2020, Vol. 5, No. 2. - go to content...

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DOI: 10.15862/04IVKL220 (https://doi.org/10.15862/04IVKL220)

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Zhabreva A.Eh. Illustrated encyclopedic guides on the costume history: typological features, significance and informational capabilities. Journal of Clothing Science. 2020; 5(2). Available at: https://kostumologiya.ru/PDF/04IVKL220.pdf (in Russian). DOI: 10.15862/04IVKL220

Illustrated encyclopedic guides on the costume history: typological features, significance and informational capabilities

Zhabreva Anna Ehrnestovna
Russian academy of sciences library, Saint-Petersburg, Russia
E-mail: annazhabreva@mail.ru

Abstract. Graphic material has paramount value for those who are in some way involved in the research, reconstruction, creation or the image of a costume. An illustrated book, including a reference one, often proves to be an irreplaceable assistant in science and creativity. The article analyzes the features of the illustrated encyclopedias of the late XIX – early XXI centuries as a certain type of reference publications, the starting point of any research, a source capable to provide fast and reliable search of information.

As an example, the author cites domestic and foreign scientific and popular publications and comes to the conclusion that not all of them are rightfully could be called encyclopedias, but for the most part they are industry terminological dictionaries with their reader’s audience: different profile specialists in the field of costume, teachers and students, artists. They differ in arrangement of material: alphabetical, systematic, chronological or otherwise, contain a rubricator or the index for a quick search of the necessary concept, a bibliography for further delving into the topic.

The graphic series in such publications is represented by various stylistic and printing ways: graphic drawings, color lithographs, photos of various sources: paintings, sculptures, arts and crafts, and actually clothing, shoes, hats, jewelry, linen, accessories. In the most respected publications, the captions for illustrations contain information about their source. The ratio of text and illustrations in the editions under consideration is usually balanced, the most successful is their joint arrangement. The analyzed publications for the most part turn out to be the product of creativity of one author, less often a small team, by large experts in the field of the history of costume in general or in their own country. Only the ten-volume “Berg Encyclopedia of World Dress and Fashion”, created by a large team of specialists in various fields of costume study, can be called an industry encyclopedia rightfully.

However, each of the directories considered in the article has its own advantages among which accessibility is of no small importance, and is capable to assist the user both in providing an interpretation of the terms and more or less representative visual series.

Keywords: costume history; encyclopedias; reference publications; graphic sources; illustrated publications

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