How to Count Centuries

JMW Turner's "Stonehenge" was painted in the 19th c. (1828)

An important note on how to refer to the century you are talking about correctly:

Today's date is November 3, 2012. Which means we are in the 21st century.

If someone says "14th century" they are talking about the 1300's.
 
This is an easy concept once you understand how it works:
- The 1st century began in the year 1 AD (Anno Domini) /CE (common era). It ended in

the year 100 AD/CE.
- The 2nd century began in the year 101 AD/CE and ended in the year 200 AD/CE.
- The 3rd century began in the year 201 AD/CE and ended in the year 300 AD/CE

See how that works? You take the numerical date + 1 to get the century. 

Ex: "1776"  17 + 1 = 18... therefore "the year 1776 was in the 18th c."

 

 

Quick Reference for everyone:

1st century = 1-100 AD/CE

2nd c. = 101-200 AD/CE

3rd c. = 201-300 AD/CE

4th c. = 301-400 AD/CE

5th c. = 401-500 AD/CE

6th c. = 501-600 AD/CE

7th c. = 601-700 AD

8th c. = 701-800 AD

9th c. = 801-900 AD

10th c. = 901-1000 AD

11th c. = 1001-1100 AD

12th c. =  1101-1200 AD

13th c. = 1201-1300 AD

14th c. = 1301-1400 AD

15th c. = 1401-1500 AD

16th c. = 1501-1600 AD

17th c. = 1601-1700 AD

18th c. = 1701-1800 AD/CE

19th c. = 1801-1900 CE

20th c. = 1901-2000 CE

21st c. = 2001 - present... CE

Please, please, please... label your pictures correctly and when writing about and talking about a specific time frame, either "state the exact date" or "add one to the number." 
(If only to make my life easier when using Google Image Search.)

Who Took The Time?

"It boggles my mind that people today think that the same exact people who built castles and pyramids never wore more than a rectangular sack with a belt! I'm highly amused.  "They wouldn't have taken the time" seems to be the excuse.

No, YOU don't want to take the time.

Totally different."

1408, Les Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry, December

There are works of art that just keep coming back to me as stunning examples of fiber manipulation.  Yet I'm supposed to believe that the same people who built The Seven Wonders of The Ancient World, just threw a rough and ragged bit of fabric over their shoulders & called it good?  That when the average person owned 4-10 outfits*  "they wouldn't have taken the time" to make their clothes:
1: last
2: fit
3: be of good quality or repair
4: look good
*(insert violent debate here)

This is nonsense! 
We know these people had a vast store of knowledge in areas that we scarcely remember today.  Jobs "then" were just as diverse & specialized as jobs today, and often passed along family lines, with children learning the skills of their trade from Parent's Knee, and then passing that knowledge on to their offspring.  That is a lot of specialization, practice, advancement, technical skill & care for a trade/craft.  Even accounting for continuity in styles there will be an improvement in an individual's skill over time - because they were human like us with the same ability to learn, and "Practice Makes Perfect," etc.

If you can't imagine doing "all that on top of everything else those people did just to survive," either your self-confidence is too low or you have an over-inflated idea of what "all that" really was - and a serious case of Modern Ethnocentrism.  People did not live a single-handed existence, they were part of a community that worked together to accomplish amazing things.

1408, Les Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry, June
(Because Poor People Only Wore Sacks...)

No single man built the pyramids, and no single woman clothed a nation from sheep to gown.

One of the things that most modern people say when they look at old paintings or come to reenactments is "gee, I wish we could dress like that every day!" The implication being that folks of yesteryear look infinitely better than our Zero Time, off-the-rack, single-layer sacks of today.  (Please note: not all modern clothes are ugly).

The issue comes in when we, as modern people, find out exactly how long it takes to make something like that... how much effort, how much time, how much material, how high the cost, how l-o-n-g it takes to get dressed; and so we assume that because we are not capable of that ourselves* that no one was ever capable of it. 
Please, buy another cultural lie & I'll sell you a bridge in Brooklyn... which was not built by one man alone, just so you know.
*Don't want to...

1790, Henry Singleton, The Alehouse Door
(This cap is not "Just a circle" - Trust me...)

Am I saying that there were never people who did things slap-dash?  No.  Of course there were people like that, people are the same through time, and some of us just don't care about certain things... but that doesn't mean that we don't care about anything - we take the time to care about the things we think are worth our time, dedication & effort, and we excel at them; or at least we should be.

(I will post pictures later... must go excel at sewing on a pink ruffle)...

