Figure 1.--

The visual arts encompass a wide range of media. They are organized into two dimensional art forms and threee dimensional forms. The two-dimensional art forms are dominated by painting and drawing. But there are a number of other media such as silhouttes, mosacics, stained glass, and textiles. The three dimensional art forms or called the plastic arts. They include sculpture and ceramics. Architecture might also be included, but many authors separate architecture and art. The common thread is that they require molding or modeling. For HBC we have focused primarily on painting ad drawing because they convey the greatest detail about clothing. The other media, however, should not be ignored and we have also used then to the extent that we have been able to find suitable examples. A major factor is that the media vary considerably in their stability over time. Sculpture can last millenia unless intenionally destroyed. Textiles on the ther hand are hughly perishable. Thus we know a great deal about civilizations who pursued sculpture such as the Greeks. We know much less abut the Inca who produced wondeful woven texties which were mostly destroyed by the Spanish or perished over time. The visual arts are an experience that children enjoy from a very young age. And some children demostrate artistic abilities very early. To achieve their inate abilities, children must be nutured and training is required. Here is a conundrum. Unlike some of the other fine arts such as music and dance, children have not played a major role, largely because the skills involved need several years to perfect although some artists like Picaso showed consideranle skill at an early age. While training is needed to develop skills like drawing, some training can impede the creative spirit which is the essential to creating great art. For HBC we have focused on the visual arts as a source of information on historical fashion. There are, however, many other issues to pursue such as artistic education and creativity. Our interest in the visdual arts is primarily because the depictions convey often detailed fadhion and historical information.

Two Dimensional Media

The two-dimensional art forms are dominated by painting and drawing. But there are a number of other media such as silhouttes, mosacics, stained glass, and textiles. For HBC we have focused primarily on two-dimension media, especially painting and drawing because they convey the greatest detail about clothing. The other media, however, should not be ignored and we have also used then to the extent that we have been able to find suitable examples. A major factor is that the media vary considerably in their stability over time. Sculpture can last millenia unless intenionally destroyed. Textiles on the ther hand are hughly perishable. Thus we know a great deal about civilizations who pursued sculpture such as the Greeks. We know much less anout the Inca who produced wondeful woven texties which were mostly destroyed by the Spanish or perished over time.

Painting and drawing

The visual arts are an experience that children enjoy from a very young age. And some children demostrate artistic abilities very early. To achieve their inate abilities, children must be nutured and training is required. Here is a conundrum. hile training is needed to develop skills like drawing, some training can impede the creative spirit which is the essential to creating great art. For HBC we have focused on the visual arts as a source of information on historical fashion. Tere are, however, many other issues to pursue such as artistic education and creativity.

Stained Glass

Another interesting medium is stained glass. This is the common term used to describe glass used to make colorful windows. The actual medium is somewhat more complex as other glasses are employed beyond stained glass. Sometimes the glass is painted using clear ot even opaque paints. A variety of glasses have been used, but the mst common is pot-metal, a glass colored unifomily throughout while in a molten state. Stained glass is best known for its use in church windows, but there were secular usages as well. It is the great medieval cathedrals that have the most spectacular usage of stained glass. The first known usage dates from the 10th century. Art historians believed that the art form evolved from jewelry making, cloisonné and mosaics. Stained glass windows developed as Europe emerged from the Dark Ages and more substantial church building began. The evolution of the Gothic style was central to the use of stained glass. One objective of Gothic architects was to let more light into a cathedral. Medieval churches could be very darl spaces. Stained glass was one way in which that light could be effectively used. Stained glass is still used today to decorate modern churches.

Silhouttes

We have noted numerous silhouttes of children in both the 19th and 20th centuries. The silhouette as an art form was especially admired in the late 18th century. Silhouette were done of powerful monarchs and great men. There were great artists who did masterful silhouettes. As the art form could be practiced by individuals of modest talent and virtually no training, it was also a popular form of folk art even reaching thevAmerican frontier. By the late 19th century, however, the silhouette was morelikely to be a family portraits of the children. While still popular in the early 20th century, they are now rarely done. We have not selected many of these silhouttes because they mostly focus on the child's face and not the clothing. A few do, hoever, provide interestig clothing details. Some also have details on hair styles.

Mosacics

Textiles

Weaving is both a utilitarian skill and an art form. The result include both clothing and carpets. Carpets are some of the earliest forms of artistic and craft expresion. Sadly modst of the textiles poduced by civbilizations have disappeared. A major factor is that artistic media vary considerably in their stability over time. Sculpture can last millenia unless intenionally destroyed. Textiles on the ther hand are hughly perishable. Thus we know a great deal about civilizations who pursued sculpture such as the Greeks. We know much less anout the Inca who produced wondeful woven texties which were mostly destroyed by the Spanish or perished over time. Medieval European textiles hsve fared better.

Three Dimensional Plastic Media

The three dimensional art forms or called the plastic arts. They include sculpture and ceramics. Architecture might also be included, but many authors separate architecture and art. The common thread is that they require molding or modeling.

Sculpture

We have in our art section focused on painting. This is because painters over time have left us a marvelous record of clothing over time, depicting in great detail fashion styles, colors, and materials. The same is not true of sculpture. Not only are there fewer sculptures, but there is much less detail about the clothing. Of course color in modern scupltures does not exist. And often sculptors did nude forms. Some of the most famous boy sculptures, from the Kouros boy at the dawn of Greek sculpture to Michaelanglo's "David" at the height of the Renaissance, are nude works. This means of course that fashion was largely absent, except hair styles. Thus we have given little attention to sculpture. We will, however, load any scuturers that have left us useful images. We note a work by Robert Jackson (1840-1878) who did a marble sculpture of a kilt-clad Scotish boy. Do let HBC know if you know of any other interesting sculptures.

Ceramics

Created: 13:14 PM 2/19/2010
Last updated: 3:14 PM 2/19/2010