Object Analysis Method

My objects are two wedding gowns. One is from 1845, which made of taffeta, and the other one is a pointed waistline style, wide neckline and long sleeves from 1837. In order to analyze my objects, I would like to suggest my own methodology based on E. MacClung Fleming’s method in addition to gender and cultural perspectives. As Fleming proposed in his model of artifact study, I would like to follow his four operations, which are identification, evaluation, cultural analysis and interpretation. However, his model of object analysis applicable to broader examination of artifacts, but not specifically costumes. Since my objects are wedding gowns, I would like to adopt other perspectives of costumes as material culture which Joan Severa and Merrill Horswill proposed. They focused on the relationship between costumes and bodies. Costumes have special connection with the personalities of people who wear them. Those integrated forms of costumes and personalities need to be looked at more specifically while analyzing costumes. As for my own perspective, I would also like to focus on invisible cultural contexts. It is important to explore how objects suggest status, values, and ideas especially in gender perspectives.

Basically I would like to follow the methodology below to analyze my wedding gowns. Then I will explain what each step means when applying to objects.

<Outline of Methodology>

I.      Identification/Description of objects

1.      Materials (Fabric, thread, adornment) 

2.      Workmanship

                i.          Machine made/ Handmade

               ii.          Details of skills

3.      Design (Top, waist, bottom, size)

II.    History

1.      Date/ Owner/ Creator  

2.      Social/historical background

III.  Evaluation

1.      Comparison of objects

2.      Quality, cost, and function

IV.   Cultural Analysis

1.      Gender, body and personality

                i.          Visible analysis

               ii.          Invisible analysis

V.     Interpretation

1.      Objects in present

2.      Trend/ Fashion

I.      Identification/Description of objects

During identification and description of objects, I would like to explore three different points of view, which are material, workmanship, and design. By analyzing what kinds of materials objects use with which techniques, the audience grasps the whole image of objects. Looking through fabrics, thread, and adornment, classifies what are those object made by and what kind of skills are needed to create. The next step is examining designs of dresses. To compare two different dresses, I will explore details of color, length, and shape of designs.

II.    Historical background

In the historical background, I would like to look at when and what social circumstances created those objects. Social background is one of the important facts to consider those objects. To understand social background, we can see the reasons why those objects were needed and appeared in that specific time period. Also including where and who kept objects with this condition and function would explore successive ownership within history.

III.  Evaluation

In the evaluation process, there are two kinds of evaluation systems. One is comparison of objects, which distinguish similarities and differences between two different objects. Comparing two different objects, reveals what aspects are lacking or sufficient. Other one is a perspective of connoisseurship. Through the connoisseurship of point of views, objects need to be analyzed for their quality, cost, and function.

IV.   Cultural Analysis

Cultural analysis would be the most important part of all steps in methodology. There are also two steps of visible and invisible analysis. During visible analysis, I would like to focus on the relationship between objects and perceivers. Here actual objects would be subject to analysis in cultural context. Analyzing how objects have aspects of gender and femininity in specific period of historical and cultural context. Closely looking at objects’ laceworks and bijous, and analyze how those adornments indicate femininity and define gender in those clothes. Another method would be an invisible analysis. Differ from visible analysis, invisible analysis will emphasis on what objects imply and represent cultural standard. For instance, considering why dresses cover most of women’s body, why the size of dresses are all shaping slim, and why wedding gowns supposed to be white would be discover unsealed cultural and social norm through objects.

V.     Interpretation

Finally, interpretation of objects will support how to fit objects into contemporary context. We have looked through objects in historical and cultural contexts in the time when objects were created. In the interpretation step, I would like to place the objects in present time, and attempt to combine its historical importance. Throughout the historical analysis of object, we could see what we call “fashions” and “trends” in each time period. I am going to explore how different time periods’ “fashions” and “trends” apply to the present time, and consider the contrast between gaps of historical perspectives to significantly interpret objects.