ME & You Magazine Issue 5 by Mary Evans Picture Library

MARY EVANS

PICTURE LIBRARY

Issue 5, May 2011

Published by the Mary Evans Picture Library 59 Tranquil Vale, London SE3 0BS T: 020 8318 0034 www.maryevans.com E: pictures@maryevans.com

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A Brief History of Underwear

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Raiders of the Lost Archaeology

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It’s a Jolly Holiday!

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Suffragettes on the Road to Democracy

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Shadow Play

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The Grand 2012 Anniversaries Quiz

Nameplate image ClassicStock/Mary Evans

A Brief History of

Legend has it that the corset as we know it – the type that shrinks a woman's waist to doll-like proportions with the aid of whalebone, lacing and no small amount of discomfort – was f irst introduced by Catherine de Medici during the 16th century. She decreed that any of her ladies with a waist wider than 13 inches would not be welcome at the French court. Rather than face banishment, they breathed in, visited a stay-maker and politely said, 'Non,

merci' to proffered sweetmeats. After the medieval fashion for rounded, feminine stomachs, suddenly, the tummy was tucked away and the waist accentuated, a trend that endured, save for a short breather (literally) during the Empire line fashions of the Regency era, until the First World War. Over the centuries, corsets or 'stays' changed along with the vagaries of fashion from the sharp, flat-fronted bodices of the Tudor period to the wasp-waisted fetish of the Victorian era (as exemplif ied by the lissom Princess of Wales) and the exaggerated S-bend shape of the early 20th century. The wealthier the wearer, the more restricted she was likely to be, but mobility was only necessary for those who had to work for a living and as Georgiana, the famous Duchess of Devonshire confessed, although she was pinched and sore, the soothing quality of admiration made it bearable. Corsetry was not limited to the female market either with dandies of the 18th century particularly fond of the garment's f igure-transforming qualities. In 1834, the increasingly plump Prince Regent was told his stays would be the death of him if he continued to wear them.

Mary Evans Picture Library (image 10039008)

he first publicity slogan for underwear appeared in the window of a London corset-maker during the 18th century, promoting the eff icacious results bestowed by her latest model of corset claiming it, 'controls the large, supports the small, uplifts the drooping.' Almost three centuries on, a quick stroll around the lingerie section of M&S suggests that we all still want pretty much the same results from our foundation wear, although admittedly, a medieval or even 18th century drapers would not have sold many pairs of knickers. Most people simply didn't see the point of wearing them.

Mary Evans Picture Library National Magazine Company/Mary Evans

The war years meant that only pin-up girls emerging from an artist’s brush could afford the silk fripperies that her flesh and blood sisters so desired.

A guêpière designed by Marie Rose Lebigot for Marcel Rochas which nips in the waist and pads the hips to give the right silhouette for late 1940s ‘New Look’ fashions. The Queen magazine, 15th October 1947 (image 10206278)

In riposte, some women burned their bras in the sixties, but most inevitably still felt the need for some support. Hip, youthful fashion began to eclipse the ladylike styles of the f ifties and underwear followed suit. Harper's Bazaar carried pictures of

The choice of underwear on display today would bewilder even the most seasoned Victorian courtesan, but the current vogue for the derivative, early 20th century burlesque styles pedalled by high-end boutiques such as Agent Provocateur show that lingerie designers are continuing to plunder the past for inspiration. Thankfully, bloomers have yet to enjoy a revival. Pants to that! Luci Gosling 2011

Mary Evans Picture Library (image 10183873)

National Magazine Company/Mary Evans

Pettipants, to wear under culottes. Harper’s Bazaar, April 1967 (image 10433909)

