- I went out with the Empire State Costumers to the Victorian Stroll in Troy last Sunday (not in costume, but everyone else was, and they looked great!), and then to Linda Baumgarten's talk on the history of quilting at the Albany Institute. I got to meet her, it was so cool!
- I'm having a few weeks off from working at the Chapman, because it made sense for me to wait until the exhibition space could be emptied and then filled with the objects in the storage unit, as I've put numbers on everything else and if I stayed until then the grant would nearly run out while I did less necessary things. Don't feel sorry for me, it was my idea!
- The 1771 L'Art de la Lingere, by M. de Garsault, was shamelessly dangled in front of me and now I'm trying to translate that as well as the Galerie des Modes. Once I'm done I'm going to post it all, but for now I'll give you a teaser: the list given of all the items supplied by a Lingere (one who makes linens) for a wealthy woman's trousseau. The garments that are farmed out to seamstresses are marked with an asterisk.
"A Laundry Maid Ironing", Henry Robert Morland, ca. 1765; Tate Collection N01403
STATE OF A TROUSSEAU
For the Head
A city Toilette in muslin or dentelle [bobbin lace].
A country Toilettein muslin.
Six Trousses or comb Etuis, of good basin [a cotton fabric] of Troyes.
Six over-Pelotes, of the same.
Forty-eight Toilette Napkins.
Twenty-four Toilette Aprons.
Six Peignoirs, of which four are trimmed in good muslin and two in dentelle.
Thirty-six Frottoirsfor taking off rouge, in basin with nap.
Thirty-six Frottoirsfor taking off powder, in doubled muslin.
A Coiffure, the Around-the-throat and pleated Fichu, of point d'Alençon.
A Coiffure, the Around-the-throat and pleated Fichu, of point d'Angleterre.
A Coiffure, the Around-the-throat and pleated Fichu, of true Valenciennes lace.
A Coiffure called Batting-the-eye of embroidered Maline, for undress.
Six simple Fichusin mille-fleur muslin trimmed with dentelle, for undress.
Twelve muslin Fichus.
Twelve piqué full Caps trimmed with a narrow dentelle, for night.
Twelve full Caps with two rows [of ruffles] in muslin and dentelle, for night.
Twelve full Caps with two rows [of ruffles] most beautiful, for day, in case of indisposition.
Twelve Head-bandsor Bandeaux trimmed with a narrow dentelle, for night.
Twelve full Coiffsin muslin, for night.
Six full Coiffs in fabric used for stiffening, for day.
Twelve Pillowcases, of which ten are trimmed with muslin, and two with dentelle.
Six piqué Caps of a medium formality.
For the Body
Seventy-two Chemises.
Seventy-two Handkerchiefsin half-Hollande.
Forty-eight Handkerchiefsin Batiste.
Seventy-two pairs of Under-stockings.
* Six Jumps in a good basin.
Twelve Stomacherstrimmed at the top with a narrow dentelle.
* Six Camisoles [loose garments worn over shifts] with cords, in good cotton cloth or a good Indian basin, lined with napped basin, for night.
* Six piqué Petticoats in muslin.
* Six Underpetticoats for the summer of good cotton cloth or Indian basin.
* Six Bedgowns / Six Petticoats in good embroidered muslin, trimmed with the same, for what is called a pretty Déshabillé.
Six Jumps Trimmings/ Six Around-the-throats / Twelve pairs of Ruffles in scalloped muslin.
Six Jumps Trimmings/ Twelve Around-the-throats / Twelve pairs of Ruffles in dentelle backed with embroidered muslin.
Six pairs of fabric Sleeves for washing the hands.
Forty-eight fabric Cloths for washing the arms.
Seventy-two fabric Cloths for the Garderobe [toilet].
