A provocative reassessment of the concept of an American golden age of European-born reason and intellectual curiosity in the years following the Revolutionary War The accepted myth of the “American Enlightenment†suggests that the rejection of monarchy and establishment of a new republic in the United States in the eighteenth century was the realization of utopian philosophies born in the intellectual salons of Europe and radiating outward to the New World. In this revelatory work; Stanford historian Caroline Winterer argues that a national mythology of a unitary; patriotic era of enlightenment in America was created during the Cold War to act as a shield against the threat of totalitarianism; and that Americans followed many paths toward political; religious; scientific; and artistic enlightenment in the 1700s that were influenced by European models in more complex ways than commonly thought. Winterer’s book strips away our modern inventions of the American national past; exploring which of our ideas and ideals are truly rooted in the eighteenth century and which are inventions and mystifications of more recent times.
#347653 in Books 2012-02-28Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 12.00 x .80 x 9.40l; 2.29 #File Name: 0300181078280 pages
Review
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful. What Clothes Reveal: The Language of Clothing in Colonial Federal AmericaBy Jon N. Austin"What Clothes Reveal" is first and foremost a history of American and British wearing apparel from the 18th and early 19th centuries found in the Colonial Williamsburg collection. It is also a social history of the period illustrated by garments and accessories that allows the reader to delve beneath the outer surface silhouette seen in paintings; prints; and on museum mannequins to reveal garment construction; fit; underpinnings; alterations; and simple thrift. While many costume histories focus on a single gender and social class; "What Clothes Reveal" includes examples for men; women; and children--not only gentry but also common folk. While author Baumgarten's "Eighteenth Century Clothing at Williamsburg" was intended to be a catalog of the collection; "What Clothes Reveal" goes several steps further. Baumgarten explores the deeper meaning of individual items and their construction; offers an curatorial interpretation of the garments and objects; and places them in a historical context by identifying details about the original owner where possible. While not intended to be the minute examination of garments in her "Costume Close-up: Clothing Construction and Pattern; 1750-1790;" it is an important companion. While the general photos are typical; the detail photos are rare in costume histories. Readers shouldn't ignore the sidebars; the timeline; or the footnotes. The extensive bibliography offers a superb list of additional titles to assist with further research. This book is a must for costume historians; curators; collectors; re-enactors; and others who seek to understand 18th and early 19th century garments and the lives and times of those who wore them. Baumgarten unbuttons many mysteries in a thoroughly readable style; leaving the reader anxious for her next contribution to the field of costume history.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy A. SowersAs described and would buy it again!0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy Ms. NilsonGreat book for costume design research.
