Historic Painting Thread

[Chas]

I don't think the author of this thread was suggesting we accept these paintings carte blanche, Chas. I think we can all agree that paintings (or even photographs) capture just one aspect of life in general and how people might have dressed at a certain time in history.

Reenactors and living historians of later periods certainly depend on photographs, but also combine them with written documents -- although who of us thinks to document exactly what they are wearing every day down to what material the clothes were made of?

For example, numerous photos from the American Civil War in 1861 show soldiers on both sides armed to the teeth with pistols, bowie knives, swords, etc. -- we know from some contemporary journals that a majority of these were photographer's props, and those that were not were quickly thrown away on the route of march for being too much weight -- so in that regard, the photo does give a misleading impression that all soldiers carried pistols or Bowie knives.

Regards,

Todd

I agree 100% Todd. All I am saying is that the paintings have a certain style - they are romantic, easy on the eye, we like looking at them. And as such they seduce us into a false sense of what is accurate and what is not. Personally, I wish that I had good copies, larger than A4. We have a hallway that is crying out for them to be framed and mounted there.

Regards
Chas