Photo's 1890's

[sal4]

I have a few photo's of my Great Grandfather taken aprox mid to late 1890's and he is very well dressed for a peasant from Piedimonte D'Alfie.....A cousin told me that back in those days when you would get your picture taken, they would have clothes for you to wear......Has anyone else heard of this?....Sal4

[carolinechurch]

Hi Sal.
I've never heard that before, but I guess since they used to have all the props in a photographic studio maybe they did.

Costume is my profession, so this quite interesting to me.
I have photos of members of my family, similarly dressed, even though they were very poor as well, but looking closely I can see that their clothes, though spotlessly clean, were often a little shabby or old fashioned, indicating they had them for a long time.
I have come across different members of a family wearing the same clothes, suggesting they were borrowed, from a sister for example, and obviously children wearing handed down garments.
Most people, however poor, would have had 'best' clothes to wear to church, and having a photo taken would have been a special occasion, warranting cleaning and ironing your best clothes, borrowing some jewellery and wearing a stiff unnatural expression!

[PeterTimber]

To answer your question about dress clothes being loaned by photographers to commoners specifically will require some research on your part. Go to Google.com and in the title put in CLOTHING WORN IN 1890's PHOTOGRAPHY in ITALY

Its an usual subject and piqued my interest so if you come up withthe sociology of that time as it relates to Photography please let us know. =Peter=

[carolinechurch]

Something else I was thinking about:
By late in the 19th century ready made clothes were commonly available to many people, which changed the way even the less wealthy could dress.
The advent of the sewing machine, and of factory production, meant that though there weren't chain stores as we know them now, there were cheap/affordable clothes for sale in stores and in catalogues, which were more up to date, and copied what the wealthier classes were wearing.
It also makes it harder to differentiate between classes of people as their clothes look very similar in old photos.

[PeterTimber]

By the turn of the century Italy, save for large Metropolitan centres such as Milan, Torino, Venezia and possibly Rome was mainly out of the European fashion circuit. Italy did not become a fully united nation until 1870 which started in 1860 and was full of political turmoil and annexations so that while your ideas which are suitable for historic northern Europe (including Switzerland) they are far off the Italian scene. =Peter=

[DeFilippis78]

A lot of people in really trying times used whatever fabric was available in their home to make clothing. This included sheets and curtains that were cut to dress pattern and sewn.And after they had one dress, that was it. You owned one all purpose dress. That art of sewing seems almost dead.

Alicia

[carolinechurch]

Hi Peter, I wasn't referring to high fashion.
I was merely explaining the general trend world-wide, including the USA, UK, Europe and anywhere else readers of this forum may have photos from.
I wasn't specifically referring to a particular town or village, or particular part of Italy.
As has also been discussed in this forum, many people travelled around the country, or even to other parts of Europe for seasonal work - they weren't totally isolated in their own communities.
Who knows when or where someone would go to have their portrait taken, as photography also became more accessible and affordable.
Possibly a photographer visited the town in question, maybe the person travelled and had the photo taken in town, who knows?
Maybe someone in the family travelled and brought back gifts of clothing for the family?

[sal4]

I have looked closely at these pictures and to be honest the suits look pretty well tailored & do not look as if they were ever worn before....The **SPAM** are spotless......I was told that most people from Piedimonte D'Alfie were peasants and so I assume that they were poor due to living in that area, There is no one left in our family that would know of my Grandparents and Great Grandparents financial status....Peter I will do as you suggested and try & Google to see what comes up....Thanks.....Sal4

[sal4]

I have no idea why the ** SPAM** is in the space where the word I type is clothes .........

[DeFilippis78]

LOL! I was trying to figure out what that meant! I thought I was out of the loop!

Alicia

[carolinechurch]

Would love to see a photo, could you post one?

[sal4]

Ok here we go.........

[LoisM]

Sal,

That is an awesome find for your collection.

The picture is in great shape for it's age 1890's geez...

Your very lucky to find it that way...

Make some electronic copies for prosperity.

Lois M.

[carolinechurch]

Oh that's so lovely!
The suit for the man on the left fits quite well, but in the case of the more 'stout' gentleman, who would not be easy to fit, I'd say that it is not his, but borrowed, as it is too big for him in girth, and the sleeves are very long.
Nothing on the back of the photo? (super obvious question, I know)

Thanks for sharing it.
Caroline.

[sal4]

It is fantastic...Than You.....I have a few more, I was so lucky because these pictures are the only ones that exist in our family of my Great Grandparents on both sides.....My Grandfather kept them in a church offering envelope box and when he passed my Dad kept them in a safety deposit box.....the only thing on the back of the picture is the name of the photography studio in Piedimonte D'Alfie.......Sal4