Dressing Gown c. 1941

Curator: This watercolor drawing, titled "Dressing Gown," comes to us from around 1941, created by Lillian Causey. What strikes you about it at first glance? Editor: An abundance of delicate, icy blues. It reminds me of something frozen, perhaps a dress dreamt up by the Snow Queen. Curator: It's certainly evocative. Beyond the aesthetic, though, I'm drawn to what it represents. The dressing gown carries with it an intimate symbolism. Think about its function - worn in private spaces, shielding and adorning at once. This design seems to project an ideal of femininity: a romanticised privacy. Editor: I see what you mean about the idealized image. It is worth examining the physical properties of this artwork: light pencil work that allows the colors to bleed, indicating an artist's vision or plan. Looking closely at the details--the many ruffles, buttons, and pleats. These elements are clearly meant to signify elevated production. What socioeconomic sphere does this object reflect, both in terms of those who labored to make it real and the envisioned consumer? Curator: The choice of watercolor itself plays into this feminine presentation. It allows for a certain transparency, lending to an aura of ethereality. The very concept of historical fashion becomes a sign. The piece creates continuity between epochs by representing traditional tropes around dressing and performance in private spaces. Editor: Precisely. This mockup's reliance on line, color and the repetition of forms speaks about standardization through process. These design renderings can now teach us much about historical forms of labor involved in bringing a dress like this to fruition. Curator: It's a visual object that contains multiple layers of symbolism about beauty and identity. The way clothing becomes an articulation of an epoch. It invites reflection on who and what we choose to protect and reveal in a space and what image we convey. Editor: Examining the tangible labor allows the piece to come to life and reveal layers of history of which this one watercolour gives testament. This rendering is as revealing as the dress itself could have been!