Isabelle de Borchgrave's Baroque Paper Gowns at Fondazione Zani
Isabelle de Borchgrave, born in Brussels in 1946, creates life-size paper sculptures of historical costumes. Her exhibition at Fondazione Paolo e Carolina Zani in Franciacorta, Brescia, is part of Bergamo and Brescia Italian Capital of Culture 2023. Five paper gowns explore Baroque and Rococo styles, linking fashion, art, and interior design. The show includes a robe à la française inspired by Madame de Pompadour, displayed near a painting by François Boucher. A robe à la polonaise references a 1785 chinoiserie gown from the Kyoto Costume Institute and an engraving by Antoine-Jean Duclos. De Borchgrave's technique involves painting and trompe-l'œil on white paper sheets, avoiding digital reproduction. The Casa Museo's Coromandel screen provides a backdrop for a kimono. The exhibition connects period furniture, exoticism, and fashion, with pieces like a Spanish farthingale and a French panier structure.
Key facts
- Isabelle de Borchgrave (born 1946, Brussels) creates paper sculpture costumes.
- Exhibition at Fondazione Paolo e Carolina Zani, Franciacorta, Brescia.
- Part of Bergamo and Brescia Italian Capital of Culture 2023.
- Five paper gowns on display covering Baroque and Rococo styles.
- Robe à la française in white and blue, inspired by Madame de Pompadour.
- Robe à la polonaise pattern from a 1785 robe à l'anglaise with chinoiserie at Kyoto Costume Institute.
- Polonaise shape inspired by Le Bal Paré engraving (1774) by Antoine-Jean Duclos after Augustin de Saint-Aubin.
- Technique uses white paper sheets (1x1.5m), painted with tempera, pastels, and colored pencils, then glued.
- Coromandel lacquer screen from mid-17th century, owned by Coco Chanel, serves as backdrop.
- Exhibition includes a kimono with decors on paper resembling silk.
- Baroque period saw the birth of interior decoration, with furniture influencing fashion (e.g., lit à la polonaise and robe à la polonaise).
- Exoticism and Oriental themes central to 18th-century Western culture.
Entities
Artists
- Isabelle de Borchgrave
- François Boucher
- Antoine-Jean Duclos
- Augustin de Saint-Aubin
- Coco Chanel
- Madame de Pompadour
- Marie Antoinette
Institutions
- Fondazione Paolo e Carolina Zani per l’arte e la cultura
- Kyoto Costume Institute
- Artribune
Locations
- Bruxelles
- Brussels
- Franciacorta
- Brescia
- Bergamo
- Italy