Tudor and Stuart fashion: London

Author(s): KAREN HEARN

Source: The Burlington Magazine , August 2013, Vol. 155, No. 1325, Art in Italy (August
2013), pp. 563-564
Published by: (PUB) Burlington Magazine Publications Ltd.

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 Exhibitions

Tudor and Stuart fashion

London

by KAREN HEARN

planning the exhibition In Fine Style:

The Art of Tudor and Stuart Fashion at the
Queen's Gallery, London (to 6th Oct
ober), presented some unfamiliar challenges
to its curators, because it is apparently the
first of the Gallery's shows ever to include
items borrowed from outside the Royal
Collection. Nineteen such loans, principally
textiles and elements of dress, are displayed
alongside more than sixty paintings, mainly
portraits, from the Royal Collection's out
standing sixteenth- and seventeenth-century
holdings.
Curated principally by Anna Reynolds, an
alumna of the Courtauld Institute's History
of Dress course, In Fine Style comprises paint
ings, prints, sculpture, portrait miniatures,
30.30.
Charles I in three
Charles
positions, by Anthony van
IDyck.
in 1635. Canvas,
three 84.4 by 99.4 cm. (Royal
positions,
Collection; exh. by
jewellery, armour, books and documents, Queen's
Queen's
Gallery, London). Gallery, London).
items of dress and accessories. It is designed to
tell through portraiture the story of fashion
able clothing in Tudor and Stuart Britain — developed in diagram boards that address monarch, for which Van Dyck's triple image
clothing through which the values of the elite costume at specific decades. was made — and on the other by a man's mid
of that society can be read, and which convey In the other two principal galleries, exhibits 1630s cloak-band (that is, a lace collar; Fig.31),
information on the wealth, age, gender, are grouped according to themes, including similar to the three examples depicted in the
social position, marital status and religion of children's dress, attire for the hunt and for bat- portrait. Four fragments of blue silk ribbon,
the sitters. Thus, the portraits have not neces- tie, and fantasy or masque costume. There are bound into the displayed 1649 edition of Eikon
sarily been chosen for their aesthetic qualities some instructive juxtapositions: Van Dyck's Basilike, which bears an early inscription stat
— indeed, as A.N. Wilson commented on portrait of Charles I in three positions (Fig.30) is ing that Charles had worn it as a Garter ribbon,
BBC Radio 4 (somewhat approvingly), the flanked on one side by a sculpture of the king have been found to date from c. 1631-70.
exhibition presents them as 'Pictures of attributed to Jan Blommendael (c. 1650—99) The influence of fashion from overseas,
clothes with heads stuck on them'. This that may echo Bernini's lost bust of the especially from the courts in France and Spain
observation does not, however, do justice to
the overall splendour of the display. Indeed,
exhibition a reminder the Tudor 31. Man's cloak
miniatures the English,
band. English,
c.1635. Linen and
Royal Collection, especially those that d
needle
needle
lace. (Black lace
members of the royal family, borne are
borne
Collection, unri
Colle
in their importance and quality. A number Bowes Museum,
Bowes Museum,
have been conserved specifically for the Barnard Castle;
Barnardexh.
Casde; exh.
exhibition. The show is also notable for its Queen's Gallery,
Queen's Gallery,
London).
well-judged captions, which are generous London),
with nuanced insights. Other recent exhi
bitions of sixteenth- and seventeenth-century
British portraiture have displayed items of
dress alongside paintings, often using the for
mer to investigate the veracity or otherwise
of the latter,1 but this is the first major show
to examine portraits of the period primarily
in relation to the sitters' dress, accessories and
jewellery.2
Works in the first main gallery are present
ed chronologically, establishing the basic ele
ments of aristocratic clothing in England (and,
following the Union of the Crowns in 1603,
of Britain) during the years c.1485 to c.1714,
and demonstrating changing tastes in gar
ments, colours and shapes. Information is