But women were never truly truss-free; restrictive underwear still moulded and shaped women's f igures according to style edicts of the 20th century. Twenties' lingerie was lovely to linger over: silken and suggestive, but the slim-line fashions of the following decade required a sinuous f igure to carry them off. Underwear f irms such as Kestos offered girdles and corsetry-inspired foundation garments to ensure a lean silhouette under everything from one's bias cut Molyneux evening gown to a flying suit. The war years required more practical solutions and warm woollen undies together with a scarcity of stockings, meant that only pin-up girls emerging from an artist's brush, unencumbered by ration coupons, could afford the silk fripperies that her flesh and blood sisters so desired. After the war, Dior's New Look returned once more to the hourglass outline and cinched waists of the 19th century; waspies, corsets and conical bras gave the desired look with advertisements in women's magazines posing questions that would provoke a public outcry today. One, for Au Fait, insists, 'What's the fun of being a woman if you don't have a good f igure?'

colourful bras, printed waist slips and a shortlived trend for 'pettipants', designed in lurid colours to be worn under culottes. Such creations were an expression of the Age of Aquarius but perhaps not Kestos lingerie advert designed by lingerie's f inest Leo Klin. The Tatler, 23rd March 1932 erotic moment. (image 10223891) In the 1970s, Janet Reger was an underwear trailblazer, combining comfort, luxury and sex in silk, satin and lace for discerning women - and men who could rely on the store's dubious policy of maintaining absolute discretion when someone might be buying for a mistress rather than a wife.

A lady tries on a corset, c.1900 (image 10024631)

Just prior to the Great War, fashion suddenly became more daring – looser, artistic, diaphanous. In 1913, a New York socialite called Mary Phelps Jacob, passed into the annals of underwear history when she was awarded a patent for her invention of the f irst modern brassière. Frustrated at the lumpen artif ice of her whalebone corset underneath a particularly sheer evening dress, Jacob fashioned a makeshift bra out of two silk handkerchiefs and some pink ribbon. This charming creation quickly became popular, although its inventor was unwilling - or incapable - of building her lingerie empire opting instead to sell her patent to Warner Bros. Corset Company for $1500. Warner's went on to make $15 million from it.

Off with the Old, On with the New by David Wright. The Sketch, 30th April 1941 (image 10217089) ÂŠEstate of David Wright/ILN/Mary Evans

Raiders of the

Lost Archaeology

UPON VISITING THE BRITISH MUSEUM IN LONDON, THE MUSﾃ右 DU LOUVRE IN PARIS OR THE PERGAMON MUSEUM IN BERLIN, IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO AVOID COMING FACE TO FACE WITH A STRANGE AND BEGUILING MONSTER. These are the Lamassu, colossal stone carvings of winged bulls, excavated from sites in modern-day Iraq and Iran by the flamboyant, reckless, brilliant and opportunist European archaeologists of the late 19th century. Images of these amazing creatures of antiquity appear frequently in our archive; discovering more about their purpose, mythology, creation and excavation continues to fascinate.

Alinari Archives, Florence/Mary Evans

This beautiful photograph from the Alinari Archives collection shows a Lamassu at the Musﾃｩe du Louvre, clearly displaying the key physiological markers of these colossal figures. They stand upright, with the body of a bull with a human head, sometimes adorned with wings. The Lamassu were seen as protective spirits by the Babylonians and Assyrians and were often used architecturally to support entrance arches, large doorways and gateways. Their survival in the oft-weathered Tell (hill) sites of the Near East bears testament to their colossal size and weight in solid alabaster. This example weighs sixteen tons!

Mary Evans Picture Library

Due to the immense proportions of the Lamassu carvings, Victorian-era archaeologists were forced to take extreme steps for successful excavation and transportation. This included cutting up the solid stone sculptures, moving them on rollers (pulled by huge teams of animals and men) and finally shipping back to Europe by barge and steamer. Sadly, as can be imagined, damage was inevitable and some pieces were lost when a convoy of boats from Victor Place's excavations of 1853 at DurSharrukin were scuttled by pirates.

