Course readings/texts

Styles, John and Snodin, Michael, Design and the Decorative Arts : Britain 1500-1900, London, V&A Museum, 2001.

  Dupouy, Cris, Creating Your Own Antique Jewelry: Taking Inspiration from Great Museums Around the World, New York: Harry N. Abrams, 2001

Recommended advance readings

Leapman, Michael, and Scott, Mary (eds.) Eyewitness Travel Guide to London, London, DK Adult, 2003 (any edition is OK)

Other Books of interest:

Elizabethan Treasures : The Hardwick Hall Textiles

Four Hundred Years of Fashion (V&A Costume Collection)

Historical Fashion in Detail: the 17th and 18th Centuries

Jewels and Jewelry

The Art of Dress : Clothes and Society, 1500-1914

Patterns of Fashion 1: Englishwoman's Dresses and Their Construction: c.1660-1860

 
Westminster Abbey

Week 3: Slide show on medieval decorative art & costume and trip to Westminster Abbey. Read Dupouy pgs. 76-115 and make Fimo item based on medieval object.

Week 4: Slide show on Tudor decorative art & costume and trip to Victoria and Albert Museum. Read Styles, pgs. 3-63, and make Fimo item based on Tudor object.

Week 5: Slide show on Elizabethan decorative art & costume and trip to Globe. Read Dupouy, pgs 116-153, and make Fimo item based on Elizabethan object.

 
Costume designed for Jane Lapotaire as Elizabeth I for the Royal Gala Opening of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre June 12 1997

Week 6: Midterm, Slide show on Stuart decorative art & costume and short trip to Banqueting Hall, Whitehall. Read Styles, pgs. 64-119, and make Fimo item based on Stuart object.

Week 7: Slide show on Early Georgian decorative art & costume and trip to Kensington Palace. Read Styles, pgs. 120-185, and make Fimo item based on Georgian object.

Week 8: Slide show on Late Georgian decorative art & costume and trip to Victoria and Albert Museum. Read Styles, pgs. 186-247, and make Fimo item based on Georgian object.

Week 9: Slide show on Early Victorian decorative art & costume and trip to Tate Britain Gallery. Read Styles, pgs. 248-307, and make Fimo item based on Victorian object. 

 
A Victorian cast-iron gate in South Kensington

Week 10: Slide show on Late Victorian decorative art & costume and trip to Victoria and Albert Museum.  Read Styles, pgs. 308-367, and make Fimo item based on Victorian object.

Week 11: Read Styles, pgs. 368-459.  Final exam, followed by trip to the new Fashion and Textile Museum (specializing in more recent British design).

Instructional methodology: Students will be expected to complete a sketchbook with notes on all eras covered (may be combined with other class journals, a Blog, etc), as well as 10 finished small 3-D replication projects with Fimo (copies/adaptations of things like jewelry, chess pieces, sword hilts, miniatures of sculptures, etc). Students are encouraged to make rough sketches or photos of the item to be reproduced in Fimo for reference.  Midterm and final style identification exams will consist of watching a series of slides of unfamiliar objects that students may briefly identify by period, style, or artist.

 Method of evaluation/grading 

ˇ        Sketchbook with notes on all eras covered (may be combined with other class journals, a Blog, etc) 35% of grade

ˇ        Small 3-D replication projects (weekly) with Fimo 35% of grade

ˇ        Midterm style identification exam (with slides) 15% of grade

ˇ        Final style identification exam (with slides) 15% of grade

Proposed Class Excursions

• Bath.  The Museum Of Costumes, Assembly Rooms, Roman Baths, 18^th Century Pump Room, Cathedral, etc.  One of the largest historical costume collections in the world, and pretty well essential for the study of English costume.  The central part of the city of Bath, is a perfectly preserved time-travel sort of experience, where nearly every bit of architecture for blocks is unchanged from the late 18^th century neoclassical period.  The Baths themselves are the best-preserved Roman era ruins in England.  

Roman era stone carving  and Roman Baths in Bath

• Hardwick Hall Doe Lea, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, S44 5QJ, a 16^th Century private palace built for Bess of Hardwick, and virtually unchanged since her time.  Contains the largest collection of 16^th & 17^th Century British textiles, most originally made in, and for, the house.  A perfect bubble in time.

• Killerton (18^th Century country house & garden) in Broadclyst, Exeter, Devon, EX5 3LE.  Contains the “Paulise de Bush Costume Collection”
•  Berrington Hall (18^th Century country house and garden) near Leominster, Herefordshire, HR6 0DW.  Contains the “Wade Costume Collection” of 18^th Century garments made famous by Janet Arnold’s book, Patterns of Fashion 1.
• In addition to these excursions, I wish to arrange for students to meet for class in a number of places in London, including:

o       Several trips to the Victoria and Albert Museum (Great collection of costume and decorative arts)

o       The Museum of London (ditto)

o       The British Museum (historic jewelry)

o       Westminster Abbey (Gothic architectural ornament)

o       Globe Theatre (interesting Renaissance reconstruction & costume exhibit)

o       Kensington Palace (Late Stuart and early Georgian architecture, sections with Victorian décor, costume collection)

o       Banqueting Hall, Whitehall (Inigo Jones building)

o       Tate Britain (Victorian Realism, Renaissance portraits)

o       Fashion and Textile Museum (20^th Century fashion)

Back to main page

• Class #1: A History of British Fashion & Decor

• Class #2: British Theatre Practice from the Romans to the Present

• About instructor, Tara Maginnis

• About the Program

• Costume Travel Page