So, today I am putting out a call for questions regarding bliauts, handout requests (a few are available online, but I have to mail or fileshare the rest), etc.
If anyone needs or wants copies of my handouts (these are the same ones from KWCS a few years back), pleasego download from Lulu.com (free, may ask you to register) or convince me to post them at Scribd (I have an account and have not yet posted anything). If you have the handouts and want to pick my brains for stuff not in them, please ask!
Direct links to the lulu.com pages:
Introduction to 12th century Western European Clothing for Women and Men
Serpentine Braids or Straight as a Scabbard: Women's Court Hairdressing in 12th Century Europe
I have a couple more that are not yet online, and one that is a handout version of the Adventures In Dagging project, done for a workshop. I will hunt those up and mail out copies on request.
I am also considering reworking my old "bliaut handout" into a more updated version, with the cheats (shortcuts in girdle making, mostly) as a separate section. Any interest?
I am duplicating this post over at my livejournal, so if you subscribe to it as well as read here, ask in one place or I might get confused ;)
Showing posts with label bliaut. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bliaut. Show all posts
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Frankenblogging Part 1: Some thoughts on the gown in The Accolade
Author's note: Welcome to Frankenblogging! This is a feature in which I comment on my own older web-published advice and reference, as a way to make myself feel better about subjecting folks to new posts of it while I am porting it over here.
I wrote this piece a decade or more ago, originally for a post to a discussion list, later re-written for my old website. While it is an older opinion, most of what it has in it is still both valid and consistent with my current opinions on the subject of medieval costume in Victorian artworks.
What I see in this gown:
It looks to me as though the artist spent a bit of time looking at a couple of costume texts of the day in an effort to get the right feel. However, some of the details are a bit off for the probable intended period, while, at the same time, being right on target for later periods.
12th century elements:
It seems, at first glance, to be a sort of 'Victorianized' bliaut, which probably doesn't help much, if you are at all familiar with the contorversy about how these garments might have been made. Things that make me think it's a bliaut (or just generally intended to be a noble lady in 12th C. dress, which would fit nicely with the knighting motif, and the dress of the rest of the figures):
I like The Accolade. Really. It's a charming, romantic work, and was the stuff of my knights and princesses fantasies as a child. Plus, the dress is like every little girl's fantasy Medieval queen dress up outfit. It makes a fantastic wedding gown, and a number of custom wedding gown makers have a version in their catalogs. That said, it's a Really Really Bad Historical Reference, don't use it as one.
Also, I've been asked DOZENS of times about how to make this "bliaut" for historical reenactment wear. At the time I wrote this, I had been asked about seven times, and I was already getting kind of burnt out. I think I made up a form letter, actually, then thought better of it and put this on my site and just redirected folks to it.
Some other thoughts on Victorian ideas about Norman dress
Don't blame the painter too much for the dress being wrong, although the subject matter is romantic fantasy. The whole 19th century concept of how Norman court dress was made and worn was very wrongheaded. Much of this had to do with the idea that it had to be constructed in some manner similar to that of formal dress of the time (restrictive, separate bodice, either over or under the gown). Additionally, art and costume historians of the 1800's had little or no archaeological evidence to work from, and this, combined with the lack of clear photographs (most worked from others' redrawings of period artworks) contributed to their ideas about how things must have been made. Unfortunately for the beginning costumer interested in Norman court dress, most costuming books easily available today still use these ideas.
I think the current transmission of these ideas mostly comes through Braun & Schneider and Norris, but originally came from Voillet-Le-Duc (who WASN'T a tailor, and boy did it show - I'm not of the opinion that he was much of an artist, either) when he sketched the statues badly 200 years ago. Montfaucon's (earlier) sketches were much better but are less well known. Interestingly, Strutt wasn't as influenced by Voillet-Le-Duc's ideas, possibly because they were near-contemporaries. Strutt, however is more useful for later eras and leaves much out in his redrawings of clothing of the 12th century, though he does seem to have done them from direct observation of illuminated manuscripts.
This bit is more of an analysis of the whole 19th century take on Medieval dress in general. Still pretty opinionated.
I wrote this piece a decade or more ago, originally for a post to a discussion list, later re-written for my old website. While it is an older opinion, most of what it has in it is still both valid and consistent with my current opinions on the subject of medieval costume in Victorian artworks.
