Artwork of the Week: May 4
Fashion is demonstrated from multiple perspectives in this early-eighteenth-century porcelain. The man is dressed lavishly in a white coat with gold trim and accoutrements, and a floral waistcoat, including ruffles at his wrists. Accessories complete the outfit: a black hat rests atop his powdered hair, which is pulled back with a delicate black ribbon, and a ring adorns his right hand. Additionally, the man represents the creators of such sumptuous looks—as a tailor he is employed by Count Brühl, minister to King Augustus II. The man’s overly confident posture indicates how he views himself and his career within the upper echelons of society. The sculpture references different aspects of the tailor’s job: a measuring ruler dangles near the figure’s waist, and even the goat carries tools central to the profession. A gray iron hangs from one of the goat’s horns, scissors hang from the other, and a pincushion sits perched on its rump. The textiles depicted and referenced are not the only indications of fashion in this sculpture. The prestigious porcelain itself is an example of the non-clothing fashions of the time. Historically exported from China to Europe, the appetite for porcelain became so much that King Augustus II established the Meissen porcelain manufactory in the early 1700s, where this work was created.
This sculpture unites art and fashion; the same concept will be showcased today at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s annual Met Gala in New York City. Oftentimes when we think of this grand fundraising event, we consider celebrities in one-of-a-kind designer outfits, but there are many people (like this tailor) behind the scenes making those gowns, suits, and other apparel possible.
Figure of Count Bruhl's Tailor, our own ode to fashion and art, is currently on view in From the Vault: Staff Selections from the Permanent Collection.
