Fabric in Paintings of the Victorian Era

The Ramparts, Walmer Castle

(Please click on the picture for a detailed view. I like the background scenery in this painting.)

(by Perugini, (1839-1918) Italian-born British painter of the Victorian Era

A few years ago I posted some sewing inspired by paintings of the Victorian era, (Painting-inspired dressing and painting-inspired sewing)  and I am looking again at paintings to get ideas of the fabrics and designs. Click on the pictures and get a closer view of the lovely fabrics, the ruffles, the trims, and also have a look at the hair styles. If you will click on the link and go to the painting, clicking it on again and then using the magnifier, it shows a pretty good up-close idea of what the ruffles and tucks and fabrics look like. 

Portrait of a Lady

(click on the picture for a closer view and then use the magnifer)

(and another scenic background)

Kate

(Click on the picture for a larger view.)

The fabric of this dress looks exactly like some that is sold in fabric stores today.

Female Identity

Do you think the subject of this painting is a woman, or a man?  What things in the painting provide evidence of this person being male, or female?  Does it matter to you, whether someone is male or female, when you are talking to them?  What would you think, if you could not tell the difference between men and women?  Would you call them "sir" or "ma'am" or "it"?

Woman Seated in a Forest Glade

by Gyorgyi Giergl Alajos, Hungarian 1821-1863

for a detailed view of this magnificent painting, click here and then click on the painting there.

http://www.allposters.com/gallery.asp?aid=87577597&apnum=3371843&LinkTypeID=2&PosterTypeID=1&DestType=7&Referrer%20=http://lovelywhatevers.blogspot.com/

please click on the title and go to see a larger views of these paintings. Once you click on the titles at Lovely Whatevers, you will go to Allposters. Click on the picture again, and see a full size page view on your screen.

A great deal can be learned from the records of the past, especially the paintings and photographs which I am showcasing on this blog.  In the first painting, for example, there are several things which show femininity in clothing:  the tiered layers of cloth, with stitched tucks, that make up the skirt, and the delicateness of the fabric, the fullness and length of the dress, the soft fringe on the shawl, the shoes (more delicate than mens shoes)  and the hat with a ribbon on it.   These things generally are still considered to give a female appearance.

                                                                 

In your own family album, you may have photographs simlar to this, from the same era (middle or late 1800's). This is my great grandmother, Margaret Adelaide, and her husband, who lived in Texas.  Notice how femininely different her garment is from that of her husband's.  Most women dressed like this, and I think they rarely were confused about who was a man and who was a woman (unlike today).   In this photograph, how can you tell the difference between the father and the mother?

 Can you tell which is the man, and which is the woman, in this 19th century painting by Abbott Fuller Graves?

 Women look best in feminine clothing, and it affects their confidence, their self-worth as women, and their mood.  Men respond differently to women who are dressed like women, than they do to women who are dressed like men.  When you dress like a man, you tend to behave less femininely and take on a masculine posture and attitude. Men do not want women to look like men.  The paintings here show that the 18th and 19th century men and women were not as confused as they are today. That is why we should learn from them, and in particular, see what the artists of the times portrayed as male and female attire.

Palace in Moscow

by

Edouard Jean Marie Hostein, French,  1804-1889

You can see a much larger view of this wonderful painting if you will click on the title, to the site where it is posted, and follow the links to find an even bigger view. 

When you click on the full size painting, can you tell the difference between the male and female figures in this scene?  Do you you think the clothing was distinct enough in the 19th century, to recognize the women, even from a distance?

Luncheon in the Conservatory

by Louise Abemma, French, 1858-1927

In this scene, the men and women are opposites in appearance, because of their clothing.  What do you think is wrong with the scene today? Do you think the entire look of the beautiful dresses would have been spoiled by the modern sports shoe?

Epic Heroes, by Victor Vasnetsov (Russian, 1848-1926)

Is the artists intention to portray men, or women, in this painting? How can you tell if they are men?

To see more beautiful paintings, click on "older posts" at the end of the articles on this page.

One of the dangers of not being able to tell male from female, is that it breaks down manners and chivalry.  It seems like a deliberate attempt to prevent people from saying "sir," or ma'am" out of respect. It is designed to humiliate those who believe in honoring a person by addressing them as "sir" or "ma'am."  Unless you are Marcy, addressing Peppermint Patty from a Charles Schutlze cartoon,  you should address men as "sir," and women as "ma'am."

Those who love God and use His Word as their standard for life, know that God has put distinctive, visual differences between male and female. He expects us to glorify Him with those differences. We are authorized to blend the sexes or erase the differences.  Today, women's clothing , for the most part, erases the difference between male and female. We should, as women, try to look different than men. Since it is harder to find role models for this, today, we can look into the past. That is why I have posted these paintings and photographs of a time when men and women were not so confused about which they were.

