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June 24, 2019
Last Updated on March 13, 2023 by Dominique de Merteuil
Children’s clothing from the 17th to the 19th century – Wilanow for Young Talents. The exhibition runs until the 31st of October and you definitely don’t want to miss it!
An exhibition concerning the reconstruction of children’s clothing from the 17th to the 19th century is currently on display at the Museum of King Jan III’s Palace at Wilanów. It’s the result of a competition, part of the “Wilanow for Young Talents” project, created and realized by curator extraordinaire Maria Zielinska.
“Children’s clothing from the 17th to the19th century” is the theme of the fourth edition of the historical reconstruction contest organised by my beloved Museum of King Jan III’s Palace at Wilanów. I highly recommend this museum to anyone visiting Warsaw for the first time!
This dream location, both the palace and its magnificent park, has served as a beautiful background to many of my vintage photo shoots, regardless of the time of the year, as it’s always awe-inspiring.
The palace’s breathtaking 18th-century interiors are the perfect setting for an exhibition showcasing pieces that could be easily mistaken for authentic antique garments.
Silk doublets, velvet justaucorps, miniature corsets, dresses on side hoops and crinoline, tiny mittens, bonnets, shoes and jackets for the youngest children.
Participants in the competition can be described as the creme de la creme of the young, inspiring fashion and textile designers, of Poland. To do a faithful reconstruction of historical costumes is a task only the most skilful costumiers would undertake. Luckily for the contestants, the Museum in Wilanow, together with partners from the National Museum in Warsaw; Ewa Orlinska-Mianowska and Monika Janisz, organised lectures, workshops and consultations to help with what seemed like an impossible task. Dedication to the project of some of the contestants was second to none.
For example, Zuzanna Pydzik, who won the 2nd prize, couldn’t find the right fabric so she decided to hand-weave a fabric on a loom!
I can say will great certainty and all honesty that these young talents could give many of the known international designers a run for their money.
This is the third time I had the privilege of being invited to the opening ceremony of the “Wilanow for Young Talents” exhibition, and I’m already waiting with huge anticipation for the next one. I’m not going to reveal the theme for the upcoming competition but it will be very provocateur!
If you are curious about the previous editions of “Wilanow for young Talent” projects, you can read about them in my articles listed below.
- “Wilanow for Young Talents – Fashion at the Court of King Jan III Sobieski” exhibition.
- “Helena Modjeska-Icon of Style. Reconstructions of XIX century costumes” exhibition.
Children’s clothing from the 17th to the 19th century – Wilanow for Young Talents.
First prize
Grzegorz Biesik
Reconstruction of a boy’s garment based on “A collective portrait of a family in the park”,1810, a Berlin painter, the National Museum in Wroclaw.
Second Prize
Maria Bystrowska
Reconstruction of a girl’s dress based on a “Portrait of Elzbieta Pade”, Michal Stachowicz, 1818, National Museum in Warsaw.
Second Prize
Zuzanna Pydzik
Reconstruction of a garment based on the “Portrait of Ludwika Karolina Radziwillowna”, 1675-1680, National Museum in Warsaw. Important to note, that the fabric used for the dress, was handwoven on a loom by the contestant!
Third Prize
Krystyna Handzel
Reconstruction of a garment based on the ” Portrait of Prince Wladyslaw Zygmunt, unknown Austrian painter, c. 1605, Royal Castle in Warsaw.
Children’s clothing from the 17th to the 19th century – Wilanow for Young Talents.
Honourable mention- for the reconstruction of a dress from the XVII Century, adorned with a handmade gold thread bobbin lace.
Author of the garment – Marek Zietek
Reconstruction of a dress based on the “Portrait of Teresa Kunegunda Sobieska”, unknown painter, Olesko Castle.
Honourable mention- for the reconstruction of a garment worn by Prince Wladyslaw Zygmunt in the first half of the XVII Century.
Author of the garment – Adam Krzepkowski
Another, incredible example of reconstruction of clothes is based on the ” Portrait of Prince Wladyslaw Zygmunt, unknown Austrian painter, c. 1605, Royal Castle in Warsaw.
Honourable mention- for the reconstruction of a dress, undergarments and shoes from the second half of the XIX Century.
Author of the garment-Justyna Helena Lasota
Reconstruction of a dress based on the “Portrait of Maria Roza and Rozalia Kronenberg with her dog”, Jozef Simmler, 1860, National Museum in Warsaw.
Honourable mention- for the reconstruction of a dress, undergarments and a corset from the second half of the 19th Century.
Author of the garment-Zuzanna Malinowska
Reconstruction of a garment based on the “Girl with a dog”, Leopold Loffler, 1880, National Museum in Warsaw.
Honourable mention – for the reconstruction of a boy’s garment from the second half of the 17th Century.
Author of the garment-Sonia Zogala
Reconstruction of a garment based on the painting ” Boy in a Polish costume”, Caspar Netscher, 1668-1672, National Museum in Krakow.
Work outside the contest shown at the “Children’s clothing from XVII-XIX Century” exhibition.
Author of the garment-Elzbieta Dunin-Wasowicz
Reconstruction of a girl’s dress based on ” Portrait of Magdalena de Vos”, Cornelis de Vos, 1623-1624, Collection of the Duke of Devonshire, Chatsworth House, Great Britain.
Reconstruction of an 18th Century child’s bonnet from the collections of the National Museum in Warsaw.
Reconstruction of the bonnet’s embroidery done by; Izabela Barańska-Oleksy, Magdalena Calikowska, Anna Czeczotko, Maria Golinska, Monika Osowska, Ewa Rdzanek, Joanna Ruban, Dorota Wrońska.
- Reconstruction of the lace; Dorota Wronska
- Cutting and needlework by Elzbieta Dunin-Wasawicz
Reconstruction of an 18th Century dress of a young Polish noblewoman based on ” Epitath of children of Robert Wojciech Portius”, c. 1640, the church of the holy trinity in Krosno.
Author of the garment-Gabriela Glinianowicz
Reconstruction of a dress based on ” A portrait of Prince Karol August of Saxony with his wife Zofia and his daughter”, National Museum in Warsaw.
Author of the garment-Jagoda Duszyk
Reconstruction of a dress based on the “Portrait of Krystyna Potocka”, Angelika Kauffmann, 1783-1784, Museum of King Jan III’s Palace at Wilanów.
Author of the garment-Zuzanna Krzyzewska
You can purchase this wonderful exhibition book directly from the Museum’s website. I wish it was in English but it’s worth getting it even if you don’t speak the language, as it’s filled with detailed pictures of showcased garments.
Kingston
September 18, 2020Thanks for this great article with the history of vinatge clothing for children. LA Vintage in Los Angeles sells unique vintage dresses for kids at the wholesale price. Try iy out! P.S. Loved reading this post!