Ummm... pretty piles of stone...
http://finland.fi/public/default.aspx?contentid=160061
This is a great article on various castles in Finland.  Please note that the folks who built these couldn't possibly have thought of cutting anything other than hose on the bias.  <-- that was Sarcasm, folks.

Dating an Image

WARNING:
If you get freaked out by disturbing images, skip this post. Go read a pretty dress blog right now.






Well... I gave you fair warning...





OK... not quite what that title sounds like considering the image in question, you DO NOT want this creature anywhere near you.
(Forgive me, please; the allergy meds have given me a most wicked sense of humor).

A few days back, a fellow blogger & FB friend, Matthew Innis, posted this lovely image...
(AAH! My Eyes!)
Which, if you have a very odd sense of humor, or want to permanently scar small children, you can buy...
from here:
http://internationalart.waddingtons.ca/14june2011/catalogue/40/0043/ (Dear Waddington's, please don't yell at me, I'm trying to help sell this delightfully creepy thing at a very affordable price).

Just to be super-helpful, you can "view details" in a lovely little magnifying window on this site. (you may want to turn that feature off to help preserve your sanity).

The oil painting is dated 18th / 19th c... but I know for sure that style of stays wasn't really worn until 1805, but more commonly in the 1810's, by 1820 they were all over the place and were worn well into the 1840's. (I love how the stay string is dipping in the chamber pot).

So... not 18th century - definitely 1st 1/2 of the 19th century.

The lady's bedcap style fits beautifully into the 1810-30 time slot.

That thing (cap) the mutant spider monkey/"gorilla" is wearing... I have no idea. It may well be a 1780's cap drawn up or even a tame 1830's frilly frippery that is being masked by the horrible grinning visage directly beneath it.

The silver spoon could date any time in the 1700's or 1800's, but there is a little deer like figure stamped into the end.

Generic end-of 18th beginning of 19th c. footstool... no help there. It is a bit Neoclassical.

The end table might be of some assistance, but the details could be up to interpretation.

I'm not sure about the bird cage, (please note the mangled, decapitated bird body & the blood spatters next to it - you are most welcome, BTW... Yes, of course you may be excused to run to the bathroom, don't forget the mouthwash).

The bed & chamber pot are too generic, as are the fireplace & grate. Basic 18th c. & early 19th c.

The horse statues could help, but I'm no good at knick knacks... input? One looks a bit oriental & they are probably blackwear ceramics - that knowledge is long gone from my college days as an art history major - I fail this question.

The bottle & glass at the foot of the bed could be helpful, but again, this is not my area.

The most compelling item might be the cooking pot (with a steaming mix of ???). I think it's copper (who can tell from paint?)... It has a riveted handle that looks to be made from a curled sheet of metal. Cook wear is so NOT my thing.

A more definitive date is much desired by the (disturbed) parties in question, so any information is welcome.

Logically speaking, items can exist prior to the painting, but cannot have been first made after it was painted. (discounting the Star Trek theory, of course).

Theories about what it means are also most welcome!

I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did & that I helped bring a little ray of dusty sunshine into your world.




Here's your brain bleach...

hrmmm... perhaps not the best image considering that we know what happens after she goes to bed.















Let's try these...

Sweetie Pie is still around, still having kittens & still battling her numerous offspring for the prime real estate of the porch.














And this cute little thing is Lavender. She's Sweetie Pie's Granddaughter and has the most interesting dark points.

She is super-friendly & can't decide between being petted or eating.

More Artwork

Here are some more of my paintings.

The first two are integlio prints that are part of a poisonous plant Art Book project I did while I was at RIT.

That wonderful university has a very Modern sensibility in the art they want students to produce.

The green one is oleander, and the mushrooms are either Death's Head or Angle's Cap, I don't remember which.




























This is a painting done from memory. I always exaggerate the colors in my mind, and thought it would be fun to play this one up quite a bit. It's sunrise over some corn fields.













One of the few good things about going on vacation to FL was getting to stay in my husband's uncle's $2 million condo on the Indian River. We got to see dolphins hunting fish, manatee bubbles and lots & lots of birds on Pelican Island. I did not enjoy FL all that much for various reasons... but mostly because I'm terrified of the ocean and Dear Husband's family are beach lovers. I read a lot and got to paint this wonderfully subtle sunrise.









This is a close-up of morning glories at some place I went to to paint. I'm pretty sure it was a marina on Lake Onterio... Pultneyville sticks in my head. Not a huge fan of this painting, but I do love the neutral colors.


















Mendon Ponds in the middle of freezing winter. The ponds hadn't completely frozen over, but it was close.
















High Tour in Naples NY. This was the hottest day ever. I kept soaking my shirt in water just to be able to stay out there.


















Another Nunda view. This was early September. I love these hills.











