Spencer c. 1936

This watercolor drawing of a “Spencer” jacket was made by Rosalia Lane. The rendering focuses on the garment’s fabric, a rich red with a brocaded floral pattern. The artist has paid close attention to the way the cloth would drape and fold on the body. Fabric is always the result of industrial and manual labor, and this is no exception. We can imagine the labor involved in producing the textile and the garment, from spinning the thread to weaving the cloth to assembling the jacket itself. In its time, such a garment would have been quite luxurious. The artist's choice of medium also speaks to this relationship with value: watercolor was often used for fashion plates and dressmaking patterns, helping consumers visualize luxurious garments. Lane’s “Spencer” reminds us that clothing has always been a potent form of cultural expression.