A Selection of Costume Books from Special Collections
The original goal of this project was to sift through and discover the books contained in Special Collections that had to do with costume. Upon initial examination of the scope of the collection at large, it was decided that the best way to approach this would be to focus on costume in Central and South America and the Caribbean, centered in the time before 1900, and to create a solid base therein for a further collection on costume to develop. This goal was based on the assumption that many books that were not specifically “costume books” contained relevant images of clothing styles from a variety of periods, and that we could uncover and display them, ultimately, in a highly accessible web-based exhibition. |
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Essay
The original goal of this project was to sift through and discover the books contained in Special Collections that had to do with costume. Upon initial examination of the scope of the collection at large, it was decided that the best way to approach this would be to focus on costume in Central and South America and the Caribbean, centered in the time before 1900, and to create a solid base therein for a further collection on costume to develop. This goal was based on the assumption that many books that were not specifically “costume books” contained relevant images of clothing styles from a variety of periods, and that we could uncover and display them, ultimately, in a highly accessible web-based exhibition.
One of the most interesting aspects of this project was the fact that many of these books were written at a time before the establishment of formal anthropological studies, and certainly before costume history was thought of as a viable endeavor. Therefore, many of these primary sources have been documented with vague descriptions of what exactly the image is meant to portray, primarily, I assume, because the illustrator or author did not fully understand what he or she was documenting at the time. Because this Special Collections department, and the library itself, is so rich with materials describing this region of the world, it was easy to find resources to enlighten even the vague sources, and to clarify any questions that I might have encountered along the way. Anthropology was a non-existent science until the 19th century. It developed as an attempt to rationalize the enslavement and oppression of the peoples encountered during this imperial heyday. As a result, many of the early images are quite beautiful sources of documentation, but also often implicitly racist and therefore probably not entirely accurate. Most of the people who were creating these images were unsure at the time of exactly what they were seeing, so it is up to the modern viewer to interpret and create a fuller picture of the costume and the wearer using today’s knowledge. It is my intention, subsequently, to understand and elucidate the motivations and approaches used by these early sources, and to explain the rationale in terms of the accuracy of the image and potentially, its accompanying description.
The Special Collections department, as I have mentioned, contains rich collections of materials with information on the Caribbean, South and Central America, and North America. Within these is a plentiful and growing section of books on costume (or containing beautiful images of costumes over the centuries). The images in this exhibit are by no means an exhaustive list. These are just a sample of the many images to be found in this collection. Hopefully, this can serve as a basis and a framework for further study and examination of not only the collection itself, but the costume of the region as a whole as it can be illuminated utilizing the collection.
Bibliography
Blaney, Henry R. The Golden Caribbean; A Winter Visit to the Republics of Colombia, Costa Rica, Spanish Honduras, Belize and the Spanish Main Via Boston and New Orleans. Boston: Lee and Shepard, 1900.
Bonnaffé, A. A., E. Prugue, Julien, Edmond Morin, Victor Adam, J. Gaildreau, Louis-Pierre-René Demoraine, and Didier. Recuerdos de Lima: album. Tipos, trajes y costumbres. Lima: A.A. Bonnaffé, 1856.
Chamberlain, and Joaquim de Sousa-Leão. Views and Costumes of the City and Neighbourhood of Rio De Janeiro, Brazil: From Drawings Taken by Lieutenant Chamberlain, Royal Artillery, During the Years 1819 and 1820 : with Descriptive Explanations. Brazil: Livraria Kosmos Editora, 1974.
Frézier, Amédée François. Relation du voyage de la Mer du Sud aux côtes du Chily et du Perou: fait pendant les années 1712, 1713 & 1714. A Paris: Chez Jean-Geoffroy Nyon, Etienne Ganeau, Jacque Quillau, 1716.
Henderson, John, and A. S. Forrest. The West Indies; Painted by A.S. Forrest; Described by John Henderson. London: A. and C. Black, 1905.
Koster, Henry. Travels in Brazil. London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, 1816.
Marcoy, Paul, and Elihu Rich. A Journey Across South America, From the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean. London: Blackie, 1873.
Mason, R. H. Pictures of Life in Mexico. London: Smith, Elder and Co, 1852
Mayer, Brantz. Mexico As It Was and As It Is. New-York: J. Winchester; [etc., etc.], 1844.
Mérida, Carlos. Mexican Costume. Chicago: Pocahontas Press, 1941.
Múñoz López, Rafael. Trajes regionales mexicanos Mexican costumes. 1961
Shelvocke, George. A Voyage Round the World by Way of the Great South Sea, Perform'd in the Years 1719, 20, 21, 22, in the Speedwell of London, of 24 Guns and 100 Men, (Under His Majesty's Commission to Cruize on the Spaniards in the Late War with the Spanish Crown) Till She Was Cast Away on the Island of Juan Fernandes, in May 1720; and Afterwards Continu'd in the Recovery, the Jesus Maria and Sacra Familia, &C. London: J. Senex [etc.], 1726.
Skinner, Joseph. The Present State of Peru: Comprising Its Geography, Topography, Natural History, Mineralogy, Commerce, the Customs and Manners of Its Inhabitants, the State of Literature, Philosophy, and the Arts, the Modern Travels of the Missionaries in the Heretofore Unexplored Mountainous Territories, &C. &C. London: Printed for Richard Phillips, 1805.
Skinner, Joseph. Voyages au Pérou, faits dans les années 1790 à 1794. Collection de planches. Paris: J.G. Dentu, 1809.
Stedman, John Gabriel. Narrative of a Five Years' Expedition against the Revolted Negroes of Surinam in Guiana on the Wild Coast of South America from the Years 1772 to 1777, Elucidating the History of That Country & Describing Its Productions, Viz. Quadrupedes, Birds, Reptiles, Trees, Shrubs, Fruits, & Roots; with an Account of the Indians of Guiana and Negroes of Guinea. Barre, Mass: Printed for the Imprint Society, 1971.
Vidal, Emeric Essex. Picturesque Illustrations of Buenos Ayres and Monte Video, Consisting of Twenty-Four Views: Accompanied with Descriptions of the Scenery, and of the Constumes, Manners, &C., of the Inhabitants of Those Cities and Their Environs. London: R. Ackermann, 1820.
Stuart-Wortley, Emmeline. Travels in the United States,Etc., During 1849 and 1850. New York: Harper & brothers, 1851.
Wafer, Lionel, and George Parker Winship. A New Voyage and Description of the Isthmus of America. Cleveland: Burrows Bros. Co, 1903.
Wood, Josephine, and Lilly de Jongh Osborne. Indian Costumes of Guatemala. Graz: Akademische Druck-u. Verlagsanstalt, 1966.
A Project of the Special Collections DepartmentA Student Project by Elizabeth M. Fregien |
Participants:
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