The summer exhibition at Sewerby Hall and Gardens is very revealing – it’s a ‘Brief’ History of Underwear.
On display in the house, and running until 14 November, the exhibition looks at how women’s bodies, in particular, have been manipulated into shape over the years by means of underwear, through the corset, bustle, girdle, brassiere and crinoline.
The exhibition also shows how the desired effect of underwear has changed, according to different cultural and social values, and changing attitudes to sex, morality and gender. Underwear has also been hugely influenced by changes to the technology used in its manufacture and creation.
Curator Janice Smith explains:
“Our ‘brief’ history of underwear takes you through the earliest known origins of the bra, in ancient Greece, through the development of underwear across the centuries, especially looking at the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and the Regency era.
“We look at the very different approaches of the Victorians and Edwardians, and our journey continues through the World Wars up to the feminist movements of the late twentieth century. It’s fascinating to see how things have changed!”
The exhibition is on view in the house itself. For full details of all the facilities at Sewerby Hall and Gardens, including the zoo, the gardens, and the Clock Tower Café, as well as opening hours and admission prices, visit www.sewerbyhall.co.uk
