Corset 1870 - 1874

This ‘Corset’ was made by the Royal Worcester Corset Company. Although the exact date is unknown, the object’s form and construction techniques firmly place its production somewhere between 1861 and 1950. What strikes us first is the contrast between the stark white vertical bands and the dark fabric, a visual tension that sculpts the object into a symbol of structured form. The corset, traditionally a tool of body modification, here becomes a study in lines and planes. The structure is segmented into rigorous vertical lines and a laced central panel. These elements work to both reveal and conceal, suggesting a complex interplay between visibility and constraint. Consider how the object, through its very design, challenges our perceptions of the body. It destabilizes conventional meanings of form and beauty. What we are left with is not merely an undergarment, but a cultural artifact rich in symbolism.