Vermont hills & rocks. I had a great vacation here. This day was so wet that the acrylic paint took over an hour to dry enough to touch.

Artwork update!

I realized that I don't have any of my artwork posted here... and as geocities is closing I guess I'd better post it somewhere other than Facebook.

So here's a bunch of paintings I've done over the years. As this is a public forum, with a wide range of social values, I will not post my nudes here... though they are beautiful & very proper I don't want to offend anyone.


Red Mermaid
Acrylic
2002?
This is a painting of Cori, my best friend. I did a whole series of her as a mermaid. Her favorite was the one where she had a shark's tail.

The best part of this was the "gown" she was wearing. Curtains & safety pins are often the mother of creativity.







Death & The Maiden
White charcoal on black paper
2007?
Cori & cousin Chad at a Halloween party. I finally gave it to them.










Jacob Never Sits Still
charcoal on paper
2007?
This little boy is beyond cute. When I fist did this portrait he was looking out at me like I was insane. I asked his mom if he had a problem with the photographer. She said he wasn't too crazy about her and thought she was silly (not in a good way). So I asked for a candid shot & got a great portrait. Any expression is always magnified in a painted / drawn portrait.





Orange Blossoms & Low Tea
both charcoal on paper
Both gone or destroyed. Glad I got the photos.

Orange Blossoms is pretty small, and was a study for a painting that never happened. I gave it to Trevor & Jen.

Low Tea was a still life for a class handout on texture. The composition is so-so. The textures were wonderful. I'm sad it got smeared.



Cosmo in Blue
oil on canvas
16x20?
2008
"Portrait" commission.
Just for future reference, a portrait is of a person, ie human. Not a 'pet portrait,' which is VERY different.
So don't pull that crap on artists. It's not funny, and even though I signed a contract before I knew it was a canine, I'm not a dog painter. So don't even ask. I don't have anything against dogs, but when you say "he's black, is that going to be a problem?" and I assume you think I'm racist, it gets things off on a bad foot... then when you send an image of a dog... well... it's just not good for the soul.

The following are acrylics on various surfaces. All plein air paintings (mostly). I think they fit the 80% rule (don't ask about that either).

Beaver Pond
Acrylic on Paper
2006-2007?
Hot, buggy day. It was lovely. I added the beaver, they were all sleeping.


Farmall M
Acrylic on canvas
2007?
Lovely, perfect summer day.
Only city folks don't like this one.
That tractor didn't move for years. Now it goes all over the place.
I don't like the frame it's in.







Letchworth, Lower Falls.
Acrylic on Canvas
2007?
I hiked down to the lower falls several times a week for this summer. Got to know the lady at the snack shack really well. I think I finished just after 4th of July.
My calves were killer.

I don't know if this one still exists.






Too Cold to Cut Corn
November 2006?
acrylic on panel
It was really cold & damp this day. The field was being cut as I painted. The title should have been "too wet to cut corn" because Joel got stuck in the lower field (you can see the ruts in the mud). He managed to finish that section before I did.

This got a judges choice award at a local show. The really nifty thing is that it changes with the light. Kinda like those portraits with eyes that follow you.



Glenice's Camp
oil on canvas
2005-06?
Don't remember when I did this. It was almost all done at once on site. There were only a few touch-ups from memory in the foreground & brightening the sky a little.

Glenice's real name is Janice, but somehow it got all switched around and stuck.




Bumpy Yellow Squash
watercolor on paper
2005?
This still life destroyed my favorite t-shirt. Worth the sacrifice.







Onions & Tomatoes
watercolor on paper
2004-05?
This is much better now. Someday I may re-photograph it. I painted it for a JoAnn's watercolor beginner level class. The class didn't run, but I got invited to teach in Italy because of it. The checkered cloth is a memory, replaced with a beautiful John Vesure vase.
Can't imagine why I didn't get any takers on that class...



Row of fruit
watercolor on paper
2006?
I made this for a class exercise. Fun... I should mention I was teaching, not taking the class... and the fruit was from someone's pear tree. Free still life, even better!

Last but not least, the Sculpy sculptures!

Dragon Bride Eating Groom
Sculpy clay, satin, tulle, thread, glue wire, tin foil, 1/2 Bratz Doll, fake flowers, acrylic paint, etc.
2004-2005?
This was a commission from Sara Berg & Eric Schuman for their wedding cake topper. It was their idea, not mine. Really.
But I laughed like crazy while I was making it. It still makes me giggle.
It was in a show called Humor in Art at the RIT gallery. They dropped it and didn't tell me. It's cracked all to pieces underneath. I glued it for Sara, but it's not the kind of thing you can handle much.