THE BURLINGTON MAGAZINE • CLV • AUGUST 2013 5^3

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EXHIBITIONS

and
andtheir
theirspheres of influence,
spheres was strong
of influence, 1 These
was include Marcus
strong Gheeraerts
1 These IIGheeraerts
include Marcus (Tate Britain,
II (Tate Britain,
and,
and,indeed, the the
indeed, showshow
emphasises how hardhow
emphasises London,
hard2002), Searching
London,for Shakespeare
2002), (National
Searching for Shakespeare (National
it can sometimes be to distinguish national Portrait Gallery, London, 2004), Van Dyck & Britain
it^ can sometimes be to distinguish national «•
differences in dress in Europe during this
(Tate Britain, 2009) and Staging the World (British
Museum, London, 2012).
period.
2 The first to do so was the small Painted Pomp: Art
Two cabinet-like galleries of jewellery, and Fashion in the Age of Shakespeare, at the Holburne
miniatures and embroidered pieces include Museum, Bath (26th January—6th May), which com
such
such curiosities
curiosities an oil-on-copper
as an oil-on-copper miniature miniature prised the full-length Jacobean portraits
prised the full-length attributed
Jacobean to to
portraits attributed
ofa figure
of a figure of athat
of a woman woman that is accompanied William Larkin in the Suffolk
is accompanied Collection
William Larkin (on
in the Suffolk loan (on
Collection ffom
loan from
bya set
by a set of nineteen
of nineteen thin slices of thin slices of transparent English Heritage/Kenwood
transparent EnglishHouse) and relevant
Heritage/Kenwood House) and textiles
relevant textiles
mica
mica painted
painted with
with various various
costumes, bothcostumes, both and accessories, but it hadandno accompanying
accessories, publication.
but it had no accompanying publication.
male and female, thus enabling the miniature 3 Publication: In Fine Style: The Art of Tudor and
Stuart Fashion. By Anna Reynolds. 300 pp. incl. 295 col.
toto be dressed
be 'dressed' inways.
in nineteen different nineteen
It different ways. It _l++17
— — m 1 ,Collection
- 11Trust,
t
17b. &b.
w.&
ills.
w.(Royal
ills. (Royal Collection
London, Trust, Lon
seems
seems likely,hkely,
however, that
however,
the female figure
that the female figure
1 11 v /- 2.013), £45. ISBN 978-1-905686-44-5. No catalogue
2013), £45. ISBN 978-1-905686-44-5. No catalogue
isis
generic and not intended and
generic to represent
not intended to represent , , c , , , . , .
0 ' agar.numbers are used. Surprisingly,numbers the are book
used. Surprisingly, the book includes
includes
Charles
Charles I's queen, Henrietta Maria,Ias is S
stated. queen, Henrietta some Maria, as
literals, and occasionally is Stated.
the information given in s
In fact, the curators have generally followed
In fact, the curators have generally followed
captions differs from that given in the body of the text. ^HM
longstanding
longstanding attributions,
attributions, one or two of whichone or two of which The bibliography, moreover, shows
The bibliography, someshows
moreover, unexpected
some unexpected
might
might havehave benefited
benefited ffom re-evaluation; gapSj with the result that
from re-evaluation; the
gaps, specialist
with the result thatmight feel
the specialist that
might feel that
thus
thus thethe portrait
portrait ofDenmark
of Anne of Annebyof
MarDenmark by Mar- HkHl it is not absolutely up
it is to
not date. Nevertheless,
absolutely the book
up to date. Nevertheless, the book
cus
cus Gheeraerts
Gheeraerts II, used forII,
theused for
exhibition's the exhibition's :MM remains a considerable contribution
remains a considerable toto the
contribution subject,
the subject.