Some thoughts on the gown in The Accolade
I get asked about this every once in awhile, since it's such an attractive painting, and the gown shown is so lovely to the modern eye. Unfortunately, it's also a Victorian fantasy of what a generalized 'medieval' gown would look like. While it would make a nice 19th century theatre costume, fancy dress outfit, or even a modern wedding gown, it isn't really a medieval gown at all. I'm going to go over its various features and analyze them for the reader, based on my background in studying and recreating medieval, rennaisance and Victorian dress. |
| Image from Wikimedia Commons |
What I see in this gown:
It looks to me as though the artist spent a bit of time looking at a couple of costume texts of the day in an effort to get the right feel. However, some of the details are a bit off for the probable intended period, while, at the same time, being right on target for later periods.
12th century elements:
It seems, at first glance, to be a sort of 'Victorianized' bliaut, which probably doesn't help much, if you are at all familiar with the contorversy about how these garments might have been made. Things that make me think it's a bliaut (or just generally intended to be a noble lady in 12th C. dress, which would fit nicely with the knighting motif, and the dress of the rest of the figures):
- The 'V' neck on the overdress
- The tight and wrinkly undersleeves
- The neck of the undergown closed with a brooch
- The bicep trimmings
- The wide sleeves of the overdress,
- The location of the belt.
- The puffy sleeve cap on the overdress sleeves (regency/Victorian)
- The plaque belt (which *is* medeival/rennaisance, but doesn't
appear until about 100-200 years later than the intended period
in its earliest form) - The fact that the belt has no upper loop around the torso
- The overgown and undergown being of the same colors (although
this is probably both a painterly and a theatrical convention) - That the torso's silhouette is that of a gently corseted woman
of about 1880-1900 (which would make sense if he had a model pose
in a theatre costume to get the light and shadow right - she would
have worn her stays underneath it).
I like The Accolade. Really. It's a charming, romantic work, and was the stuff of my knights and princesses fantasies as a child. Plus, the dress is like every little girl's fantasy Medieval queen dress up outfit. It makes a fantastic wedding gown, and a number of custom wedding gown makers have a version in their catalogs. That said, it's a Really Really Bad Historical Reference, don't use it as one.
Also, I've been asked DOZENS of times about how to make this "bliaut" for historical reenactment wear. At the time I wrote this, I had been asked about seven times, and I was already getting kind of burnt out. I think I made up a form letter, actually, then thought better of it and put this on my site and just redirected folks to it.
Some other thoughts on Victorian ideas about Norman dress
Don't blame the painter too much for the dress being wrong, although the subject matter is romantic fantasy. The whole 19th century concept of how Norman court dress was made and worn was very wrongheaded. Much of this had to do with the idea that it had to be constructed in some manner similar to that of formal dress of the time (restrictive, separate bodice, either over or under the gown). Additionally, art and costume historians of the 1800's had little or no archaeological evidence to work from, and this, combined with the lack of clear photographs (most worked from others' redrawings of period artworks) contributed to their ideas about how things must have been made. Unfortunately for the beginning costumer interested in Norman court dress, most costuming books easily available today still use these ideas.
I think the current transmission of these ideas mostly comes through Braun & Schneider and Norris, but originally came from Voillet-Le-Duc (who WASN'T a tailor, and boy did it show - I'm not of the opinion that he was much of an artist, either) when he sketched the statues badly 200 years ago. Montfaucon's (earlier) sketches were much better but are less well known. Interestingly, Strutt wasn't as influenced by Voillet-Le-Duc's ideas, possibly because they were near-contemporaries. Strutt, however is more useful for later eras and leaves much out in his redrawings of clothing of the 12th century, though he does seem to have done them from direct observation of illuminated manuscripts.
This bit is more of an analysis of the whole 19th century take on Medieval dress in general. Still pretty opinionated.
Saturday, August 02, 2003
I wanna go home...
I read 's journal entry on how she's going to an event in Ansteorra today, and I got all homesick.
Alas, I'm stuck in southern Caid until at least October, with a closetful of garb that fit my pre-baby body much better than now. The people here are wonderful, and I've finally gotten to meet a lady whose research into German Ren has impressed me for years, BUT... I'm sitll homesick. I misssed the entire reign of a King and Queen who I really like, several arts comps I had wanted to enter, my family back home, my freinds. I missed the presentation of the first piece of Regalia that I ever had a hand in creating. My SCA 'parents' are back there too, and my 'little sister' just went into the air force, and I didn't get to see her off.
I'm just mopey today.
About that garb...Even if my figure is better (meaning that I seem to have finished developing at the ripe old age of 32, and I actually HAVE a figure now), it's still a pain to have to alter things. Everything is too small in the bust, too big in the arms (breastfeeding actually uses up that 'wibbly bit' - that's what your body puts fat there for!), and too big in the waist (I've been losing wieght since I left my ex andmost of my garb dates from before that.. And I don't seem to have time to finish the new stuff that's already cut out.
