Material culture – Grave Matters

‘Two Years of Sable Gloom’: The Stages of Victorian Mourning

Chris Woodyard The two years of the title is often cited as the required time for a widow to mourn for her husband – there’s a popular trope that all Victorian widows wore full black with crape veils for two solid years. The reality is much more nuanced, depending on the year and the etiquetteContinue reading “‘Two Years of Sable Gloom’: The Stages of Victorian Mourning”

Hair Work: A Meditation

Hair is deeply personal and something expected to be attached to a person’s body. But in many museum collections, antique stores, and family collections one can encounter complex, knotted, sculptural wreaths constructed out of human hair. These objects, known as hair wreaths, hair work, or hair art, are fascinating objects that can reveal much aboutContinue reading “Hair Work: A Meditation”