poster
posterand
and
forfor
thethe
book's
book's
dust-jacket,
dust-jacket,
is, withis, with
probable
probableover-caution,
over-caution,
merely
merely
'attributed'
'attributed'
to to
Gheeraerts.
Across-gallery
A cross-gallery
focuses on focuses
the physical on the physical .. __ _
properties of the fabrics favoured atA this
Crisis of Brilliance, 1908-22
properties of the fabrics favoured at this per per- v|J A Crisis of
iod
iod - including
— including their manufacture, their weaves manufacture, weaves London London
and
and colours
colours — providing
— providing
touchable swatches,
touchable swatches,
and
and brieflybriefly
explaining the explaining
role of prints in the role of prints SUSAN OWENS
by SUSAN OWENS
spreading
spreading fashions.
fashions.
Finally (or,Finally
depending (or,on depending on
which
which door door
one uses one to uses
enter the to exhibition,
enter the exhibition,
initially),
initially), a smalla gallery
small gallery
is devoted to oneis devoted to one THe crisis that the British
crisis that art British experienced
art experienced
32. Portrait of a man in red, attributed to a German or
single,
single, puzzling
puzzling portrait, and to the
portrait, andquestions
to the questions 32-Eortrah o/a man in red, in theattributed
early twentieth to acentury
German is vividly
or jn t^e earJy twen
Netherlandish artist working in England, c. 1530-50.
that
thatit Itcontinues
continues to raise.
to The
raise.
, r ill IT. ■ r ■ Panel, 190.2
large,Thenewlylarge, newly
by by Netherlandish
105.7 cm. (Royal artist working
Collection; illustrated in England
at the opening
exh. „ „ , _ f „ , . „C.1530-50.
of Nash Nevinson
mustrated at the ope
Panel, 190.2 105.7 cm. (Royal Collection; exh.
conserved
conserved full-length full-length
Portrait of a man in Queen's Portrait Gallery, London). of a man m Queen's Spencer Gertler CarringtonGalley, Bömberg: London).
A Crisis of Spence
red
red (Fig.32)
(Fig. - magnificent
3 2) — magnificent against lapis-blue ' Brilliance, 1908-1922
against lapis-blue Brilliance, at igo8-ig22
the Dulwich at the Dulwich PicturePicture
walls
walls — is-presented
is presented as a test-case, asanaexample
test-case, an example Gallery, London Gallery,(to 22nd
London (to September),
22nd September).
ofhow
of how a study
a study of dress of can be dress
one ofcan the be one of the Hanging outside the entrance
Hanging outside the entrance to the exhi
to the exhi
tools
toolsavailable
available for identifying
for identifying an early por focused
an early on the
por- royal family,
focused on the courtiers
royal and family,
bition space,courtiers
a strange and
guest bition
among space,
the Lelysa strange guest
trait.
trait.The Thenationality,
nationality, the identity and the gentry.
the identity and the Informative,
gentry.and often sumptuous,
Informative, andand often
Van Dyckssumptuous,
of the Gallery'sandnewlyVan re-hung
Dycksofthe Gallery'
dating
dating of ofthisthis
striking but strange
striking but portrait
strange portrait
large-scale large-scale
details from paintings details permanent collection,
ffom paintings
and textiles and textiles is David Bomberg's collection, is D
permanent
continue
continue to defeat
to defeat scholars, but much
scholars, but are much are included,
included, many benefiting many from benefiting
repro kaleidoscopic ffomabstractrepro- kaleidoscopic
In the hold (cat. no.32;abstract In th
progress
progress hashasbeenbeenmade made
recently, particularly
recently, duction under magnification,
particularly duction under occasionally in Fig.33). Bömberg
magnification, occasionally
defendedin thisFig.33).
painting's Bomberg defende
throughtechnical
through technical examination.
examination. Thus,Thus, theraking the raking fight. prioritisation of
light. formal values
prioritisation of formalover valuesitsoverhuman
its human
accompanying
accompanyingtext-panels text-panels setsetoutoutthe the
mainmain One important
One important question,question,
which is not which subject,is not subject,
explainingexplaining
that: 'Art has that:
too 'Art
long has too long
questions.
questions. The The sitter's
sitter'scostume?
costume?Apparently
Apparently perhaps
a a perhapsgiven sufficient prominence
given sufficient either
prominence either
suffered suffered
from what ffomI may what
call aI literary
may call a literary roman
roman
fashion worn both in in England
England and and thethe Holy
Holyin theinexhibition or in the or
the exhibition book,
inisthe
the extent
book, is the ticism,
extent from
ticism,
which ffomI desire
which to emancipate
I desire to emancipate
Roman Empire.
Empire. The The date
date of of his
his costume?
costume? to towhich,
which, overover
the centuries
the centuriessince these
since these it'.1 inside
it'.1 Once Once the inside the exhibition,
exhibition, the first work the first work
evidence suggests
The evidence suggests between
between1520 1520and and works
works werewere painted,
painted, the pigments
the pigments originally originally
the visitor the visitor encounters
encounters is Stanley Spencer's
is Stanley Spencer's
1540. The
1540. The identity
identityofofthe the artist?
artist? Still
Still no noused
used maymayhave havechanged,
changed,inin some
some cases