Whine, whine, whine.
I'm also all wound up about wanting to get down to remaking my German Ren, which is sitting happily in a box in my storage in TX. And then there's the box of sari silk that I want to try making a couple of bliauts out of. Argh.
You always want what you can't have...
Alas, I'm stuck in southern Caid until at least October, with a closetful of garb that fit my pre-baby body much better than now. The people here are wonderful, and I've finally gotten to meet a lady whose research into German Ren has impressed me for years, BUT... I'm sitll homesick. I misssed the entire reign of a King and Queen who I really like, several arts comps I had wanted to enter, my family back home, my freinds. I missed the presentation of the first piece of Regalia that I ever had a hand in creating. My SCA 'parents' are back there too, and my 'little sister' just went into the air force, and I didn't get to see her off.
I'm just mopey today.
About that garb...Even if my figure is better (meaning that I seem to have finished developing at the ripe old age of 32, and I actually HAVE a figure now), it's still a pain to have to alter things. Everything is too small in the bust, too big in the arms (breastfeeding actually uses up that 'wibbly bit' - that's what your body puts fat there for!), and too big in the waist (I've been losing wieght since I left my ex andmost of my garb dates from before that.. And I don't seem to have time to finish the new stuff that's already cut out.
Whine, whine, whine.
I'm also all wound up about wanting to get down to remaking my German Ren, which is sitting happily in a box in my storage in TX. And then there's the box of sari silk that I want to try making a couple of bliauts out of. Argh.
You always want what you can't have...
Tuesday, July 22, 2003
old site all fixed and other news
Well, my issue with (my old web host) is all cleared up. Seems they changed their rate structure and didn't realize that it might have an effect on old users... Anyway, it's all better now and I'm not going to make (my old website, which is now gone, years later) go away any time soon, though the ads are there to stay. I liked the old teeny ads better, but I can't get them back now. I made the banners as unobtrusive as possible (they are the kind that scroll away after they load).
I'm trying to get ahold of the lady who runs amiperiodornot(dot)com (also long gone) since I've put together a browsable index, but she won't email me back (or my mails keep going astray), so I don't know if it is okay for me to make it public or not. Sigh.
The bliautlady site is up, but not updated. We're expecting houseguests and I've been busy trying to clean around the baby. That means, unfortunately, no sewing either. Argh, I can look at the Eyesore Gown, but no working on it until next week at the earliest. It seems fated to remain a pile of parts for awhile. My head is just bursting with ideas for the new site and improvements to the old one and I have a half-finshed set of illos for Arrianne de Chateau-Michel that I need to ink and scan. Too much to do, not enough me to do it all in time for me to be ahppy with it all.
Oh, go to her site: (website gone, sigh try the archive, here: https://web.archive.org/web/20070928174759/http://www.chateau-michel.org/ ) READ her articles. They are GOOD. She writes as well as I draw, or better.
I'm thinking I might want to make a custom set of moodicons, and make them public, since I'm not so happy with what's there right now. I used to do icon design at Tivoli, so I've certainly got the skillset.
Kid is TEETHING. 2 teeth and counting, he's working on the third and it really hurts him. Left Upper incisor is cutting thru right now, poor thing. We're going at a rate of about 1 every 8-10 days. Yes, before anyone asks, he's been biting, but he always did that, and I'm pretty good at getting him to stop.
Wow, this is my longest entry ever, not counting my project outline. ;)
Hope I have time to update soonish.
I'm trying to get ahold of the lady who runs amiperiodornot(dot)com (also long gone) since I've put together a browsable index, but she won't email me back (or my mails keep going astray), so I don't know if it is okay for me to make it public or not. Sigh.
The bliautlady site is up, but not updated. We're expecting houseguests and I've been busy trying to clean around the baby. That means, unfortunately, no sewing either. Argh, I can look at the Eyesore Gown, but no working on it until next week at the earliest. It seems fated to remain a pile of parts for awhile. My head is just bursting with ideas for the new site and improvements to the old one and I have a half-finshed set of illos for Arrianne de Chateau-Michel that I need to ink and scan. Too much to do, not enough me to do it all in time for me to be ahppy with it all.
Oh, go to her site: (website gone, sigh try the archive, here: https://web.archive.org/web/20070928174759/http://www.chateau-michel.org/ ) READ her articles. They are GOOD. She writes as well as I draw, or better.
I'm thinking I might want to make a custom set of moodicons, and make them public, since I'm not so happy with what's there right now. I used to do icon design at Tivoli, so I've certainly got the skillset.