Mary Evans Picture Library

Left: Lamassu from the Palace of Sargon II of Assyria in Khorsabad (ancient Dur-Sharrukin), housed in the Louvre (image 10490552) Below left: Severe action taken to remove the winged bull reliefs during Austen Henry Layard's excavations at Tell Nimrud (Kalhu) (image 10050938) Above: Layard supervises the lowering of the Great Winged Bull, removed from the Palace of Sennacherib at Tell Kuyunjik, the site of the citadel of Nineveh. Lithograph by W L Walton from Layard's 'Nineveh and Babylon' 1853 (image 10059758) Below right: Henry Rawlinson risks his life in 1846 in his quest to translate the trilingual text on the rock of Behistun, known as the 'Darius Monument.' Allers Familj Journal, 1925 (image 10010270)

The following are some extracts from the report of the British archaeologist and traveller Austen Henry Layard, regarding the bulls removed from Nimrud (Kalhu), an ancient Assyrian city located south of Nineveh on the River Tigris in the late 1840s: "I stationed myself on top of the high bank of earth over the second bull, and ordered the wedges to be struck. It was a moment of great anxiety. The drums and shrill pipes of the Kurdish musicians increased the din and confusion caused by the war-cry of the Arabs. Away went the bull, but the ropes stretched as it came closer to the rollers and all came away. When the dust cleared I expected the bull to be in many pieces, but it was there, in one piece - uninjured!"

The Lamassu were seen as protective spirits by the Babylonians and Assyrians.

Tom Gillmor 2011

Mary Evans Picture Library

The pair of Lamassu which can be viewed in The British Museum were brought back from Iraq in 1849 by Henry Rawlinson, after being abandoned by the French archaeological team led by Paul-Ă&#x2030;mile Botta, due to their extreme weight. Major General Sir Henry Creswicke Rawlinson was a very colourful figure in the diverse fields of science, archaeology, politics and diplomacy. His work deciphering and interpreting the cuneiform inscription at Behistun, was achieved at great physical risk (as can be seen in this illustration) and greatly advanced our understanding of the history of the great civilisations of the Ancient Near East.

BRITISH

SEASIDE HOLIDAY WITH

ITS SANDCASTLES, PROMENADES, ICECREAM ,

PADDLING AND

SEASIDE

AMUSEMENTS OWES ALMOST ALL OF ITS TRADITIONS TO ITS VICTORIAN ROOTS. The arrival of the railway in the 19th century and of the f irst steam passenger service in the 1830s signalled a rapid expansion of this new mode of travel. This in turn opened up Britain's coastal towns and villages to a conf ident and aspirational Victorian middle-class, and increasingly to the industrial workingclasses, saving throughout the year to spend their two-week summer holiday in the relatively informal surroundings of the seaside where beach attire would render social differences less obvious.

The influx of visitors brought growth to towns such as Blackpool, Margate and Brighton, and attracted a multiplicity of diversions to feed and entertain the new arrivals from Punch and Judy stands, ice-cream carts, and musicians and minstrels, to travelling photographers and pedlars. Magazines such as Ally Sloper's Half Holiday joked about seaside escapades and comedies of manners as these varied groups came together seeking a break from city smogs and the daily grind. Our associations with the traditional seaside holiday are overwhelmingly positive: the playfulness of buckets and spades and beach games; the fascination of the natural world from creatures in rockpools to the mighty sea itself, invested with all manner of health-giving properties; comforting seaside food like f ish & chips eaten without the restrictive rules of table manners. The rise of the package holiday in the 1950s dented the allure of the British seaside holiday but a continuing nostalgia for this innocent age ultimately ensures at least some of its traditions will survive. Jessica Talmage 2011

Clockwise from left: Lady with parasol, c.1865 (image 10086751) Ally Sloperâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Half Holiday, 29th June 1889 (image 10039495) Blackpool rail excursion flyer 1901 (image 10110329) Victorian beach scene, The Toy Primer, c.1870 (image 10131460) Fifty weeks postcard, 1920s (image 10122259) Pierrot concert party, 1905 (image 10114997) Donkeys, 1910s (image 10413454) Sandcastle competition, 1913 (image 10013670) The Excursion Train Galop music sheet, c.1860 (image 10122316) The Sunbather, by Muriel Dawson c.1925 (image 10423598) Family on Margate beach, 1920s (image 10092954) Brighton beach, c.1895 (image 10105282)

All images Mary Evans Picture Library except 10423598 Muriel Dawson/Mary Evans; 10105282 Gerald Wilson/Mary Evans; and 10413454 Grenville Collins/Mary Evans

The Women’s Library/Mary Evans

on the

Road to Democracy

1817, JEREMY BENTHAM,

THE

UTILITARIAN PHILOSOPHER, ARGUED THAT

Mary Evans Picture Library

WOMEN SHOULD HAVE THE VOTE.

