Annual Delaware Antiques Show 2019

“Capturing the Image” demonstrates why costume becomes such an important marker of history. In today’s world of social media, the imagery establishing the brand and ideals of the monarchy is distributed far and wide and is carefully controlled. This type of imagery, established long ago in portraits of monarchs, often serves as propaganda. The dress and diadem worn by Queen Elizabeth for her official coronation portrait in 1953 (fig. 5) established her classic look as a monarch, and the image was distributed to newspapers and magazines and re-created on souvenirs and postage stamps. That photo also brings to light the role of photographers such as Antony Armstrong-Jones and Cecil Beaton, whose stories are featured in the television drama as well as the exhibition. Only one section of the exhibition, “Creating Character,” departs from the idea of replicating history, but even here, costumes introduce elements of the political and cultural history of the time. Costume is considered as a means of developing character traits and propelling the story itself. The personalities of Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret are distinguished through contrasts in what they wore, emphasizing the styles of the late 1950s and early 1960s. While Margaret preferred pencil skirts, swing coats, and capris (fig. 6) , the Queen’s character did not stray from the traditional Hartnell-type designs with full skirts and conservative lines. Differences in costume help to contextualize the time in which the drama is set. By replicating historic dress, costumes on view in Costuming THE CROWN tell a compelling story of the people who wore them, the traditions that preceded them, and the individuals involved in making and documenting them. We invite you to visit and witness that history on view in the Winterthur Galleries until January 5. Fig. 6. Outfit and accessories designed by Jane Petrie for the character of Princess Margaret. Costume provided by Left Bank Pictures Kim Collison is Manager of Exhibitions and Collection Planning as well as the co-curator of Costuming THE CROWN. — 33 —