Today we visited the Hillwood Estate Museum and Gardens to see Pret-a-papier, an exhibit of stunning 18th, 19th, and 20th century gowns and accessories made from paper by Isabelle de Borchgrave.
As we entered the Visitor Center, paper kimonos danced from the ceiling.
In the Adirondack Building backlit ethereal gowns took the breath away.
Allowed to take personal pictures in this building, no public posting is permitted, so I’ll try to describe.
1804 JOSEPHINE BONAPARTE
As we entered the huge double doors, we were greeted by a stunning display of Empress Josephine Bonaparte’s coronation gown.
Napoleon would have been pleased!
Using audio sets and headphones for the private tours, we listened to the artist describe the gowns from each angle. Stunning. Amazing. Breathtaking.
And I might add that in the audio, the narrator described that Josephine’s: regal bearing and sympathetic personality won her the enduring love and admiration of her subjects.
That agrees with what I read in the Cronin book, Napoleon Bonaparte.
1755 MANTUA
Then there was the big hip gown as my daughter called it from 1755 British court gown, five feet in width!
1791 ROBE A L’ANGLAISE
One that I recognized immediately was based on the 1791 Self-portrait with a Harp.
The vibrant turquoise in the bodice was offset by the paper lace that was ethereally sheer…this was my favorite!
1772 POLONAISE
My daughter’s favorite paper gown had similar vibrant designs as the Lady Dunmore gown that the Costume Design Center crafted from one in the Colonial Williamsburg collection.
1756 ROBE A LA FRANCAISE
Then there was the frilly green Madame de Pompadour gown with pink bows and roses galore, made famous from the Francois Boucher painting. (sigh)
Set next to this was an antique French table that Marjorie Post had collected, replicating the one in the Boucher painting.
The little extra scene styling gave me the feeling that I was in her boudoir, with a paper workbag (18th century version of a purse) hanging from the table.
Paper roses were scattered nearby on the floor…this vignette was my new favorite!
1777 COURT GOWN
Turning around I saw the Marie Antoinette pink gown of rustling voluminous poofy silk, made of paper…this one is my favorite!
Next to this was an antique dog bed with canopy, from Marjorie Post’s collection.
1920S FORTUNY DELPHOS GOWN
Nearby were three Fortuny gowns, all inspired by ancient Greek gowns.
Of the three, the light aqua was my favorite and one I’d like to attempt to replicate.
It had a lovely sheer aqua overlay (made out of paper) over the infamous Fortuny crinkled fabric (a Fortuny designer secret that was never revealed and has never been discovered) for the base gown, this time replicated in paper.
Since no gown is complete without accessories, those were also available to view…of course also made from paper!
MANSION TOUR
Inside the mansion were more paper gowns set in the lovely rooms.
Six of these gowns were specially made just for Hillwood Estate, which will become obvious in a moment.
As a very quick review, Marjorie Post, who owned this mansion, collected French and Russian artifacts that gracefully filled her mansion.
Near the Russian Icon room is the media/entertainment room (think lavender velvet seats with balcony and iron railing with scrollwork) where two paper gowns were displayed.
1836 COUNTESS SAMOILOVA GOWN
This was a lovely 1830’s blue gown with white lace and prodigious leg o’mutton sleeves replicate the scene in the painting.
Tossed onto a nearby chair was an intricately woven paper blanket with paper fringe.
1889 RUSSIAN BRIDESMAID
On the opposite wall was a painting of a Russian wedding from which the artist replicated the bridesmaid’s garment full of rich texture.
FABERGE EGGS
Even though we had visited the mansion last May, I had inadvertently missed the permanent collection of Faberge eggs.
Two of my favorites were in the center room showcase which was designed by Faberge.
There was a stunning azure blue and diamond encrusted egg that Czar Nicholas gave to his mother, the first one he commissioned and gifted.
Hence a tradition began of gifting his mother and wife Faberge eggs.
Rescued from the rubble of the Bolshevik Revolution, the surprise that used to be inside the stunning blue egg is now gone.
Underneath that in the display case was a pink egg that represented Catherine the Great.
Next to that was a pink music box that was made by Faberge.
As I listened to the explanation on the audio tour, I got to hear the music box music for background, as I learned of the artistic techniques Faberge used for this lovely piece.
18TH CENTURY PROVENCE
In the French room, paper fashions took on the late 18th century in the southern French style, inspired by the tapestry behind the display.
A lady’s jacket and petticoat and the gentleman’s frock coat/waistcoat/breeches were in bright yellows, reds, oranges and greens of the region.
1784 MARIE ANTOINETTE TARTAN TAFFETA
In the dining room bedecked with Christmas was a Scottish take on an English-back gown warmly harmonizing with the reds of the English hunting themed room.
1790 PIERROT JACKET
Upstairs, in the casual library, was a vibrant 1780’s jacket and petticoat with matching shoes and hat, all made from paper.
1760 CASEQUIN
In Marjorie Post’s dressing room bay window was showcased a cream on cream 18th century jacket and petticoat combination.
1866 CRINOLINE GOWN
In her bedroom was a lovely white on white gauzy layered confection of an exquisite gown from the 1860’s, such as Napoleon III’s wife would have worn, more specifically a Worth gown.
It was fun in that we began and ended our tour of paper gowns on Napoleonic notes, with gowns representative of Empresses of France.
I think it also goes with my latest blog theme, of Napoleon’s positive influence on the world, for which homage continues to be paid today.
There is no getting away from Napoleon. He’s everywhere.
HANDS ON WITH PRET-A-PAPIER
When we returned to the Visitor Center, I noticed the hands-on section, where we could touch the type of paper Isabelle de Borchgrave used to create her gowns.
There was a flat screen television playing a video of her painting her papers that would become gowns.
On display was the step-by-step process of how she used her choice of paper to create the colors and luminosity and various effects.
Somehow, she can even make the paper transparent to use as gauze, or to use as lace.
Throughout the exhibit we learned bits and pieces of how she painted, used metallic threads in the paint (like the original court gowns themselves), crunched, pleated, folded, etc, of the papers to design historic gowns.
Even though she is the typical artist who prefers to employ her own creative interpretations, I was quite amazed at how spot-on many of the gowns were in their various designs.
In short, the artist uses a technique called trompe ‘oeil, which means to “fool the eye.”
