Geisha

At the beginning of this year there was an interesting exhibition in the “Museum voor Volkenkunde” (Museum for Cultural Anthropology), about the Geisha culture in Kyoto. I know for certain that I wrote a blog post, but strangely enough that has disappeared, so I am trying to post it again. I hope this time it will not miraculously vanish!

A picture of modern geishas in Kyoto

Much which was explained in the exhibition I already knew because of films and books about the subject. I had heard that quite a collection of beautiful silk kimono’s would be on display. As I am very interested in textiles, beautiful silks and woollen fabrics, I decided to go. 

After all, the museum is within walking distance, and with a season ticket for museums in Holland, admission is free. I was not disappointed. The kimono’s were very beautiful indeed. I tried to take pictures, but they were displayed behind glass, so lamps and video screens are reflected in the glass and spoil the pictures a bit. Besides, the models are slowly revolving. Flash was no option and I only had a very small camera. Nevertheless I want to show a few of the pictures here.

 

Some examples of the beautiful silk kimono's

Romantic 19th century fashion

Ballroom dresses, Victorian tartan dresses made of stiff taffeta silk, velvet, embroidery, stunning seams, sleeves, cuffs and much more. It is a delight to see those wonderful dresses, obviously only meant for the happy few. 

 Tartan dresses favoured by Queen Victoria 

Any seamstress will appreciate the amount of work involved in making them. No wonder they were sometimes changed by just making a new bodice or widening the skirt, the latter in case of pregnancy. They must be too expensive to go to waste.  

 Left: A Maternity Dress, Right: just a beautiful silk dress

Below some details of the intricate shoulders and the embroidered hem

The narrow waists are remarkable and although not very good for a woman’s health, it is a sure way to prevent overeating and obesitas. No operation needed.

 Dresses form Pride and Prejudice against a still of the film as background

 Below: Beautiful embroidery even on simple muslim dresses.

There are dresses from Pride and Prejudice, La Dame aux Camellias, from the adaptation of Eline Vere, the novel by Couperus, from The Portrait of a Lady, the film version of the novel by Henry James, starring Nicole Kidman. She was very lucky to wear such a beautifully made dress, of dark red silk and velvet. Difficult to live in, but stunning none the less. It must have made her feel like a queen. There are intricately laced corsets and bodices, and outfits for fashion conscious dandies.

 The complicated sleeves and hem of one of the dresses in the picture above

 Above and below. Nicole Kidman's dress as worn in The Portrait of a Lady. Especially the back is fascinating.

On display were four original dresses worn by the main female characters in Downton Abbey, made of very delicate and sheer fabrics. Either such mansions and country houses were well heated, or the lady of the manor and her daughters must have suffered from cold. Short sleeves or sleeveless evening dresses, of delicate fabrics, could not have warmed them unless the fires were blazing.

 A picture Cora and her three daughters at Downton, wearing beautiful gowns.

To top it all there was a room with stunning evening dresses of famous contemporary designers, who were all inspired by the luxurious fabrics of the historic dresses.

 Left: Intricate sleeves and fastenings, Right: Two identical ballgowns for twins

  The man is more beautifully dressed than the woman. His dress is reflects his rank and position

Left:The elegant pale green dress of the woman is striking in its seeming simplicity

Right: a few dresses by modern designers , inspired by historic dresses

I went to see this interesting exhibition in the Municipal Museum of The Hague – in itself a museum piece, designed by Berlage - as I had a few hours to spend before Evensong, also in The Hague. The lavishness of the dresses and costumes, the ballroom atmosphere, they all formed quite a contrast with the serene and contemplative mood of this quiet Evensong, mainly chanted except for the anthem. Evensong is a time of reflection, not a time for long sermons, but a time of praise in the ancient words of the liturgy, the Magnificat and the Nunc Dimittis, the song of Simeon who is ready to leave this world now that he has seen the Saviour. 

Spring, early March

The garden - or back yard - still seems very bare. Today there is glorious sunshine, and the temperature has gone into double figures. Even if that is just for today, it is lovely to be outside. I have been clearing out the garden, cutting back dead plants, collecting dead leaves and rubbish so that any bulbs will be more visible. 

The daffodils are standing high, but not yet in bloom, the buds thickening. They are in the shade of trees and shrubs, so will flower a bit later than the ones lining some of our local roads. 

 But the various crocuses have opened their hearts to the light and the sun. They multiply each year and there is nothing I have to do to achieve that. Nature is sometimes very generous.

 The different variaties of Helleborus are hard to photograph as the bend their flowers towrds the ground.

An unusual picture of a helleborus taken towards the sky. Pot luck really. I could not see what I was doing not having a screen which can be turned.

Although I have had snowdrops in my front garden for a month now, they are not half as spectacular as the drifts of snowdrops in the nearby wood.