A Passion For Potatoes

Peeling Potatoes, by Ernest Walbourn

British, 1872-1927

Potato Digging in the Kitchen Garden

by William Small,  British: 1843-1929

Potato Harvest

by Ernest Masson (France 19th century)

Planting Potatoes

by Frederick Leighton

Britain, 1830-1896

Digging Potatoes

by Carl Larsson,  Sweden, 1853- 1919

Digging Potatoes November 4th

These are all Copyrighted photos: all rights reserved! Do not duplicate or put anywhere on the web.

How do you know when a potato is ready?  When the blossoms and the vine dies and looks lifeless.

Looks like there is something here...

I am quite sentimental about potatoes.

Potato digging is very hard labor and  dirty work...

Yet, it is somewhat more glorified if my dress matches the potatoes. This cotton fabric did not stain or tear, and looked just like those pink skinned potatoes. Please notice the back grounds of the potato diggers in the paintings of the 1800's and take in the pretty clothing of the homemakers of the 1800's, depicted there.  As I love potatoes I was just thrilled to find several artists that capture the women planting, harvesting and preparing potatoes. This is true beauty!

They scrub up quite nicely. I can bake them or use them in different recipes...

...such as baking them in a large, shallow pan in the oven, with olive oil and rosemary...

...or making a garden potato salad with tomatoes and chives..

or

Potato Scones, which are always a great hit at a tea party.

Take 6 cups of mashed potatoes and mix in one cup of unbleached flour. Lay the mixture on a flour covered piece of wax paper and pat to about an inch thick. Cut into circles or squares and fry both sides in hot olive oil until brown and slightly crisp on each side. . Let drain on a paper towel and serve with butter or jam or honey.

Our parents wisely put us to work when we were very young, planting and harvesting potatoes. If you have read my book, "Just Breathing the Air, " you would have seen the photograph of me with my first potato crop, which I sold to a local grocery store. I have not stopped loving the discovery of dozens of beautiful pink, gold, or purple potatoes beneath one dead stalk, which began with one tiny potato. 

One reason I like potatoes so much, is that I know how comforting they are, as a food, even when you do not feel well. They are loaded with nutrients that improve your mood and can help you feel better when you are not well.  One way to fix them for a sick person is to cook them til they are soft enough to mash, and mix them with other boiled produce such as green beans, brocoli, carrots, etc.  Take all these cooked vegetables and blend them in a blender or mash them or use a mixer and puree them. Leave some of the broth from the saucepan, and blend it up til it is a soup. Then pour it into a bowl and top it with croutons, and it seems to revive a person suffering from illness.

One reason for this, is that potatoes are easily digestable. Potatoes are packed with Vitamin C and B-complex, and minerals like potassium, magnesium, phosphorous, and zinc, which are all good for your skin!!  You can make a face pack out of crushed  raw potatoes and honey, and you can use a slice of potato on a burn or cut to heal it.  Eating cooked potatoes can help prevent viral infections like colds.

Eating potatoes regularly can reduce high blood pressure and prevent sugar cravings, thus lowering the chances of related diseases. It keeps the brain active and alert, prevents heart disease, kidney stones, and diarrhea. No wonder potato soup is a favorite among potato-lovers.

For me, it is the entire outdoor experience that makes me a potato-lover.  You do not have to be in the country to have potatoes. Just turn a section of your yard into a miniature farm and you'll experience the joy of having your own food, unadulterated by chemicals of any kind. You must dig a shallow, long ditch, and plant the potatoes, sprout side up (or a whole sprouted potato) in the dirt that makes the hill section.  If you will make a distinct mound for each plant, they will be easier to find when it is time to dig.  Dig a wide area around the hill and not too close to the vine, so that you wont cut the potatoes with your shovel. 

Working outside seems to clear the mind of troubles, and renew your optimism. When you return to the house, you feel you can do anything!

Pretty potatoes from my garden: Yukon Gold, White, and Purple. The purple potatoes are purple inside, as well, which adds color to any meal.

Your local farmers market, and some grocery stores that have good produce, is a great way to get the potatoes you need if you do not grow them.  You can use potatoes for the entire meal and put a variety of toppings on them. If you have limited space, try growing them in a large container. You will not even have to dig them. Just pull up the potato vine or dump the pot of soil, and see those wonderful potatoes.

Read more about potatoes here http://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/vegetable/health-benefits-of-potato.html

and see a list or essential nutrients, including a whopping amount of Vitamin C, here http://home.howstuffworks.com/potatoes3.htm

If you are interested in "potato politics" you might study this site http://mises.org/story/2978  

Once A Year Planning

Sitting In the Garden,

by Susan Rios

Susan Rios would like to expand her mailing list informing people of her painting events. To receive her newsletters, sign up here.