Kid is TEETHING. 2 teeth and counting, he's working on the third and it really hurts him. Left Upper incisor is cutting thru right now, poor thing. We're going at a rate of about 1 every 8-10 days. Yes, before anyone asks, he's been biting, but he always did that, and I'm pretty good at getting him to stop.
Wow, this is my longest entry ever, not counting my project outline. ;)
Hope I have time to update soonish.
Sunday, July 13, 2003
Fun with 50megs
Well, as you probably noticed, 50megs made some policy changes (weird) in the past couple of days without telling anyone. So I had to spend an hour or so wrangling my account and I may have to delete http://jauncourt.i8.com entirely if they still want to charge me 24 dollars for my free account.
HOWEVER, They still do free accounts (now with no setup fee...) and I've made a new diary site, just for my 12thCentury stuff. It's kinda fetal right now, but expect updates in the next week.
http://bliautlady.50megs.com
I'll probably set up seperate sites for my personal life and my more general SCA/costuming notes. But that can wait.
HOWEVER, They still do free accounts (now with no setup fee...) and I've made a new diary site, just for my 12thCentury stuff. It's kinda fetal right now, but expect updates in the next week.
http://bliautlady.50megs.com
I'll probably set up seperate sites for my personal life and my more general SCA/costuming notes. But that can wait.
Friday, July 11, 2003
Oh, my.
I saw a post on a mailing list asking for information on SCA personas that would be appropriate for a woman with (drumroll please) Knee Length Hair.
Gasp. I have *seen* hair like that in my life, but not since childhood, and not since I began the Great Bliaut Hunt and Research Project.
Never before have I wanted to mug someone for their hair.
Whimper. Mine is only to my hips.
Gasp. I have *seen* hair like that in my life, but not since childhood, and not since I began the Great Bliaut Hunt and Research Project.
Never before have I wanted to mug someone for their hair.
Whimper. Mine is only to my hips.
Tuesday, July 08, 2003
Mmmm. Where to begin?
Wow, another blank page. At least my son is helping me type.. . ;)
Well, this is supposed to be where I'm doing my dress diary thing.
Here's the outline of my eventual research doc (it's been called a book by some sly people...drat, I didn't want to write a book):
-------------------------
Outline for research paper on Norman dress v1.0
Introduction
Intentions of author
Description of approach
Explanation of techniques used
Section 1: Survey of Sources
Artwork
Stonework: Statuary and Relief Carvings
Painted works: Illuminations and Wall Paintings
Textile works: Tapestries and Embroideries
Graph of characteristics found in contemporary artwork
Textual sources
Fiction: Poetry and Romances
Nonfiction: Biographical Works and Contemporary Letters
Graph of characteristics found in contemporary texts
Archaeological sources
Examples of earlier periods
Examples of the period (fragmentary)
Examples of later periods
Graph of characteristics found in archaeological sources
Conclusions
Overall graph of sources and characteristics
Timeline showing probable evolution of this type of dress
Simplified theory based on research
Section 2: Theories on Construction
How I got here from there: Description of methods used to determine my theories
Logical deduction
Physical experiment (making examples)
General Construction Methods
An Explanation of Rectangular Construction (cutting diagrams)
Measuring and basic cutting
Putting in gores
Putting in gussets
Neckline Types (cutting diagrams)
Slit-v type
Keyhole type
Round type (also called rotated keyhole)
Sleeve Types (cutting diagrams)
Narrow
Maunch type I (turnback)
Maunch Type II (pendant cuff)
Pleated square cuff
'Angelwing'
Knotted (dual-opening sleeve)
Overview of Ornament Placement
Waist seam
Hem
Cuff
Bicep
Neckline
Undergarments 'Chainse'
Description and Explanation of garment
Instructions for making
Cutting Diagrams
Undergown (laced or unlaced)
Description and Explanation of garment
Instructions for making
Cutting Diagrams
Loose (unlaced, pullover type) Gowns
Description and Explanation of garment
Instructions for making
Cutting Diagrams
Laced Overgown Type I 'Bliaut' pleated skirt - earlier?
Description and Explanation of garment
Instructions for making
Cutting Diagrams
Laced Overgown Type II 'Bliaut' gored tunic - later?
