LACMA 1790 tailcoat - disaster

A productive and busy week. Completed a commissioned drawing which was pretty concentrated work, made an appalling fabric choice and set out to try the Los Angeles Museum of Art's (LACMA) pattern for a French 1790 tailcoat. This I thought would be a counterpoint to the ladies jacket completed a couple of weeks ago and a way of consolidating some of those new techniques. Oops. In fact, OOPS.

    Click on the picture for the LACMA collections page or on the link for the patterns page. Of course this  is the last one listed-

http://www.lacma.org/patterns  

 

The LACMA download includes gridded outlines to scale up, very brief notes, and one drawing of the centre back detail. It looked enough – having worked from Janet Arnold Fashion and from the NSCT pattern sheets- this was familiar territory and usually what I don't know someone else will tell me about. The usual sites offered general information  - http://www.marquise.de/ has a useful over view and some tips but the example she makes is from earlier in the century.   It was still useful to get me started - the general garment did not seem to alter much over time, just the styling and details. My general research led me in to allsorts of odd corners, how to get curled not flat revers, how to do the rolled collar, welted pockets,  more Garsault- L'Art du Tailleur (1769), but I have survived.

 

 

a close match?- David. Louvre

The fabric was lovely, at least to look at, a purpley maroon with a top layer of fine soft gold and a woven pattern of trailing flowers. What I didn't appreciate was the low ironing temperature, its indestructible belief that creases are bad and the world should not have corners, and as for its ability to fray, to split at seams, to distort – utterly world class. The lining was the vile berry stuff used for the pink and dotty pelisse, so at least it was a known pain to deal with. Enough moan.

I think the pictures tell the story of its construction quite well - step one was making the pocket - and yes it is a proper opening one! From then on it was flat lined through out the major construction, back first then side and shoulder seams. Padding, interlining etc were tried one mad afternoon on the fronts but discarded - they were impossible to manage at this scale and attempted to bully me - never goes down well. At this point all was rosy. It seems so long ago....

It was collar time. The lapels form part of the front; there is a seam down each side roughly under the buttons and the points are curved back to make the lapel. This where it all goes wrong - the angles are not right, the roll back is too large and in getting that seam to sit in the right place the fit of the back is lost. This became apparent later; it was initially disguised by the Battle of Pad Stitch. This was pointed out as the traditional way of getting layers of fabric to fold or bend - as in a shawl collar or rolled lapel. Good little me tested it  and then applied. On one side the pad stitch is through an interlining and the underneath fashion fabric - not ideal but it seemed to work until the fabric started to separate and break up. On the other there is a pad stitched interlining sandwiched between the fashion fabric. This was fine with the bottom layer but was not strong enough to resist the top layer's desire to bounce back. The back of the collar was done in one rather than 2 pieces, for reasons of sanity, and pad stitched to death or at least until it stopped arguing.  It is not pretty from the inside but the stitching is hidden by the collar fall from the outside.

Sleeves were added - standard 2 parters, but at least I remembered to add the cuffs first. This is another part I am not happy with -  the proportions are wrong and I wasn't really sure of the construction details. They are best guess solutions but I do like the buttons.


 You can see how differently the coat sits now- the whole front has distorted - never mind, it can only get worse. Some of the seams are fraying as the gold thread gives up, and the top fabric is giving more than the lining so there are bumps and rolls forming. Can't win every time. Pah.

The final offering -  Don't look too closely.

 Some of the details still do please. Why I thought the pockets have to be for real I do not know- they are finger sized! and not big enough. They should fill the space from elbow to back button, but the urge to open them  and play is irresistible.
  What has been surprising is the button eating potential of this design. To date it has 12 on it, but there should be nearer 20. And as for the collar and lapels -  after an evening of quiet, calming meditations the collars are curving. It was 10 minutes first thing this morning with death threats and a steam iron that persuaded them.
Ok, I hate the fit - the distortion is so annoying but the gist of the coat is there, even though it is far more Sir Percy Blakeney dandy in it's exaggerations than respectable Frenchman. This is something I will have to come back to, hopefully with a fabric than doesn't think it's Tigger ( The wonderful thing about Tiggers
Is Tiggers are wonderful things.
Their tops are made of rubbers
The bottoms are made of springs.
They're
Bouncy,
Flouncy,
Trouncy,
Pouncy,
Fun, fun, fun, fun, FUN!!!

The wonderful thing about Tiggers
Is I'm the only one )

As long as the last line is true....and it didn't mention fraying..
 It has been abandoned outside all day - just went to fetch it in and there was a big happy bumble bee sat on one of the back buttons - somebody likes it!    Well, stap me! (is that right?)

Self Portrait in a straw hat c1787

Seeing as I seem to be drawn to the French 1790s styles I decided to go the whole hog and  look at one of the best known French portraitists of the period. This was meant to be a record of making an illustration but again the research has taken over......
 Louise Elisabeth Vigee LeBrun was a popular society artist, born  in Paris, 1755, (married Lebrun 1776, died 30 March 1842), daughter to a  portraitist.  She  had begun painting portraits professionally in her teens and  was well enough known to be invited to Versailles to paint Marie Antoinette in 1778. This was so well received that over the next 6 years she made many portraits of the Queen and her family.
She was living and working Paris during the beginning of the Revolution, but fled to Italy with her daughter.
 She was listed as a counter revolutionary and could not return, so travelled to the courts in Austria and Russia, supporting herself and daughter by her painting. When permitted she returned to France  and continued to work, although never as popular as earlier. For details of her life, picture galleries and memoirs, try http://www.batguano.com/vigee.html

Marie Antoinette, 1783

 

The style of her work is rococo, theatrical, flamboyant, light. There is often an invisible breeze lifting ribbons, moving lace and the whole is full of curving lines and implied movement. Compare with the hard eyed studies from Ingres or David, her work has a charm and intimacy. David was the artist of the revolutionaries, being involved in all sorts of ways, even designing  new egalitarian dress for the new era ( never caught on). Vigee LeBrun is always associated with the old regime, especially Marie Antoinette, not wise in 1790s France.  She painted the infamous portrait of Marie Antoinette in her chemise de la Reine that caused such an uproar when exhibited in Paris. ( considered an insult to moral decency, a mockery by a wasteful figurehead - the queen in her underwear!) The Fashion Historian's blog on this is well worth a read - http://www.thefashionhistorian.com/2012/03/chemise-la-reine.html

Looking at the catalogue of her paintings from this time the transition of ideas from the formalised regime to the newer, less rigid ideas of society are apparent. Poses and attitudes relax, clothing changes - look at the two portraits of Marie Antoinette- so do the settings. In 1779 the background is  full of heavy grandeur, of luxury, in 1783 it is roses, still full of symbolism, but without the weight, she is presented as a single individual not as a representative of the ruling class.
 

Vigee LeBrun's memoirs are full of anecdotes of her wealthy clientele, and  names  and events familiar to anyone who has studied the era or even watched the "Scarlet Pimpernel".

 

Of her  impressions of the Queen -

"It was in the year 1779 that I painted the Queen for the first time; she was then in the heyday of her youth and beauty. Marie Antoinette was tall and admirably built, being somewhat stout, but not excessively so. Her arms were superb, her hands small and perfectly formed, and her feet charming....To any one who has not seen the Queen it is difficult to get an idea of all the graces and all the nobility combined in her person. Her features were not regular; she had inherited that long and narrow oval peculiar to the Austrian nation. Her eyes were not large; in colour they were almost blue, and they were at the same time merry and kind. Her nose was slender and pretty, and her mouth not too large, though her lips were rather thick. But the most remarkable thing about her face was the splendour of her complexion. I never have seen one so brilliant, and brilliant is the word, for her skin was so transparent that it bore no umber in the painting. Neither could I render the real effect of it as I wished. I had no colours to paint such freshness, such delicate tints, which were hers alone, and which I had never seen in any other woman." 

 

No wonder she was asked to do many formal and informal portraits of the Queen and the royal family.

Of the Revolution, only 10 years later -the account of the Terror is without sentiment but conveys the growing tensions and fears, some direct some more insidious. I regret not being able to read them in the original

 

 

self portrait 1791

"At the same time I refused to paint Mlle. de Laborde (afterward Duchess de Noailles)....but it was no longer a question of success or money – it was only a question of saving one's head. I had my carriage loaded, and my passport ready, so that I might leave next day with my daughter and her governess, when a crowd of national guardsmen burst into my room with their muskets. Most of them were drunk and shabby, and had terrible faces. A few of them came up to me and told me in the coarsest language that I must not go, but that I must remain. I answered that since everybody had been called upon to enjoy his liberty, I intended to make use of mine. They would barely listen to me, and kept on repeating, "You will not go, citizeness; you will not go!" Finally they went away. I was plunged into a state of cruel anxiety when I saw two of them return. But they did not frighten me, although they belonged to the gang, so quickly did I recognise that they wished me no harm. "Madame," said one of them, "we are your neighbours, and we have come to advise you to leave, and as soon as possible. You cannot live here; you are changed so much that we feel sorry for you. But do not go in your carriage: go in the stage-coach; it is much safer." I thanked them with all my heart, and followed their good advice..."

 

 The Memoirs of Madame Vigée LeBrun
Translated by Lionel Strachey 1903

 

There is so much in these memoirs, the description of Mme Du Barry  and  her execution, of the horrors, but also of the societies in several major cities in Europe. Her account of  Napoleonic Paris is scanty, with  rather sniffy anecdotes about painting the Emperor's sister and visiting her painting of the royal family painting at Versailles -  the return of the Bourbons seemed to be much more to her taste.

Her work is very skilful but also very mannered, there seems to be a set list of poses, backgrounds and expressions, but Vigee LeBrun was a breaker of rules in her time, opening the mouth in a smile caused an uproar, yet this doesn't come across today. The research has helped to clarify and give insight, but the over riding impression I have is of her, she comes across as a bold and dynamic personality.



sketch to blocking face and tone on jacket

adding colour and building the background

My research was for a purpose - I set out to copy something of the style and pose to illustrate Gwen's new 1790 French jacket.
The self portrait above was painted  soon after the flight from Paris in 1791. She is sat at an easel poised mid painting, possibly this is the one where "No sooner had I arrived at Rome than I did a portrait of myself for the Florence gallery. I painted myself palette in hand before a canvas on which I was tracing a figure of the Queen in white crayon. "  (It does look more like a paintbrush though). She did not miss a trick, reminding a new clientele of her status as well as perhaps a tribute to Marie Antoinette whose execution she had heard of during her own escape. Vigee LeBrun is partly turned towards us, with a half smile, looking directly at the viewer. The clothing is sombre and formal but there is still that quality of movement, of  something about to be said.  These images show the evolution of my study based on the self portrait. Just to make life awkward it is in pastel...

 

 The major difficulties were trying to keep the lightness in the skin tone and working the details. I am clumsy when blending and tend to rubout the good bit while leaving the problem part behind.

balancing and adding tone and detail. close up - really should work larger.

 

Finished article - although there are still areas I would like to improve -  really must work larger or buy thinner pastels and create more pointed blending tools - rag and cottonbuds just won't do!





 

 

 

 

 

KCI French Revolution Jacket 1790

7.30 Sunday morning -  am sat having breakfast on the back doorstep. Bees are up and busy, birds have been yelling at each other for hours and all is right in my little space, for a while. The jacket is done, finished, complete. Mistimed the start today, it was an hour earlier than I thought when I got up - 6.20! On a Sunday!  So that extra time has been very useful - found some old cover buttons to dismantle and re-use on the tail pleats and then bullied the seam allowance of the bottom of the armholes into some kind of credible finish. It is now washed and dripping gently into the sink. Coffee does taste better with a clear conscience.

It began with the book - big, heavy, lots of lovely photos, BIG  photos and shiny paper.  It says "Fashion" in very big letters on the front and is a tour of the Kyoto Costume Institute collection. There is a double page dedicated to this jacket. While I didn't exactly like it,  I always stopped here.  The notes from the book and KCI website credit it as a French  jacket, red striped silk brocade, dated 1790, so during the French Revolution. The style is quite simple, masculine even, double breasted with the over large metal buttons and collar.  The ideas of the cleaner lines, of a simpler aesthetic and nature over the artificial, had been emerging since the middle of the century, think of the chemise de la Reine or the practicality of the redingote from England,  a sign of the social and cultural  upheavals.   Fashion choices became very important as the politics got dangerous; this idea of the short jacket and skirt  was seen as an egalitarian costume - ostentation was not wise  during the Terror, and clothing was a very direct way of stating allegiances and outlook. We still use clothing in the same way, groups tend to dress in similar ways, we differentiate instinctively between those who are like us and those who are  different. 
Note the red, white and blue schemes and touches in the fashion plates - wearing the tricolor was considered a good thing and stripes too were  more classless and  patriotic.

  My usual goddess was not smiling – there was no Janet Arnold  dissection of a similar jacket in the Patterns of History. I was on my own. 

The choice of fabric for the original would have been an essential part of the garment, stripes were patriotic, worn by all, and showed support for the Revolution. I had 1/2 metre of delicate girly stripe cotton fabric, in green with roses (more 1950s really) – shall we  claim it symbolises the green revolution? (unfortunately not recycled).  The lining is quite heavy off white cotton, a scrounged off- cut of unknown parentage. So, my  expectations for this jacket, a fairly close copy – but want to be more determined about stitching processes and finishing. MUST not dodge doing the 18thC sleeves. Will do the odd banana shape sleeves.

 The bodice -I  borrowed from the French Revolution escape dress  for back shapes  but  reduced the flirtiness of the peplum to make it more masculine in cut. The fronts are extended wide to allow for the overlap  and shoulders pieces will be added later. 

 All began well – did the 4 layered ladderstitch for the main seams so the whole garment was being constructed in one go.  Tried not to make them quite so tight  but it still gave a stiff finish, felt a little like scar tissue!


Then the sleeves - First the strap which completes the armhole.  The lining was cut and attached first over the shoulder, raw edges folded in, ready to go. The sleeves themselves are in 2 parts, with seams at the front and back. I made these with the  linings separate and  assembled them and the cuff detail before sewing to the bottom curve of the armhole. This part was meant to be finished like a French seam for strength and  with the raw edges encased, but in the expectation of having to undo and reposition  I left them to neaten later. Oops. 

   Then the upper part of the sleeve was tacked in place to the shoulder strap.  I still had the collar to add into the neck edge of the  sandwich. so the  top fabric  was stitched on later. A lot of stitching in a small area but very effective, and it  is neat and robust. ( Photo is of the shoulder turned inside out, spot the raw underarm section!)
 

The collar - painful. I haven't found any back views of the jacket so I borrowed from this, also at the KCI dated 1780/90.  It is very masculine, like a caped driving coat. The original jacket's collar looked to be a single thickness and rolled down to drape. It flared over the shoulders so I imagined it not sitting flat but continuing to flare at the back like the grey one's capes.

Cutting it was easier than expected I didn't manage a pinked scalloped edge but a feeble cry on facebook resulted in the loan of Janette's pinking rotary cutter - excellent new toy, zoomed round those shapes no problem! Attaching took  longer. I really needed to think ahead, the plan was to slot the collar between lining and top fabric, but the seam stitching had secured them together. Un picking, muttering and repairing, but the collar was on. I guess a canny person would have left the top inch unsewn on the back seams.

After this it was all finishing,- the top shoulder straps, buttonholes, buttons, hemming., but....
Buttonholes - been avoiding them for years.

 

It began with the Purple Caterpillar of Horror, proper thread, proper stitch, proper mess. I did try welts but the inside was a sight, Then the yellow attempt and finally the unbleached millipede. Practice did improve matters and the end results are not too shaming.

Buttons - Bought these an age ago, liked the quirkiness, but never found just the right place for them. This probably isn't it, but they were the right size and number, tonally they matched and it was 10pm. When next in town I may trawl for a more 'period' choice - but you can be sure that they will have to fit those same buttonholes.
As for the mini cover buttons - used no gadgets so went together easily and made a nice finishing touch to the back.

Being me, of course, there are areas to be improved on, solutions to be pondered and developed further but this is actually something I feel quite proud of at the moment. It does what it sets out to do;  a copy of  the KCI jacket. It was never going to be the bees knees, the back is a best guess compromise and so are the inside details. But it has gone together remarkably well - I must have learnt something over the winter!

Hit List -Sleeves-  practice the sleeve setting technique - it went together fine but the sleeve linings behave like teenagers, excessive enthusiasm followed by strops and that 'so make me' attitude. I will advise myself to be more vigilant and baste lining and outer together more firmly and retrim if necessary before putting in. I must also be more careful about keeping the seam allowances even.
Seam stitching technique - the tightly stitched seam looks lovely from the inside but the looser stitched ones work better from the outside. Need to get the stitch size and tension right and then stick to it. (I may need to find a film with no exciting bits in to watch as I sew.)

Button Stash - needs organising so that hours are not wasted looking for that elusive last match. It might help if buttons are returned to the tin but they are adventurous little things and keep turning up in little colonies in odd drawers and boxes.

 BUT (big but) at last I have made something that is as smart inside as it is outside!


Coffee has gone cold, moment of oneness is past - blackbirds are squabbling - might even have to do some housework. Later....










KCI- jacket page -http://www.kci.or.jp/archives/digital_archives/detail_34_e.html 
FASHION - A History from the 18th to the 20th Century. Vol 1 p102/3      Taschen

interesting reading - http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlearts/2013/10/15/fashion-the-french-revolution-and-a-masculinity-in-continual-crisis/

http://locutus.ucr.edu/~cathy/mg.html  - Journal de la Mode et du Gout
Caroline Weber - Queen of Fashion, what Marie Antoinette wore to the Revolution