Picking Daisies, by H. Seeger (German, 1857-1945)

from http://www.lovelywhatevers.blogspot.com/

Before I complete this part of the sewing series, I want to show some planning techniques for selecting clothing, even if you buy ready-made. You might sketch a garment or include the picture of the pattern you are going to use, on your scrapbook planning page.  I have attached snips of fabrics and made notes about what the dress might be suitable for (travel, homemaking, church, etc).

click on for details

Take some time once a year to make a planning page like this(the spring is an ideal time to begin), and  use a dark pencil or pen and your crayons, to illustrate your planning page. I have a deluxe box of crayons containing just about every color that you can get in crayons, and use them a lot.

You can also make a scrapbook page with a collection of clothes from catalogs and magazines, to give you ideas for sewing or selecting to wear. I hope you do not have a problem printing it out.

A collection of clippings for ideas in design and color.

On the planning sheet there is a clip of yellow and sage fabric similar to the dress and shawl worn by Molly on the way to her father's wedding. She also wore it while staying with the Miss Brownings. If you want to get a look at how calicos and cotton prints are used in every day dressing, look through Wives and Daughters films and notice Molly's clothing.  There is a good screenshot of the bodice of this yellow dress with the shawl  here http://enchantedserenityperiodfilms.blogspot.com/2008/02/wives-and-daughters-screencaps.html

Salad Dressing

Raspberries in Cabbage Leaf

by Eloise Harriet Stannard 1880

Check out other paintings by this 19th century artist, at allposters and other art sites online.

This red rose cotton print has the lovely light green or "sage" background that reflects the colors of the vegetable garden. The color bar on the edge of the fabric is great to use on a card in your purse, whether you are using it for home decor or clothing. Take it with you whe you want to match up your colors to other things. (  This is a "garden dress" which will be photographed later.) The print comes in other combinations, including a peach colored back ground with co-ordinating roses, a pink back ground and a beige back ground. Check it out at Joannes. It might be in the  "Quilters Showcase" collection. The colors in this garment look a lot like the salad ingredients from the garden, so I call it "Salad Dressing."

A bountiful basket with a late crop of salad vegetables.

Even the red and green peppers (capsicum) are works of art.

From the lower end: parsley, green pepper, cucumber and tomato.

In regard to my previous article on overcoming discouragement, someone requested that I post a reminder about good nutrition and proper rest.  I am glad to be reminded of this, because indeed, things usually seem bleaker as evening progresses, and problems loom larger. In the morning, people's burdens are lighter and the weight of the day is not upon them. If they do not get enough sleep throughout the week, life seems more discouraging.  There is a saying that life is better after a good nap! 

Food without additives, particularly sodiums, just make the mind clearer, and good pure water without additives, can  make people think better.  If you grow just one vegetable in a pot, you will notice the taste is different and  it is loaded with the nutrients it is supposed to have.  If you begin growing vegetables one at a time, you will not be overwhelmed with work, and it will help teach your children to grow food and be able to look after themselves.  If you have no children,  and grow something, even a potato or string beans, you can share it with others.

To make your own salad dressing, mash an avocado with a fresh tomato and add a crushed or shredded cucumber, and any seasonings you like, from your herb garden.

Seaside Colors in Fabrics

This is a new painting by Susan Rios and can be purchased online, called "The Ocean as Lace." There are a lot of other people who think in terms of fabric, when they look at the world around them.  The foam on top of blue water, does look like lace.

"A Familiar Walk" is an older painting by Susan Rios. This blue dress is a perfect compliment to the surroundings, with the lace collar looking just like the ocean's white lacy foam on the blue water.  The paintings can be viewed at Susan Rios Editions.

This is one of my winter dresses, made from a cotton that looks like linen. When a lace scarf or collar is added, it has a similar look to "The ocean as Lace".  This soft cotton dress is one of the most comfortable things I have to wear when the weather is too cool for short sleeves. There are two shades of teal : one has a blue tone, and the other, a green tone. This one is blue.

These are the five dollar flats at WalMart that I will be buying for my modest fashion show. They look a lot like the shoes in the 18th century paintings of women, including one of the paintings included in this "Painting Inspired Clothing" series: Eugene De Blass paintings show similar shoes. If you want these shoes, you need to buy a half or whole size larger than your regular size.

Just buy 1/4 yard of lace fabric, to make a scarf. This really looks like the foam against the ocean, as in the Susan Rios painting I showed, above.  Scarves provide a little more modesty, and I will try to also include a post on scarves as jewelry. I don't wear them at home, but they are a nice touch in the public, when you want a little more barrier between you and other people. Scarves are great if you do not have the time or money to invest in making new clothes, or buying new, modest clothes. Just use scarves over your other clothes, and make them more modest. That is one of the advantages of the Indian saree, which can wrap around the body and provide a little more coverage, without adding to heavy a layer of fabric. Scarves are also very, very feminine.