The Women’s Library/Mary Evans

Elizabeth Garrett Anderson (left) and Emily Davies (centre) present a petition to John Stuart Mill in Westminster Hall, 1866. Painting by Bertha Newcombe, 1910 (image 10009633)

In the 1860s, John Stuart Mill, another utilitarian thinker and MP for Westminster, began to champion female enfranchisement, the lack of which he considered in his 1869 essay 'The Subjection of Women', a severe impediment to the progress of humanity. His plan was to change just one word in the legislation of the 1867 Second Reform Act,

By the end of the 19th century, women, some of whom had earned university degrees and entered various professions, and many of whom were fulfilling valuable roles in society, were still being treated like second-class citizens. To add insult to injury, they were expected to pay their taxes just like men. The Women’s Library/Mary Evans

Nottingham Castle is burned down during a reform riot, 10th October 1831. Engraving after Thomas Allom (image 10067480)

It would be another 101 years before they got it. Increasing the number of male voters was controversial enough – in 1831, when the House of Lords rejected a reform bill, there were riots in British cities, buildings were set on fire, and the effigy of a bishop was burnt in a Huddersfield street. Fear of greater disturbances, even revolution, prompted the passing of the First Reform Act the following year, and resulted in a very small increase to the male franchise.

from 'man' to 'person', but he lost this vote by 194 to 73.The 1867 Act gave more men the vote as did that of 1884, but women were still excluded.

'What a woman may be, and yet not have the vote...’ postcard, c.1910 (image 10035132)

In 1903, frustrated by the lack of progress, Emmeline Pankhurst founded the militant Women's Social and Political Union. After a few years of campaigning, little progress had been made, and the government under Liberal Prime Minister Herbert Asquith were dragging their feet. Women taking part in peaceful deputations to the Houses of Parliament were arrested, and matters quickly escalated, with members of the WSPU resorting to window-breaking, painting-slashing and other subversive activities. The 2nd April 1911 census night

The National Archives/Mary Evans

The Wo me nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s L

In 1969, the franchise was extended for both men and women when the qualifying age was reduced from 21 to 18. A further extension to voting rights for prisoners in the UK, following the recent controversial EU ruling, cannot be ruled out. The bumpy road to democracy continues! Gill Stoker 2011

The Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Library/Mary Evans

By 1914 things were at a stalemate, but the First World War became an unlikely ally in the fight for the female vote. Most women patriotically put their campaigning to one side and turned their energies towards the war effort, nursing the wounded, working in factories, on public transport, on the farms, and generally keeping the country going. As if in reward for their wartime work, in early 1918 legislation giving women the vote at last went through, while the first woman MP to take her seat in Parliament, Nancy Astor, did so in 1919. Restrictions which gave the vote only to women over the age of 30 who were householders, married to a householder or holder of a university degree prevented allout celebration, but this was remedied in 1928, when the qualifying age was brought down to 21. Political equality with men was at last achieved. Sadly, Mrs Pankhurst, who had permanently damaged her health

van s

saw suffragettes all over the country sleeping rough to keep their names from being recorded. If the votes of women didn't count, then they themselves shouldn't be counted either, they reasoned. Emily Davison (who two years later threw herself under the King's horse at the Epsom Derby), hid overnight in a cupboard in the House of Commons so that it would appear in the census as her place of residence.

ibra ry/M ary E

Above: Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Freedom League census boycott, 2nd April 1911 (image 10117549) Right: Census of England and Wales 1911 (image 10474774) and No Votes! No Census! souvenir napkin from 1911 campaign (image 10036580)

during her campaigning years by going on hunger and thirst strike whilst in prison, didn't live to see this accomplishment. She had died the previous month, at the relatively early age of 70.