Description and Explanation of garment
Instructions for making
Cutting Diagrams
Section 3: Accessories
Mantles
Description and Explanation of garment
Instructions for making
Cutting Diagrams
Girdles 'ceintures'
Description and Explanation of item
Instructions for making
illustrations of patterns shown in artwork
Headdress
Graph of characteristics found in artwork
Descriptions from contemporary texts
Explanation of theories on hairstyles and accessories
Methods and Instructions for hairstyles found
Three-strand Plaits
Two-strand Plaits
Bound Plaits
Theories on hair extensions
Braid weights
Illustrations and descriptions
Graph of occurences and presumed occurences
Use and making of
Veils
Illustrations and descriptions
Graph of occurences of various types
Use and making of
Cutting Diagrams
Fillets and crowns
Illustrations and descriptions
Graph of occurences and presumed occurences
Use and making of
Shoes
Description and Explanation of item
Graph of characteristics found in artwork
Descriptions from contemporary texts
Use and making of
(short overview, notes on where to locate information on making period shoes)
Jewelry
Illustrations and descriptions
Graph of occurences of various types
Use and making of
(short overview, notes on where to locate information on making simple jewelry)
Footnotes
Detailed list of illustrations including sources of originals
Bibliography
Suggested further reading (includes books in Bibliography)
Glossary
Index
------------
So, am I biting off more than I can chew, or what?
Well, this is supposed to be where I'm doing my dress diary thing.
Here's the outline of my eventual research doc (it's been called a book by some sly people...drat, I didn't want to write a book):
-------------------------
Outline for research paper on Norman dress v1.0
Introduction
Intentions of author
Description of approach
Explanation of techniques used
Section 1: Survey of Sources
Artwork
Stonework: Statuary and Relief Carvings
Painted works: Illuminations and Wall Paintings
Textile works: Tapestries and Embroideries
Graph of characteristics found in contemporary artwork
Textual sources
Fiction: Poetry and Romances
Nonfiction: Biographical Works and Contemporary Letters
Graph of characteristics found in contemporary texts
Archaeological sources
Examples of earlier periods
Examples of the period (fragmentary)
Examples of later periods
Graph of characteristics found in archaeological sources
Conclusions
Overall graph of sources and characteristics
Timeline showing probable evolution of this type of dress
Simplified theory based on research
Section 2: Theories on Construction
How I got here from there: Description of methods used to determine my theories
Logical deduction
Physical experiment (making examples)
General Construction Methods
An Explanation of Rectangular Construction (cutting diagrams)
Measuring and basic cutting
Putting in gores
Putting in gussets
Neckline Types (cutting diagrams)
Slit-v type
Keyhole type
Round type (also called rotated keyhole)
Sleeve Types (cutting diagrams)
Narrow
Maunch type I (turnback)
Maunch Type II (pendant cuff)
Pleated square cuff
'Angelwing'
Knotted (dual-opening sleeve)
Overview of Ornament Placement
Waist seam
Hem
Cuff
Bicep
Neckline
Undergarments 'Chainse'
Description and Explanation of garment
Instructions for making
Cutting Diagrams
Undergown (laced or unlaced)
Description and Explanation of garment
Instructions for making
Cutting Diagrams
Loose (unlaced, pullover type) Gowns
Description and Explanation of garment
Instructions for making
Cutting Diagrams
Laced Overgown Type I 'Bliaut' pleated skirt - earlier?
Description and Explanation of garment
Instructions for making
Cutting Diagrams
Laced Overgown Type II 'Bliaut' gored tunic - later?
Description and Explanation of garment
Instructions for making
Cutting Diagrams
Section 3: Accessories
Mantles
Description and Explanation of garment
Instructions for making
Cutting Diagrams
Girdles 'ceintures'
Description and Explanation of item
Instructions for making
illustrations of patterns shown in artwork
Headdress
Graph of characteristics found in artwork
Descriptions from contemporary texts
Explanation of theories on hairstyles and accessories
Methods and Instructions for hairstyles found
Three-strand Plaits
Two-strand Plaits
Bound Plaits
Theories on hair extensions
Braid weights
Illustrations and descriptions
Graph of occurences and presumed occurences
Use and making of
Veils
Illustrations and descriptions
Graph of occurences of various types
Use and making of
Cutting Diagrams
Fillets and crowns
Illustrations and descriptions
Graph of occurences and presumed occurences
Use and making of
Shoes
Description and Explanation of item
Graph of characteristics found in artwork
Descriptions from contemporary texts
Use and making of
(short overview, notes on where to locate information on making period shoes)
Jewelry
Illustrations and descriptions
Graph of occurences of various types
Use and making of
(short overview, notes on where to locate information on making simple jewelry)
Footnotes
Detailed list of illustrations including sources of originals
Bibliography
Suggested further reading (includes books in Bibliography)
Glossary
Index
------------
So, am I biting off more than I can chew, or what?
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