casesveryvery TheThe fairyfairy
on theon the waterlily
waterlily leaf (no.2), leaf (no.2), depicting
depicting
further
further forward.
forward. The The identity
identityof ofthethesitter, significantly.
sitter, significantly.For example,
For example,smalt, smalt,
initiallyinitially
a a Giorgionesque
a a Giorgionesque encounter
encounter between between a nymph
a nymph
addressing
addressing the thevarious
variousnames names that
that havehavepre pre-blue,
rich richcan blue,
altercan alter permanently
permanently under the under and a musician
the and in a visionary
a musician in landscape,
a visionary landscape,
viously been proposed?
proposed? Henry Henry VIII VIII (no
(no -—too action
too action of hght to brown
of fight or grey.
to brown or This
grey. is This
noexecuted
is no executed
with an early withPre-Raphaelite
an early Pre-Raphaelite
inten inten
old); Henry Howard,
Howard, Earl Earl ofof Surrey
Surrey (unlike
(unlike-small matter
small matterwhen the specific
when the specificcolour of asity
colour of a—sity which - which
presumably presumably
encapsulated encapsulated
all that all that
ly, from comparison with with Holbein's
Holbein's images
images depicted
depicted fabric
fabric cancan bebeoneoneofofparticular
particular Bomberg
Bömberg feltfelt was wrong
was wrong with art with art in Britain,
in Britain.
of him);
of him);or orHenry
HenryVIII's VIII's illegitimate
illegitimate son, son, cultural
cultural significance. significance. Despite the marked
Despite differences
the marked differences in their
in their
Henry Fitzroy
Henry Fitzroy (possible,
(possible,but buthardhardtotodecide
decide While
Whilesocial
social historians
historians of ofdress
dress maymay findfind work,
the the work,the six
theartists namednamed
six artists in the exhibition's
in the exhibition's
on the
on the basis
basis ofofthe thesolesolesurviving
surviving portrait
portrait approach
of of approachtaken both takenbyboth the show
by the and the and
show titlethe did,tide did, however,
however, share common shareground
common ground
which is
Fitzroy, which is aa miniature
miniature displayed
displayed else- else
accompanying
accompanying bookbooka traditional
a traditional one,one,for forain their
a in their
trainingtraining
at the at theSchool
Slade Slade ofSchool
Fine of Fine
whereininthe
where the exhibition). more general
exhibition). moreaudience, however,
general audience, and for
however, andArt forArt in inthe theyears between
years between 19081908 andThis
and 1914. 1914. This
The associated
associated book,3book,3 which
which is is not
not aa cata-
cata those
those unaccustomed
unaccustomed to to considering
considering dressdressat wasat the
wasfirstthe time
firstantimeart school
an art hadschool
bestowed had bestowed
logue, is
is rich
rich inin generously
generously sized sizedphotographs,
photographs, all, the bookbook
all, the is both
is botha pleasure
a pleasureto read
to read andand a distinct
a distinct collective
collective identity identity on its students,
on its students, a a
reproducing further
many reproducing further paintings
paintings and and -likely
—likelytoto bebeofof great
greatpractical
practical value. ArtArt
value. his phenomenon
his- phenomenon perhaps perhaps
partly partly
due to duethe domto the dom
especially
especially — — textiles
textiles that that do
do not
notappear
appearin inthetorians,
the in particular,
torians, in particular,will find
will both
find book
bothand ineering
book personality
and ineering of Henry
personality ofTonks,
Henry who Tonks, who
exhibition itself. Because so many surviving exhibition
exhibition enormously
enormously useful, sincesince
useful, manymany oftirelessly
of tirelessly
promoted promoted incisive draughtsmanship
incisive draughtsmanship
Stuart period
Tudor and Stuart period textiles
textiles are are now
now veryvery
the the paintings
paintings are either
are either inscribed
inscribed with at
with dates, the Slade
dates, at thefromSlade1892
ffom to 1892
his retirement in
to his retirement in
fragile
fragile and
andcannot
cannoteasilyeasilybebe displayed,
displayed, thisthis or
is of
is ofcanorbecan closely dated by
be closely other
dated by means,
other means,thus 1930 thus 1930 was
('Tonks ('Tonks was the
the Slade', Slade', according
according to one to one
considerable
considerable value. It also
value. enables
It also the book
enables thetobook enabling
to enabling the clothing
the clothing and —and — especially
especially — the student).
— the student). It was heItwho wastermed
he whothis termed
remark this remark
cover
cover aa slightly
slightlybroader
broadersocial
socialspectrum
spectrum thanthan hairstyle
hairstyle depicted
depicted therein
therein to help
to help to date,
to date, andableandflowering
able flowering
of talentof 'a talent
crisis of'abrilliance'
crisis of — brilliance' -
the
the exhibition,
exhibition,althoughalthough it it
is still largely
is still largely to interpret,
to interpret, further further early portraits. the
early portraits. thesecond
second such,
such, as theasfirst,
the first, in thehad
in the 1890s, 1890s, had
564 AUGUST
AUGUST 2013
2013• •CLV
CLV• •THE
THEBURLINGTON
BURLINGTONMAGAZINE
MAGAZINE

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