The embodiment of the 18th century

I present to you my latest work: a theatrical hunting costume of Count Almaviva from “The Marriage of Figaro, ” 18th century.

COSTUME ELEMENTS

 ▪️Cloak‑pelerine with a turn‑down collar

▪️Culottes

▪️Tailcoat 

▪️Hat 

▪️Gloves 

▪️Wig 

▪️Boots 

▪️Musket

▪️Belt

Count Almaviva appears several times in “The Marriage of Figaro.”

In the first act, he appears as the poor student Lindoro. He sings a serenade under Rosina’s window, concealing his noble title in order to win the girl’s love. 

In the second act, he appears as a young soldier. The count bursts into Bartolo’s house, demanding to be taken in as a lodger. Because of the commotion that ensues, the gendarmes come to Bartolo’s aid, but they retreat when they recognize the soldier as the count. 

In the third act, he appears as a singing teacher. Almaviva comes to Bartolo, offering the services of a tutor for Rosina in place of the “ill” Basilio. 

I took on the count’s costume, which is presented in the second act. However, according to historical sources, it is not so much the image of a soldier as the image of a hunter. At least, that’s how indicated the author who created costume sketches for N. P. Lamanova.

What drew me to the work was the amazing combination of clothing elements and the interest in bringing the costume to life in the material. Initially, I envisioned it in green velvet; I imagined the hero, dazzled by the light, with a bright historical mahogany blunderbuss that would go well with the hat, the belt, and the cloak, and would emphasize his dignity. It was impossible to accurately depict the costume, as the drawing made before handing it over to Lamanova for sewing contains many historical inaccuracies. For example, counts never wore tricorne hats. 

Such hats, which were also called “tricorne” hats, could be found in the wardrobe of military personnel and sailors. It was in the army and navy that the tricorne hat first appeared. It was invented by Spanish soldiers in Flanders during the War of Devolution (1667): they tucked in and secured with pins the wide brims of their wide‑brimmed hats so that they would not interfere with aiming a musket and could not accidentally catch fire from the fuse. Later, this style was adopted by French soldiers, and at the court of Louis XIV, the tricorne hat became a fashionable headwear.

 In the armed forces of many European states, it remained part of the uniform for a long time. Sometimes such a hat could be worn by aristocrats and civilians. Over time, civilians also began to wear tricorne hats: wealthy merchants, townspeople. During the Rococo era, women also охотно donned it — this was due to the general convergence of men’s and women’s fashion. Sometimes a tricorne hat was included in a hunting outfit or in attire for horseback riding. Later, famous historical figures could wear tricorne hats. Among those who are often depicted wearing a tricorne hat is the Prussian king Frederick II the Great. In North America, the tricorne hat became a symbol of the War of Independence: it was worn by soldiers of the Continental Army. The first five presidents of the United States (from George Washington to James Monroe) also appeared in tricorne hats, following the fashion of the 18th century. At the same time, James Monroe clung so conservatively to this headwear when fashion was already changing that he earned the nickname “The Last Cocked Hat” (“The Last Tricorne”).

И, вконец, Пираты. Треуголка была практична и для карибских пиратов: она защищала от палящего солнца и морских брызг. 

And, finally, Pirates. The tricorne hat was practical for Caribbean pirates as well: it protected against the scorching sun and sea spray. At the same time, the tricorne hat had practical advantages: it could be folded and carried under the arm in accordance with etiquette, and the curved brim formed grooves that directed rainwater away from the face. Over time, towards the end of the 18th century, the cocked hat became less practical (especially at balls and receptions, where it was uncomfortable) and was gradually replaced by a more compact bicorne hat. In the army, the two-cornered hat has been entrenched among officers for a long time. By the way, the common image of Napoleon in a cocked hat is a historical inaccuracy: he wore a two—cornered hat. Similarly, the count’s tricorne hat could well be a historical inaccuracy; however, we must not forget that, according to the plot of the work, the count merely disguises himself as a soldier and could well have had some elements of his own attire, while others were made from whatever was available. The work is theatrical and allows for some historical inaccuracies. 

