It is the fifth of my mannequins of various age, style and provenance.
I am almost embarrassed that I almost thought that this one wasn't very attractive, I kept it stashed at the studio. I've given its rustic wooden tripod base to another, slender, more feminine, styrofoam body of a mannequin.
Well. yesterday I decided to expose this body, removed wooden caps and wooden base.
I cut off a layer of batting, clad with easily tearing, faded black fabric.
The body that emerged few minutes later was beautiful and fascinating. ♥
I admire the eco-friendly material and in the text written all over the bodice trying to locate something that would help to date this find. All bits and pieces of papier mâché are written in Italian. I found the place name and most recent date: 1924, Milan.
Il manichino è un oggetto che riproduce un essere umano... ♥
NEWS FLASH:
A colleague with younger eyes has helped to find a younger date - it was actually a heading.
It said 12 - 15 December 1952.
So the paper used for my mannequin bears the news of 60 years ago. and likely was made in 1953. That year would be significantly more eventful:
-> Stalin died... yet
-> Poland suffers a peak of Stalinist terror
-> Eisenhowever replaced Thrumann,
-> US declares it has a hydrogen bomb
-> Queen Elizabeth II is coronated
-> Russia announces it has a hydrogen bomb,
-> Kennedy marries Bouvier and
-> Hillary and Norgay reach Mt. Everest
but I will dress it as a woman
and no-one will know...
Soccer stars of the twenties, and a cartoon:
