New Dome Room Display
By Amy on August 13th, 2010
We’ve been moving some furniture in the library, to make room for a Louis XIV style biblioteque, ormolu mounted with ebony inlaid walnut. The Dome Room is the only place fitting for such a grand antique. It was donated to the library by Jim Chervenak.
While pulling out a box from our Fanny Kemble collection, another box in the Special Collections Vault caught my eye. It was a Dewar’s Whiskey box (White Label, for those who need to know), with DOLLS written on it in red marker. In it was an exquisite collection of dolls from all over the world. No other provenance is given. They are being displayed in the biblioteque, along with the 6 volume Le Costume Historique of Auguste Racinet.
Published in France in 1888, Auguste Racinet’s 6 volume Le Costume Historique focused upon what he considered to be traditional clothing, as opposed to Parisian “fashion.” It covered the world history of costume, dress, and style, with a focus on European clothing from the Middle Ages to its date of publication at the end of the 19th century.
The 500 chromolithographs for which Le Costume Historique is best known are copies from artworks, manuscripts, or earlier costume studies, or commissioned works created by professional illustrators.