However, let’s move on. The most perplexing thing about this costume sketch is the Cape‑ крылатка. The thing is that this item of clothing is purely a product of the artist’s imagination. A Cape‑ крылатка is a men’s outer garment in the form of a sleeveless coat made of woolen cloth or drape with a long cape and armholes. The name comes from the association of the cape’s shape with a bird’s wing. There could be several capes on a the winged cloak. The “winged cloak” appeared in Russia in the first half of the 19th century, inspired by the European men’s coat by McFarlane. The style resembled the “Nikolaev greatcoat, ” but it was distinguished by the absence of sleeves. At the end of the 19th century, the “krylatka” came into fashion. It was popular among students due to its practicality and convenience: you could wear many warm items under it.

In 1901, a raincoat made of rubberized fabric with a turn‑down collar and a hood was introduced for naval officers; it was also called a “krylatka”. A pelisse is a short cape that covers the shoulders, usually without sleeves, sometimes with a hood. The name comes from the French word pèlerine — “wanderer”, “pilgrim”, which in turn goes back to the Latin peregrinus — “foreigner”.Initially, the cape was an item of clothing worn by pilgrims and travelers who used it to shield their shoulders from the weather while on the road. Over time, it became a popular fashion item and was worn in different historical periods and across different social strata. In the Middle Ages, it served as a practical cloak for travelers. In the 16th century, the cape came into fashion among the upper classes in Spain; it was made of gold brocade and velvet.

The “golden age” of the cape fell in the 19th century. During this time, it was worn by both men and women, as well as by military personnel and civilians. In men’s fashion, the cape often served as a collar‑cloak that complemented a cloak or coat and provided protection from the rain. From the second half of the 19th century, a cape that extended to the knees became part of the uniform clothing of some European armies. In the 20th century, the cape continued to appear in women’s wardrobes, often as a combination of a collar and a cape, and was frequently made of lace. The sketch from which the costume was made. What we see in the drawing is unlike any of the elements of clothing, for the cape appears stiff, yet light and single‑layered, excessively short, but wide at the shoulders. Moreover, it was a one‑piece piece with openings for the sleeves, which, in principle, does not exist. I decided to approach this creatively, bringing it to life in thin leather so that the half‑cloak would look skillfully made, elegant, and not draw too much attention to itself. Moreover, this element pairs perfectly in color with the hat and belt.

The gloves, in turn, match the gold trim and buckle on the belt, as well as the cuffs on the culottes, the collar on the cloak, and the gilded buttons. Initially, the buttons were made of silver, but since silver and gold, which are only partially present in the costume, would contradict each other, I evenly applied a light layer of gilding to the silver using a spray can of gold paint. And the last thing that raised my concerns about this costume sketch was the seemingly inconspicuous verbosity of the tailcoat: the upper part ends at the waist level, while the lower garment reaches all the way to the thigh. In the end, it was decided to sew only the upper garment, since, of course, there could be no layering in the proposed design.

Of course, the finished costume contains deviations from the original in other aspects as well, which are not related to the impossibility of achieving authenticity. However, as an artist, I justify my decision by the fact that the main task of an artist is to create something beautiful, not to be correct. The further the work progresses, the more the artist must build on what they have already done, rather than on the original. Accordingly, the more finished the work becomes, the more deviations from historical sources are allowed in it, in favor of artistic competence, aesthetics, and the author’s intent. A separate element of the costume that deserves attention is culottes. In the historical past, these were short trousers, usually reaching to the knee, which were part of the male wardrobe of the European aristocracy in the 16th–19th centuries. The word itself comes from the French “culotte” (from “cul” — “butt”).

Culottes were most often fastened below the knee. They were invariably complemented by stockings (often white, which were considered the most elegant) and shoes with buckles. The cut was rather narrow, and the fit was high (reaching to the hips), so suspenders were usually not required. Expensive fabrics were used for sewing: silk, velvet, brocade, and cloth. In France, culottes became a sign of belonging to privileged classes. Commoners were forbidden to wear such short trousers — they were required to wear long trousers. Thus, culottes visually separated the nobility from the other strata of society. Over time, the idea of shortened trousers also made its way into women’s wardrobes. At the end of the 19th century, “skirt‑trousers” (for example, “bloomers”) appeared, which were a practical alternative for cycling. Later, fashion designers, including Elsa Schiaparelli, began to actively incorporate culottes into women’s collections, making them an element of everyday and sportswear. 

So, historical culottes are not just an element of an old costume, but an important stage in the evolution which has evolved from a symbol of aristocracy to a versatile item in a woman’s wardrobe.