Fashions in Art

October 11, 2008 - February 15, 2009
Betty Coates Textile Gallery from the Witte collection

Historical works of art provide tantalizing images of fashionable clothing, particularly before the advent of photography. The works of some artists, such as Robert Onderdonk, and his daughter, Eleanor, provide rich information about what was actually worn by the subjects of formal portraits and by models for drawing classes. The careful delineation of line and embellishment in the clothes in this selection of works make them valuable even though photographs were increasingly commonplace in the period between 1870 and 1920.
Photo shown is a portrait of Josephine Woodhull by Eleanor Onderdonk.

The exhibit features paintings and sketches by Robert Onderdonk and his daughter, Eleanor Onderdonk in addition to historical clothing from the Witte's Fashion Collection that closely matches those depicted in the artwork.

Curated by Michaele Haynes.