avamac
Alumni
QUOTING from the intro to the V&A Golden Age of Couture....
In 1945-6, the Paris couturiers created the Théâtre de la Mode, a touring exhibition of nearly two hundred dolls in sets, created by artists such as Christian Bérard and Jean Cocteau. The Théâtre brought together a community that even as late as 1946 was still suffering hardship: 'Beautiful models huddled around little stoves. Skilful midinettes bulged with sweaters...there was still not enough electric current to run all the machines or to burn the lights long.' The Théâtre toured to Britain, Scandinavia and the USA, raising funds for war victims and promoting French fashion.
Further info, http://tinyurl.com/2kskap
here...http://tinyurl.com/9jz43
and there's a book at Amazon....use the Amazon link at the top and earn a few pennies for the Guild!
And a video, available on the Maryhill Museum website, above.
I lived for over 50 years in Portland, and never once heard about these little dolls, which lived in dusty showcases in the basement of Maryhill Museum, some 30 miles up the world-famous Columbia River from my house.
Suddenly...they were discovered, sent to Paris for restoration, and I got to see them on exhibit at the Portland Art Museum, cleaned and restored, in reconstructions of the surreal sets by Jean Cocteau which had apparently been destroyed early on. Because it was Portland, there were no crowds and we weren't rushed through...just fabulous! Unbelievable.
If you haven't seen it...grab the book or video!
In 1945-6, the Paris couturiers created the Théâtre de la Mode, a touring exhibition of nearly two hundred dolls in sets, created by artists such as Christian Bérard and Jean Cocteau. The Théâtre brought together a community that even as late as 1946 was still suffering hardship: 'Beautiful models huddled around little stoves. Skilful midinettes bulged with sweaters...there was still not enough electric current to run all the machines or to burn the lights long.' The Théâtre toured to Britain, Scandinavia and the USA, raising funds for war victims and promoting French fashion.
Further info, http://tinyurl.com/2kskap
here...http://tinyurl.com/9jz43
and there's a book at Amazon....use the Amazon link at the top and earn a few pennies for the Guild!
And a video, available on the Maryhill Museum website, above.
I lived for over 50 years in Portland, and never once heard about these little dolls, which lived in dusty showcases in the basement of Maryhill Museum, some 30 miles up the world-famous Columbia River from my house.
Suddenly...they were discovered, sent to Paris for restoration, and I got to see them on exhibit at the Portland Art Museum, cleaned and restored, in reconstructions of the surreal sets by Jean Cocteau which had apparently been destroyed early on. Because it was Portland, there were no crowds and we weren't rushed through...just fabulous! Unbelievable.
If you haven't seen it...grab the book or video!
