Currently there is an exciting costume exhibit at the Met in which mannequins in 18th century attire are set up in salacious poses in the period rooms of the Wrightsman Galleries. The emphasis is on seeing the costumes and the furniture together. However an opera designer assisted with it and all the mannequins appear to be flirting, losing money at cards and carrying on adulterous affairs in the true spirit of the 18th century. My favorite room is one in which a mannequin has fainted and is lying on the floor. The appeal is that the scene is of a ball where many of the costumes are adorned with silver and gold lace. The lighting is in the form of electified chandeliers, and gives you the effect of how these metallic laces must have glowed in candlelight. The metallic laces are very beautiful in this setting.
Apart from that, I know I will receive the information from the lace cognoscenti that the laces, artfully arranged into engageantes, etc. are in many cases not authentic to the era. I can assure you this is not because the Met doesn't know what laces are authentic to the era but rather because we have certain "unspecial" laces for dressing mannequins. The authentic lace works of art cannot be handled in such a cavalier manner. They are instead stored in acid free materials in special enameled drawers with filtration systems in a state of the art textile center with scientifically controlled humidity levels where they are moved only on "gray boards" so that they will not be subjected to the stress of gravity. They would never be gathered and pinned and subjected to the stress of being in such an exhibit. For some images of the exhibit, which do not do it justice you can go to: http://www.metmuseum.org/special/Dangerous_Liaisons/fashion_images.htm It is very popular, so one should endeavor to go when no one else is there or be prepared to elbow your way to the front. Devon - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
