It's the Weekend: Fly-by Post

Dogs appearing in portraiture, and paintings in general, are known as being a symbol of loyalty and fidelity. Below, Mary and Elizabeth Royall have their pup featured in this oil painting by John Singleton Copley. My own dog (who bears a striking resemblance to many dogs in 18thc. paintings) is currently at the vet hospital for the second time in as many weeks, and looking at dogs in paintings gives me a small piece of comfort. She is definitely a loyal and faithful companion, and if I could bring her to reenactments she would fit in quite well!

Mary and Elizabeth Royall, 1758. Oil on canvas by
John Singleton Copley. Accession #25.49. Currently
on view in the Art of Americas Wing.

It's the weekend: Fly-by post.

Since I'm examining an extant cloak this afternoon, and with the impending winter-weather-in-fall coming, I thought it would be appropriate to feature another beautiful extant cloak that also has provenance in Massachusetts.

Woman's hooded cloak. Last quarter, 18thc. Red wool
broadcloth trimmed in black silk. MFA Boston, 99.664.16.

From the MFA Boston's website:

"Red wool broadclothhooded cloak trimmed in black silk, hood gathered at back, cloak gathered at shoulders and pieced at bottom.

Provenance: Worn by Abigail Robbins (1759-1850); inherited by Ellen A. Stone; gift to MFA, 1899."

Hood is gathered at the back, cloak is gathered at the shoulders
and pieced together at the bottom.

The wool was manufactured in England, and the cloak was made in Massachusetts. It was worn in Lexington. Click on either photo to be taken to its catalog page on the MFA's website.

It's the weekend: Fly-by post.

18thc. pockets. Cotton, linen; printed cotton. American.
Museum of Fine Arts Boston, 48.1218a

From the MFA Boston's site:

Pair of pockets, pockets attached with coarse cotton tape tie, edges of slits bound with white linen tape, face of pockets of blue on white floral printed cotton, backs of pockets of hevy white linen; a number of small yellow stains. Dimensions: 43 x 37.5 cm (16 15/16 x 14 3/4 in.).

Click on the photo to go to the MFA Boston's pocket page.

Embroiderers of the 18thc.

My quick and dirty search into slate frames, scroll frames, screws, and general embroidery in the 18thc. proved to be very interesting.

No, really! I'm not an embroiderer, so researching something I know hardly anything about was really neat. In the past, I had picked it up with silly cross stitch kits and kits with round hoops and Disney characters on them. But that's contemporary, and really all I had to do was follow the instructions and the color guide. Thinking about it now, it's all very similar to what I'll be doing on my practice workbag and the pocket. But at the same time, it's also different.

It's the weekend: Fly-by post

Recently, I bought a reproduction fan from The Village Green Clothier. It's purple, and gorgeous, with two different colorways of flowers painted on either side. It's technically a double-sided fan! So, have a peek at a stunning 18th century ivory fan from the MFA Boston.

Ivory fan. French, 18th century. MFA Boston, accession no. 25.551.

It's the weekend: Fly-by post

Since I'm on an accessories kick, let's take a look at something most New England women in the 18th century would have worn: a quilted petticoat!

Pink silk satin quilted petticoat; glazed wool lining,
cotton waistband, linen ties. English, about 1780.
MFA Boston, accession no. 28.528b.