Tip: to easily view images of the women's suffrage movement from The Women's Library represented by Mary Evans Picture Library, type %WML into the search box on our website.

WSPU leaders (l to r) Christabel Pankhurst, Emmeline Pankhurst & Emmeline Pethick Lawrence at the Coronation Procession 17th June 1911 (image 10090599)

A Captain in the 8th Yorkshire Regiment (the Green Howards) during World War I, he produced the famous Army recruiting poster, 'Think!' which was subsequently adapted for the Navy. He also cut a series of fascinating silhouettes for The Bystander magazine (part of the Illustrated London News archive here at the library) depicting scenes of life in the trenches and behind the lines. Many, including one entitled, 'Our Soldiers - How They are Made and Mended' could be autobiographical: Oakley was wounded in 1916 and sent back to England to recuperate.

After the war, Oakley returned full-time to silhouette art dividing his time between portraiture, magazine and commercial work. He would set up temporary studios in London, Edinburgh and other places and during the summer season worked from kiosks and booths in seaside towns; Llandudno was a particular favourite. During a career that spanned four decades, Oakley - dubbed 'the man with magic scissors' - cut literally tens of thousands of silhouettes, among them portraits of several members of the royal family, writers, artists, sportsmen, entertainers and prominent personalities.

A 'silhouette' portrait, cut in five minutes from cheap, black card was affordable, and could be reproduced countless times. Today, silhouettes still have an undeniable appeal. The sheer skill required to render an image in outline only, with only artistic sleight of hand and observation to aid the artist is in itself impressive, but there is a more elusive quality to this entirely innocent dark art. Shadowy f igures from the past appear to be as fresh as the day they were taken; suspended in time, but also with a quiet, still quality which makes us want to reach inside the blackness to f ind the person within. It is ironic that an art form with so little detail can nevertheless be so mesmerising; most people can't help but linger over the f igures marvelling at the dexterity used to create a lasting impression with only paper and scissors. While Oakley was the 'man with the magic scissors', Lotte Reiniger (1899 - 1981) was described as possessing, 'enchanting hands'. Berlin-born Reiniger was a successful silhouette animator and f ilm director who at the age of 19 was admitted into the Institute fur Kulturforschung, an experimental animation studio. 'The

Mary Evans Picture Library

The art of the silhouette f irst became popular in the 18th century, blossoming f irst in France where economically stringent measures introduced by the f inance minister, Etienne de Silhouette, meant that the wealthy had to seek alternatives to the traditional – and expensive – painted portrait. A 'silhouette' portrait, cut in f ive minutes from cheap, black card was affordable, could be reproduced countless times and its simplicity as an art form appealed to the aesthetic sensibilities of the age.

ach year between 1920 and 1958, holidaymakers walking along the pier at Llandudno on the coast of North Wales, could have stopped at a booth to have their portrait taken by Mr H. L. Oakley. Harry Lawrence Oakley was not however a photographer, or a painter in the traditional sense. He had studied at the art schools of York, Leeds and the Royal College of Art, and taught art in London before holding an exhibition in York (his home town) which included a number of well-received silhouettes. It was this that inspired him to pursue a career as a silhouettist and just prior to the Great War he set up his f irst studio at the Army and Navy Department Store in London.

Mary Evans Picture Library

Shadow Play

Background: Thumbelina meets the Fairy Prince (detail), cutout by Lotte Reiniger in the Illustrated London News, Christmas Number, 1959 (image 10472744) Top: Cinderella by Arthur Rackham (image 10494346) Above top: German writer, Goethe, in silhouette, 1780 (image 10067808) Above: Fairies by Margaret Tarrant, c.1920s (image 10506312)

Adventures of Prince Achmed', which she created in 1926 is the oldest surviving animated feature f ilm and considered a milestone in cinematic history. She drew inspiration from a number of areas including the art of Ancient Egypt, Arthurian legend and a lifelong love of Mozart which she expressed through her art. Beside her f ilm and design work, she revived the ancient art of shadow puppet theatre and a series of biblical shadow plays were broadcast by the BBC in the 1960s. Reiniger's natural talent saw her experiment within the genre, creating multi-layered compositions and spatial depth despite often cutting from just one piece of paper. A set of spectacular fairytale and ballet-themed silhouettes, cut specially for Holly Leaves magazine in the 1950s, have a truly magical quality imbued with a grace and vivacity despite what many might perceive to be an inflexible medium.

