Hyacinthe Rigaud,
'Antoine Pâris', 1724.
London, The National Gallery.

Fabric of Vision: Dress and Drapery in Painting

19 June - 8 September 2002
Sainsbury Wing Admission charge

Supported by the Corporate Members of the National Gallery


The role played by costume and drapery was examined in this innovative exhibition curated by the costume historian Anne Hollander. It showed how artists, from the Middle Ages to the 20th century, have used clothing and drapery - real and imagined, sacred and secular - to give emphasis and emotional force to their figures. The exhibition included works by van der Weyden, Tintoretto, Van Dyck, Reynolds, Delacroix, Tissot, Vuillard and Picasso.

Exhibition Catalogue

Exhibition Video

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