Sunday, October 24, 2010

Object of the Day: An Early Nineteenth Century Costume Sketch

Many years ago, I had the opportunity to view a collection of antique English costume drawings from the portfolio of a theatrical artist. Some were rendered in pastel. Others were carefully drawn in ink and watercolor. I purchased two of them.


This drawing is labeled “Masquerade, 1820. Roger as Louis XIV.” Neatly drawn in bright pastels, the artist has sketched a detailed, flamboyant French costume. Pastels, being pure pigment, often retain their integrity of color when properly protected. Since this drawing spent over a century in a portfolio, the pigment is uncompromised. The original collection contained several sketches of costumes from this event.

The artist is unknown. He or she was most likely a costumer by trade. However, like most clothing designers, this person showed a capable hand in drawing figures. This charming sketch is an interesting souvenir of an long-forgotten occasion. It makes me wonder what the finished suit of clothes looked like.





2 comments:

Nostalgically Yours said...

Lovely! Thank you for sharing!

One of my favorite things is seeing certain time periods as interpreted through the eyes of another time.

Joseph Crisalli said...

It is fascinating, isn't it. This is definitely a Nineteenth Century take on Louis XIV style. As Tim Gunn would say, they've used their "editing eye."