Luci Gosling 2011

Left: Pen and ink drawing by Margaret Tarrant for House Fairies, 1925 (image 10506704) Right: Puss in Boots enters the Rich Magician’s castle, cutout by Lotte Reiniger in the Illustrated London News Christmas Number, 1959 (image 10472751)

Whether illustrating fantasy or family, black and white need not be boring. It's time for silhouette art to come out of the shadows.

Above: Our Soldiers: How They Are Made and Mended by H. L. Oakley in The Bystander, 21st June 1916 (image 10429078) Below: The Prince hacks through the thicket of thorns past unsuccessful rivals to reach Sleeping Beauty, by Arthur Rackham (image 10494158)

Mary Evans Picture Library

from the Medici Archive, show another artist very much at home with the genre. Her charming parade of fairies, elves, animals and small children skip across the page, f igures that beguile and enchant us, even if only in outline.

Although most silhouette art is associated with cutting paper or card, our collection includes a number of painted silhouettes, employed often as vignettes within magazines and children's story books, or, in the case of Arthur Rackham, used entirely to illustrate editions of Cinderella in 1919 and Sleeping Beauty in 1920. In the hands of an artist as talented as Rackham, interpreting these stories through the art of the silhouette is by turns enchanting and sinister but incredibly effective. The beautiful fairy silhouettes of Margaret Tarrant, part of her prolif ic body of work

Evans llins/Mary Grenville Co

Mary Evans Picture Libra ry ry Picture Libra Mary Evans

Which Australian bridge opened 80 years ago next 19th March?

Who was the only British Prime Minister to have been assassinated, 200 years ago next 11th May?

The 300th anniversary of the birth of which philosopher whose thinking inspired the French Revolution will be celebrated on 28th June 2012?

150 years ago next year, on 4th July, a fantastical children's story was created that later became a best-selling novel. Who was the author?

Which influential French composer, whose works include Clair de lune, was born 150 years ago next year, on 22nd August?

The Emancipation Proclamation ordering the freeing of slaves in the Confederate-held territories was made by which U.S. President 150 years ago next year on 22nd September?

18th October 2012 will see the 90th anniversary of the founding of the world's f irst national broadcasting organisation. Which is it?

Which archaeologist discovered the tomb of Tutankhamen 90 years ago next year on 4th November?

The 100th anniversary of the birth of which British wartime pinup artist will be celebrated on 12th December 2012?

The sinking of which luxury liner occurred on 15th April, 100 years ago next year?

Issue 4 When They Were Young competition answers Grace Kelly; Benito Mussolini; Elvis Presley; The Queen Mother; Pablo Picasso; Clark Gable; Albert Einstein; Noel Coward; Marilyn Monroe. Congratulations to our winner, Lucy Allen at Oxford University Press.

We would be happy to receive your comments about ME & You. Please email us at me&you@maryevans.com.

/Mary Evans Classic Stock

3 4

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Which author was born on 7th February 1812, 200 years ago next year?

Rue des Arch ives/Mar

s n/Mary Evan Nicola Swan

The 100th anniversary of which British explorer reaching the South Pole will take place on 18th January next year?

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ÂŠ Estate of Da vid Wright/ILN /M

Onslow Auct ions Ltd/Mar y Evans

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Mary Evans Picture Libra ry

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Mary Evans Picture Libra ry

As the title suggests, our competition this issue is all about anniversaries. Email me&you@maryevans.com with the answers to the 12 questions below by 30th June 2011 for the chance to win ÂŁ100 of Amazon vouchers. Correct entries will be entered in a random prize draw, with the winner announced by 8th July. If clues are needed, all the answers can be found on the Anniversaries 2012 page on our website.