My Professor says Saque Backed gowns didn't exist. Am I crazy thinking I've seen them or is she stupid?

I've derived so much inspiration from your page... your writings and dedication to all that you believe in cause me to quote you quite often... I'm a student at ***** College in *****, and this semester I am taking my first actual costume design class. The professor, while talented, does not share the passion for costuming that I feel. Furthermore, she seems to be very close minded to ideas and new research. One simply can not contradict her...which brings me to a point. While discussing 18th century gowns, she mentioned that the saque back gown was a complete figment of Watteau's imagination... now, is it just me, or is this wrong?? I can SWEAR I've seen similar gowns in the Metropolitan costume collection...I want to give her the benefit of the doubt...am I missing some information? If you could provide some info on the subject, I could finally put this to rest... Thank you! -Julie

I tend to try to be tactful and not undercut a costume cohort who I do not know, when I haven't heard her exact words on a subject, but I have to say that this is just plain nuts. a saque was in pretty constant use for the 1720's-1750's and there are lots of painters besides Watteau who painted them. What is more, there are LOTS of examples of these things in museums. Now, if you want to nicely correct this lady in a civilized way, go online and order the Costume Society of America's 1998 calendar for her for Xmas. The cover photo shows a gorgeous example of this from early America (1760's), and it is impossible to ignore as it is documented with an exact provenance through the Livingston family of NY (signers of the Declaration, Governors of NY, etc. In fact this was the governors daughters wedding dress). There are not only examples, but there are PATTERNS reproduced by the guru of all costume historians Janet Arnold, who has copied these things from English museums.

Now, what is true is that for years these dresses were called "Watteau-backed" dresses, until it was noticed that in the 18th Century they did NOT call them this, and the period term, the "Sack" (English), or Saque (French) came back into use by historians. Your teacher may have had her own lessons in history given when this point was in dispute, and probably misunderstood her teacher's intent, or the argument, and assumed that the statement "there is no such thing as a 'Watteau-backed' dress" meant the dresses didn't exist, rather than that the NAME was a figment of a Victorian historians imagination. This is where her confusion likely arises. It is also possible that what SHE was trying to say to you was that the term didn't exist, not the dress, and you only think she is confused by the dress. Try tactfully inquiring if she meant the term and not the dress didn't exist. If that is the case, there is a bit of a communication problem between you, but nothing you can't overcome if, as you say she is very talented, and there is other stuff worth learning from her. If, however she insists firmly it doesn't exist, and she reacts in a hostile way to a TACTFUL demonstration that they do exist, you want to change schools to get another teacher that you can work with. (assuming you are mainly studying to be a costume designer.)  Happily the Northeast, indeed the whole US is littered with costume design teachers and universities. You can certainly find one or more that meets your educational needs.

Do not be too harsh on your teacher for not being quite so passionate about costuming as you. Remember, this for you is like your first meeting with a guy you will marry and live with--you are in love. She has been married perhaps 20 years. She may still be in love, but she can't work up the all consuming passion for her job every day for 20 years without getting a nervous breakdown. At a certain point we all pace ourselves, decide that costuming is not the kind of life and death stuff of brain surgery or Atomic fusion, and we relax a little, develop other interests, and so forth. It doesn't mean she doesn't take costuming seriously, it just means it no longer is an every waking moment kind of love like yours. By the way, have you seen the Janet Arnold books yet? If your library doesn't have them, get them on an ILL and prepare to get positively drunk on information. -- ---Tara