This picture just shows the added seashell buttons, making it a garment with a seaside theme.

This is the little triangle scarf I made that is sheer cotton, for a removeable collar. Similar ones can be seen on some of the paintings of the 18th and 19th centuries.

Clothing in the Garden

Over the Garden Wall, by Helen Allingham

(England, 1848-1926)

Day Dreaming by Dewey Bates
(American, 1851-1899)

The Fair Gardener , by Arthur Hughes
(British, 1832-1915)

Country Girl Gleans After the Oat Harvest

(c. 1850)

If you will notice the photographs and the paintings of the peasants of the previous centuries, the clothing was not colorful.  There has been some discussion on this blog about today's dull colors marketed to women, in the form of browns and grays and mudied greens that look like army uniforms. 

 The garden clothing of the past had all those "dull" colors--black, brown, faded, etc, yet, you can tell it had a different affect. What was the difference? The length, and the folds in the skirts, created a more graceful look for women.

  The painters were certainly inspired by the look of a woman, surrounded by beautiful scenery, to capture the memory. I dont know if the clothing of today can inspire this kind of art. Yet, these fabrics were not bright colors and were not of any kind of beauty. It is the drape, and the length,  that makes even the darker colors (black, brown,)  womanly and feminine. 

So, if you like browns, and want to change from wearing pants, to skirts and dresses, here is an idea for you.  Just use the same dull colors, but make a long dress or skiert and a pretty top. This is fabric I bought at Joanns, a toile with an aqua background for the blouse or jacket, and the solid brown for the skirt. You can work in the garden and not feel you will be ruining it, as the colors are similar to what you will be working with. The brown fabric and the toile are all 100 % cotton, loosely woven, and tends to be more comfortable than a high thread count, in hot weather or hard work outside. (This just means it is not as high quality as the firmer cotton, but it is generally, in my opinion, more comfortable and not as expensive.)

One of the scenes on the cotton toile.

Here it is in brown. I'll use this piece for a long apron that will protect the bodice and skirt.

 Another scene from the brown toile. An over dress or "jumper" would be nice in this fabric, or it could be used to go with the brown skirt, and worn to work in the garden.

This is the new Thomas Kinkade fabric at Wal Mart.

It is expensive so I bought only a yard, to make an apron, and add some color to the brown dress I will be making. 


It is the longer length of any garment that gives it a soft and flowing look. You can take the same colors and prints, and put it in the shorter and tighter styles and it will not have the same effect at all.

The Young Shepherdess

by Johann Baptise Hoffner,

(German, 1832-1913)

If you will click on the link below and then click on the painting for a larger view, it will show the fabric more closely. The blue apron/skirt that she is wearing on the top of her skirt, looks as though it could be our modern day blue denim fabric, but what a difference it makes to the total appearance and demeanor of a woman when the fabric is loose and flowing and folded in a way that is different than a man's garment. The whole point of some of these "Painting-inspired dressing" posts is to emphasize that women should look different than men in their clothing.  Someone comment before, that the pants were worn under the skirts, and never would a woman wear them as outerwear. What was underwear a hundred years ago, is now outerwear.

http://www.allposters.com/gallery.asp?startat=/getposter.asp&APNum=4997067&CID=7B31CA56BB444E9EB9B05B6E7171F2D3&PPID=1&Search=shepherdess&f=t&FindID=0&P=1&PP=3&sortby=PD&c=c&page=1

Modest Active Wear

The Hop Picker, by Charles Perugini

Summer's Fun, by George Sheriden Knowles,

1863-1931

Summer's Fun, by George Sheriden Knowles,

1863-1931

Spring Bouquet

by Ilya Efimovich Repin

The Croquet Match

by Sir John Lavery,

Picking Turnips, by Robert Crawford

The Reapers, by Jules Breton

Arriving Home, by Isaac Henzell

Hanging the Washing,

by Helen Allingham

 These paintings from the 1800 artists, show women in various activities outdoors. Apparently, the kitchen garden was maintained by women. If gardenning by hand was anything like it is now, I can truly say it was hard work and required a lot of physical movement. Yet, before the 20th century, women did everything  in dresses: they gardened,  they fished (see Hans Dahl paintings on this blog), they helped in harvest time (see the paintings and links of women pitching hay in these garments), and they took care of the house, wearing aprons to protect their clothing.  I have also included on this blog, paintings of women active in sports.  It is possible to be active and to achieve something without giving up modesty. My sewing series here is showing how to be inspired by these wonderful paintings of the past, and use the ideas of color and cover, for today.  I have tried to show gardenning clothes here, and have fabric picked out to make something similar, which I will show in future posts. Right now, the garden is calling, so I will see you all later.