Magnificence of the Tsars | Review
April 14th 2010 12:50
:
Magnificence of the Tsars
Magnificence of the Tsars
Svetlana A. Amelekhina and Alexey K. Levykin
with an introduction by Rosalind P. Blakesley
First things first - whoever came up with the title of the amazing book hit the nail on the head.
Magnificence? You better believe it!
Today these works of wearable art would cost an absolute fortune based on the length of time and the quality of work that has gone into each garment.
This book written by Dr Alexey Levykin, Research Director of the Moscow Kremlin Museums, and coauthored with Dr Svetlana Amelekhina, Senior Research Officer and Curator of Imperial Court Dress at the Kremlin has an introduction by Dr Rosalind P. Blakesley, Senior Lecturer in the History of Art at the University of Cambridge and a specialist in Russian art.
The book shows detailed close-ups of the array of garments and tells the fascinating story of the men that wore them.
The V&A Museum exhibition was open from 10 December 2008 - 29 March 2009.
Although the exhibition has been closed for over a year now the book provides the next best thing to seeing the exhibition first hand - and you can have a browse on the net at the material that featured in the show.
This book is more than just a catalogue of an exhibition. It contains detailed information on ceremonial men's dress of the Imperial Court from 1721 through to 1917; from the collection of the Moscow Kremlin Museums.
The fabrics, the stitching, the designs are all so incredibly well produced, and very well reproduced in full colour photographs. There's no mucking about here - the historical information will give readers of history a really detailed insight into some amazing clobber, while the pictures will simply inspire and enrapture anyone who is into fashion design, costume construction or people who want to learn about these kinds of details in history.
There is a clear plain english approach to the subject and a great deal of information on the various Tsars. Close up photography brings you close enough to some of the finest stiching on the most elegant garments to give you a real good look. I suspect you get a closer look that you would at an exhibition at some of this stuff.
But it is not just history, fabrics and styles that are provided; there is a comprehensive chapter on weapons and jewellery showing everything from an ornate bejewelled gunpowder flask through to mid-18th century snuff boxes that have remarkable detailed paintings applied and glazed upon them.
Much of the collection belonged to Emporer Nicholas the first and second, Alexander the third and various other Tsars. The coronation outfits, the tabards (a sort of poncho) made from velvet, vestments worn by the clergymen who attended Nicholas the second's coronation communion - exquisite.
A lot of the fabrics used were the finest money could buy, imported from France or Vienna. The brocades, the buttons, the feathers - all fit for a Tsar.
Embroidery stiched with metal thread (gold or silver usually) is amazing - and must be heavy to wear, as well as warm in the freezing winter. The motifs appearing are so delicate and complex, it bears a long look before you can fully appreciate what mastery has gone into the construction of these garments.
This book is obviously a specialist tome for people with a particular interest, and if that's you - well look out for it because it truly is an exceptional work.
From cover to cover it is amazing.
Svetlana A. Amelekhina and Alexey K. Levykin
with an introduction by Rosalind P. Blakesley
First things first - whoever came up with the title of the amazing book hit the nail on the head.
Magnificence? You better believe it!
Today these works of wearable art would cost an absolute fortune based on the length of time and the quality of work that has gone into each garment.
This book written by Dr Alexey Levykin, Research Director of the Moscow Kremlin Museums, and coauthored with Dr Svetlana Amelekhina, Senior Research Officer and Curator of Imperial Court Dress at the Kremlin has an introduction by Dr Rosalind P. Blakesley, Senior Lecturer in the History of Art at the University of Cambridge and a specialist in Russian art.
The book shows detailed close-ups of the array of garments and tells the fascinating story of the men that wore them.
The V&A Museum exhibition was open from 10 December 2008 - 29 March 2009.
Although the exhibition has been closed for over a year now the book provides the next best thing to seeing the exhibition first hand - and you can have a browse on the net at the material that featured in the show.
This book is more than just a catalogue of an exhibition. It contains detailed information on ceremonial men's dress of the Imperial Court from 1721 through to 1917; from the collection of the Moscow Kremlin Museums.
The fabrics, the stitching, the designs are all so incredibly well produced, and very well reproduced in full colour photographs. There's no mucking about here - the historical information will give readers of history a really detailed insight into some amazing clobber, while the pictures will simply inspire and enrapture anyone who is into fashion design, costume construction or people who want to learn about these kinds of details in history.
There is a clear plain english approach to the subject and a great deal of information on the various Tsars. Close up photography brings you close enough to some of the finest stiching on the most elegant garments to give you a real good look. I suspect you get a closer look that you would at an exhibition at some of this stuff.
But it is not just history, fabrics and styles that are provided; there is a comprehensive chapter on weapons and jewellery showing everything from an ornate bejewelled gunpowder flask through to mid-18th century snuff boxes that have remarkable detailed paintings applied and glazed upon them.
Much of the collection belonged to Emporer Nicholas the first and second, Alexander the third and various other Tsars. The coronation outfits, the tabards (a sort of poncho) made from velvet, vestments worn by the clergymen who attended Nicholas the second's coronation communion - exquisite.
A lot of the fabrics used were the finest money could buy, imported from France or Vienna. The brocades, the buttons, the feathers - all fit for a Tsar.
Embroidery stiched with metal thread (gold or silver usually) is amazing - and must be heavy to wear, as well as warm in the freezing winter. The motifs appearing are so delicate and complex, it bears a long look before you can fully appreciate what mastery has gone into the construction of these garments.
This book is obviously a specialist tome for people with a particular interest, and if that's you - well look out for it because it truly is an exceptional work.
From cover to cover it is amazing.
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