (on the left) and a fleur-de-lys (on the right.)  These represent her dynastic claims to both England and France.  The Pelican pendant on her breast symbolizes charity and redemption.  It represents the queen's selfless love of her subjects. How? According to legend, the pelican pricked its own breast to feed its children with the blood. Elizabeth wore a pelican jewel in several state portraits to remind the English of her equally selfless love.

1580-85 Peace Portrait 1580-5, by Marcus Gheeraerts

the Elder.  In this portrait, the queen is the harbinger of peace.  She holds an olive branch in her left hand and a sheathed sword lies at her feet.  She is possibly wearing the same headdress, collar and girdle from the 'Ermine Portrait'.  Also, both gowns are 'Polish style' with froggings.

From the date, we can assume the symbolism refers to the turbulent situation in the Netherlands.

Not usual face pattern Note dog, carrying a paper fan.

Note ‘white boys’.

The Italian Job ?(Believed to be 1575-1579)

Zuccaro (or not) Excommunicated in 1870 so

probably closer to this date. Ruff conspicuous consumption (10

metres) sin of linen The Face Pattern for all later work Dyed Ostrich fan of Virginia Pearls on breast for virtue Ribbons

on sleeve where sleeves joined Pomander or mirror on ribbon Face make-up up to half inch of

white lead Eliz colours. Black and white of

purity, red and gold of power Red Wig Spanish Farthingale (Armada 1588) The aristocratic English Lady Purchased in 1925 for 1500 pounds

The ‘Sieve’ Portraits (1579-1580 At least six different

versions at different times Painted to represent rather

than be representative Ruff getting larger still

Spanish Farthingale Black and white and grey

(Constance and purity) Pearls of Virtue ‘White boys’ in background

Tuccia Vestal Virgin

GLORIANA (1588) Gower A Mature Elizabeth not as a

woman but as the embodiment of the power and wealth of England

Huge dangers: Religion, Spanish, Scots, Ireland

An Imperial Caricature Pearl trinity? Pearl Codpiece Red wig Hand on globe showing

imperial reach Clothes show magnificence,

glory and wealth Now wearing a French

Farthingale

Ditchley Portrait (1592) Very much an

embodiment of England. Painted for Elizabeth to

succour favour. Standing on a map of

Southern England (Oxford) Seat of past champion Sir Henry Lee.

Married to England: dress probably never existed. All in white as the shining light.Tudor rose in ruff.

A woman but not a woman

A Problem 1600 A Coronation

Picture but painted on her death.

Virgin long hair Henry’s Hair Ermine on Robes

Succession??

Men’s Clothes Told the Story Dudley of Leicester

Male clothing dandified One of the ‘white boys’ Faithful dog: hound

upper class Glamour and passion of

young men. Elizabeth always associated herself. Young men possess humour of heat and light and war

Note the elbow

A Procession as the Light of England Countess of Southampton: French Farthingale

In Contrast the ‘Melancholy’ Statesman Black for gravitas and

dependability. Age gives wisdom

Humour of Black bile and melancholy

Men of age and self control

Ruff a sign of conspicuous consumption.

Opposite of white boys But take care not to look

too Catholic Thomas Walsingham the

Spy Master

Mr and Mrs Andrews An early Gainsborough

(1749) 22 Year old Robert Andrews

(Painter’s friend 16 year old Francis Carter 9 children (Her 48, him 80) Note patch on dress I am filthy rich because look

at all that land behind me. Scene still exists: not bench Dressed in similar colours

and materials Note Dog

women remarkably free except for inheritance.

The Same Set-Up

Mr and Mrs Coltman

Joseph Wright (1734 – 1797)

But 30 Years later Mr and Mrs Hallet Gainsborough “Men in Black” Beau Brummel said you

can tell a gentleman (English of course) by the cut of his clothes)

Last vestiges of old ways but Professionalism, trust. Law, church, property

She now is responsible for showing the family wealth particularly as you could not work in those clothes.

IT HAPPENED IN THE AMERICAS AS WELL (B.1732)

200 Years Later

Jean Muir

1995

The Professional Woman in Black

No frills: feminine and beautifully cut

Real Propaganda Through Dress

Heinrich Knirr

1936

Stamps etc

Propaganda at its Peak

Kursell

1941

Nazi Ideology Through Dress

BUT HOW POPULAR WAS IT?

Contrasts

The Modern World

Clothes (or the lack of them) still sell a lifestyle and an aspiration image

But you can really get it wrong Did it hit its

correct audience? Or did it actually

improve sales to those who matter and who identified

Also, look at those shoes!

FASHION: THE VISUAL IMAGE

Symbolism, Power and Representation: Dress in

Portraits