Purple Dragon
sculpy clay, wire, tin foil, acrylic paint.
2004?
This was a birthday present for my husband, who was not my husband then.
His wings are a little cracked from being taken to show & tells at various demonstrations, but other than that, it's all good.
He collects dust on the book case, but when we played D&D he was a great trick to set on the battle mat.



I haven't taken any photographs of my work in the last couple years. When I get to it I'll post. There are a few really great acrylics, and the occaional drawing that have been stunning, but nothing fabulous aside from clothes. I guess fabric designs have taken over that aspect.

Some of these are for sale, if you are curious, e-mail me.
Please don't take the images for your own profit, they are all copyrighted.
If you want one as wall paper, e-mail me and I'll send you a high-resolution version.

Analyzing and re-creating paintings, 1700 men

Here are the gentlemen that I've picked out. It took me a while to get these to post.

I found these paintings the same time as the others.

Nicholas Boylston
1767
JS Copley
Shirt: white linen with ruffled cuff & collar
Cravat: white linen
Breeches: gold silk
Waistcoat: gold silk
Banyon: green & gold silk, lined with green silk
Cap: red silk
Stockings: white cotton / silk
Table, 2 books, curtain, chair.
I have nothing for this. It will take me a while to get the material, though I've got all of the patterns... I think I've even got the cap pattern somewhere.


Paul Revere
1768
JS Copley
Shirt: white linen, straight cuffs & collar, fabric covered wood buttons.
Sleeveless waistcoat: blue linen, pewter buttons
Table, carving / etching tools, tea pot & sand pillow.

I can do this one now. I just need a model.





Woodsman
1788
Gainsbourough
Shirt: white linen, straight collar & cuffs
Waistcoat: red wool
Fall front breeches: brown leather
Leggings: brown leather
Moccasins: center seam, dark brown leather
Cloak/coat: green wool
Belt: leather with 2 belt bags
Antler handled knife
Walking stick, dog with leather collar
Standing in the woods.
This will be fairly easy to have done by the end of this summer... yet I find myself with the eternal problem of no male models.

The Ale House Door
1790
Henry Singleton
Man:
Shirt: linen, plain collar & cuffs
Breeches: tan leather, drop front, wood or brass buttons
Waistcoat: white wool, pewter buttons
Coat: Gray wool, big pewter buttons
Neckercheif: tan cotton / linen
Hat
Stockings: white over breeches
boots: black
Pipe, bag on a stick, dog.

Serving Girl:
Shift: white linen with tight sleeves
Jumps: brown linen
Petticoat: dark linen
Apron: dark green linen
Modesty cloth: striped silk
Cap: white linen
Necklace: black ribbon
Stockings: white cotton
Shoes: black leather
Ale tankard: ceramic
Standing in front of a dutch / english cottage door.

Robert & Gouverneur Morris
1783
Robert Peale
Both:
Shirt: white linen, ruffled cuff & collar
Sleeveless Waistcoat: wool
Sleeved Waistcoat: wool
Breeches: matching wool
Cravat: white linen
Bookshelf, desk, quill, document, curtain. One sitting, one standing.

Robert Morris (left) is one of my ancestors on my mother's side. My grandfather looked very much like him, except Frank's nose was quite a bit bigger. The cheeks have stayed with us through many generations.

Analyzing and re-creating paintings, 1700

I LOVE the 1700's. I'm still having difficulty finding paintings of men that I really like, but I'm getting there. I've probably missed some garments because I don't really have to think about what goes into an 18th century outfit. Like pockets... because I know they are always there. Sometimes I listed stays, but other times I didn't.

Kitchen Maid
1738
Chardin
Shift: white linen / cotton
Petticoat: blue & white stripe linen or cotton
Bedgown: white wool with red bow
Apron: blue linen
Modesty cloth: print on white ground
Cap: white linen with pinned up lapettes
Choker: black ribbon with cameo pendant
Socks: red cotton
Shoes: brown leather (buskins???.. french provincial shoe, similar to moccasins)
Chicken in cotton / linen cloth, 2 big bread loaves, sideboard & dishes.
I'm nuts about this painting. I want a print of it. I'm making the outfit for myself.
(2012) And I did make this outfit for myself!  I still have to do the modesty cloth, and if it weren't for the ankle-deep mud, I'd have my spiffy stockings & shoes on.  This outfit took a beating at this event.  I ended up selling my cap with the lapettes, but she looks better in it than I did.



