Well, it’s that time of the year again when we are supposed to be okay with a grown man breaking into our homes whilst we sleep, eating our food and taking the credit for the presents we have gone out and purchased!
Below are a selection of Christmas themed fashion plates by Ludwik Strimpl, Charles Emile Carlègle, Charles Martin, Javier Francisco Gose, and (my favourite) André-Edouard Marty, from the French fashion magazine Gazette du Bon Ton. The colour plate images are characteristic of the hand coloured, photomechanical lithographs known as pochoir, and demonstrate the Art Deco style of the time. The pochoir process is characterized by its crisp lines and brilliant colours, producing images that have a freshly printed appearance.
Ludwik Strimpl. “L’Encens, le cinname et la myrrhe – Robes du soir”, 1913. Hand coloured lithograph. Plate I from the Gazette du Bon Ton, Volume 2, No. 1, Christmas 1913 – January 1914.
Charles Emile Carlègle. “Le Bon Oncle – Costumes d’enfants”, 1914. Hand coloured lithograph. Plate II from Gazette du Bon Ton, Volume 1, No. 1, Christmas 1913 – January 1914.
Charles Martin. “L’Abre Merveilleux – Costume d’enfant pour Noel”, 1914. Hand coloured lithograph. Plate III from the Gazette du Bon Ton, Volume 2, No. 1, Christmas 1913 – January 1914.
Javier Francisco Gose. “Les Préparatifs de Noel – Robes d’après-midi de Redfern”, 1914. Hand coloured lithograph. Plate IV from the Gazette du Bon Ton, Volume 2, No. 1, Christmas 1913 – January 1914.
André-Edouard Marty. “Les Deux Nigauds – Robe de réveillon de Doeuillet”, 1914. Hand coloured lithograph. Plate VII from the Gazette du Bon Ton, Volume 2, No. 1, Christmas 1913 – January 1914.
From all of us in the Special Collections and Archive, Merry Christmas and see you all in the new year! During the festive period the Special Collections and Archive will be closed from the 23rd December 2016 and opens again at 9pm 3rd January 2017.