6 September 2014

Contrasting gores in medieval dresses debunked

The old hoary chestnut of contrasting gores in medieval European dresses/tunics keeps doing the rounds and I keep meaning to do a formal debunking of the theory. Finally, I've got around to it. As always, this blog post is based on the evidence I have seen to date and I would very much appreciate any additional evidence you may have.

2 September 2014

Manuscript challenge: pink lowerclass dress

So, as you are probably aware by now, Maria, blogging at In Deme Jare Christi, has issued the Manuscript Challenge.

  • You choose a full-colour original image from a manuscript, fresco, statue, effigy, etc. dated 400-1500 and reproduce the entire outfit exactly as in your inspiration.
  • You can then ask at the Manuscript Challenge Facebook Page for assitance and encouragement. 
  • You must also let everyone know how you are progressing, e.g. by blogging about it.
  • And you have 1 year to finish (specifically, 1 year from when you first post your inspiration photo).
I thought this would tie-in perfectly with the project I was already working on - my pink lowerclass dress - as Maria said it was ok to submit projects you'd already started.

So, my inspiration image is:

Haine (Hate), Felonie and Vilanie.
Roman de la Rose, c. 1365, France.
University of Chicago Library, MS 1380, f. 2r.
I will be reproducing Felonie's outfit (the centre figure), with a wrapped wimple and a pink-brown dress. As I mentioned in my previous posts on this project, I will be interpreting the pink-brown dress as a surcoat and using Herjolfsnes #42 as inspiration.

First I have the small issue of a PhD to finish this winter, but I very much hope that I will complete this project. As I've already posted my inspiration image on the Facebook page, my deadline is: 22nd August 2015. However, I'm hoping to go to Azincourt 2015 (my first international show! *fingerscrossed*), so my soft deadline is 25th July 2015.