The Chocolate Pot
1745
Jean-Etienne Liotard
Shift: white linen
Stays: fully boned
Corded petticoat: white cotton (doesn't show)
Petticoat: blue / purple silk
Bodice: red linen / wool
Apron: white linen
Modesty cloth: white linen
Cap: pink satin, white lace, blue ribbon
Shoes: tan leather with heels
Wooden tea tray with glass of water, cup & saucer, chocolate pot.
Against a white wall, plank floors, no mop-board.
I've got the fabric.. I'm sure I can scrounge up a tea tray. The main trick will be the cap & cuffs on the jacket (those things are a b*!$h).
*historic note: servants were often given cast-off clothes from the family they worked for. In some areas, it was difficult to tell the servant from the masters, both were dressed so similarly.

(2012) OK, I'll be honest; I've made this thing 3x now & not one of them looks right.  I'm about to throw in the towel & just sell off the pieces individually.  The petticoat has become my default photograph petticoat, and the rest of it is folded neatly in a bin.  The jacket has been sold twice & the cap 3x.  I just can't get the colors to jive.

Woman Knitting
1771
Francoise Duparc
shift: white linen / cotton
Petticoat: natural linen
Bedgown: white linen, unlined.
Cap: white linen with blue silk ribbon
Dresser, stool & tan wall. Knitting needles & knitted project, white.

I had everything for this, but then I sold it. Now I have to make another outfit. I'd like to have my mother pose for this, I think an older woman would be just about perfect for this pose & outfit.

Mem. Sorquainville
1749
Jean-Baptiste Perronneau
Shift: white linen
Stays: fully boned
Petticoat: buff silk
Sack back Gown: buff silk with blue ribbons
Engenantes: white lawn linen
Choker: black velvet
Cap: blue edged linen, lace?
Padded chair, velvet pillow with tassels, curtain, gray wall.
Getting all the material for this will be a trick. I may have to use synthetic fabric to be able to afford it, but it would be great if I could get the silk on super-sale so I could do it right.

The next 2 are the same outfit, the Brunswick Gown, just in different colors on different women. I like both paintings, and would like different models for each.

The broken Mirror
1736
Jean-Baptiste Greuez
Shift: white linen with fixed cuff, ruffled neckline.
Stays; white linen front-lacing with stomacher, pink ribbon lacing
Petticoat: white satin
Hooded Jacket: white satin with pink ribbon
White silk shoes
Hair ribbon: blue silk
Padded chair, fireplace, desk with drawer, broken mirror, toy dog, assorted cosmetic boxes, general teenage mess.
I have the top, just have to make the petticoat. I also have a model lined up for this one! It'll be fun to make a huge mess! The one I have is wool, not satin, but it'll look just fine.

Lady Mary Fox (I've posted this one before)
1767
Batoni
Shift, stays, underpetticoat: white linen
Petticoat: gray wool (I think hers is silk)
Hooded Jacket: gray wool with pink & white bows
Cravat: lace
Cap: lace & ribbons
Toy dog (cat) columns & red curtain
Powdered hair.
I've made one like this for myself in green, and may just go ahead and take the picture like that... but I do love the gray with the ruching.

Polite Maccaroni Preferring a nosegay to Miss Blossom
1770-80?
? Artist?
Miss Blossom:
Shift: white linen with ruffles at cuff & collar
Stays
Quilted petticoat: red silk
Polonaise / English gown: brown linen
Stomacher: brown linen with pink bow
Necklace: pink bow
Cap: white linen with dark pink bow
White stockings
Black leather shoes with buckle
Basket of flowers with leather shoulder strap.
*I have everything for Miss Blossom except the cap. I've even got the basket. I just need a 'Miss Blossom' of the right size, who looks good in yellow & blue.
(2012) Made it, sold it. No idea where the pictures are...
Polite Maccaroni:
Shirt: white linen with ruffles at cuff & collar
Breeches: gray linen stripe?
Waistcoat: gray linen stripe with gold trim
Coat: blue linen with gold trim
Cravat: white lace
Hat: tricorn with gold trim
White stockings
Black leather shoes with buckle
Sword & walking stick on a string
Lady-friend:
Shift: ruffles at cuff & collar
Stays
Petticoat: white cotton / silk
Polonaise: pink & green silk
White leather shoes
Powdered wig with white linen cap & black feathers.

The Duchesse de Polignac
1782
Veegie LeBrun
Chemise Dress: white cotton / linen with blue ribbon, ruffles at collar & cuff
Sash: gold & blue stripe silk
Shawl: black velvet with black netting
Hat: straw with blue ribbon, flowers & black feather.
Flower in hand, leaning on column, blue background.
Powdered hair. Makeup: lipstick, rouge, powder
I can do this one now if I decorate the hat I've got and replace the ribbon in one of my stock chemise dresses.