Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 05.djvu/538

* COSTUME. 464 COSTUME. (liiisite beauty, equaling in the perfect intelli- gence of the design adapted to textile fabrics the iinest work of the Byzantines or Persians two thousand years later. In the warm climate of Egypt the clothes even of persons of rank were very slight, and rather for ceremonial purposes than for utility. In the Assyrian monuments, on the other hand, there is a marked tendency toard cohering the whole person with what seem to be heavj" draperies, whereas in the Egyptian bas-reliefs the lines of the body are often made visible through the opening which represents the outer garments, suggesting either a partly transparent material or at least a material so little adjusted to the person and so slight thai the body itself was never for- gotten. The monuments of the Assyrian tombs, on the contrary, show wrappings apparentlj- opaque and stiff. It is evident, however,' that embroidery was much used; for parts of the gar- ments, as of a king, are sculptured in low relief upon relief, and in a way which resembles closely the representation of the embroideries upon priestly robes in the sculpture of the Italian Kenaissance. As for jewelry, it was as rich and splendid in Assyria as in Egypt, though the forms difl'er. Among the jieoples of western Asia even par- tial nudity was considered dishonorable, or at least the badge of inferiority. Accordingly, the heavy garments shown in the works of art of Mesopotamia are easy of explanation, for where only slaves are wholly or partially naked, the tendency is strong toward the association of high rank with complete clothing. But then another tendency appears, that of making the garments of plainer stuH' when the body is cov- ered by them from shoulders to ankles, and using the richer stuffs, as above explained, for borders and the like. The Eg^-ptian, with body, arms, and feet bai'e. might make his kilt of the most splendid piece of weaving obtainable, but the Assyrian, using yards of material for his gar- ment, would naturally employ a simpler stuff: not to avoid expense, but because people of such refined taste as those of Mesopotamia would shun the use of large surfaces, of uniform pat- terns, or the contrast, side by side, of differing patterns, of about equal size and brilliancy. This tendency is not maintained, however, in that other ancient civilization in a sense equal in antiquity as in importance to the civilization of western Asia. The Chinese, from the oldest times of which we have any knowledge, have been among the greatest artists in textile fabrics, as in other industrial arts, and history does not tell us of the time when the population, whether of true Chinese origin or of conquering Tatar dwasties and their followers, have not been more and more clothed in proportion to their rank and station. Porters may go bare-legged and bare- armed, and, ill warm weather, with the body naked above the belt, but as one ascends in the orders of rank, the clothing becomes more and more complete. This tendency is not. however, accompanied by any objection to brilliant and rich stuffs. The more abundant the means of the wearer, the richer his costume — that seems to have been the rule fiom all time : and this is partly explained by the beauty of the floral and foliated designs. Embroidery, too, is used to heighten and complete the splendid weaves, and at least from the tenth centun- of our era until the present day, the most magnificent stuffs in texture and in color are those used by the ladies and gentlemen of the Court. On the other hand, personal jewelry, that which is worn apart from the garments, is not very rich nor very costly, though it may be effective. Strings of pearls are known, and many stones that we, in the West, ignorantly despise liecause they are inexpensive, are made much of by the Chinese, who will use a rough turquoise, a piece of veined or spotted agate, or even a beautiful piece of glass acci- dentally rich in its veining and cut deliberately from the vessel to which it belonged — setting them in bronze or silver-gilt, and making a very decorative clasp, or buckle, or pommel of a sword-hilt. Ciiinese costume should be most carefully studied, because it has been maintained in its traditional character even to our own time. The blue cotton blouse of the working man, and the gaiTnent of delicate blue and gold silk, woven in very elaborate patterns expressly for this garment, with gold or gilt buttons spherical in shape and working in loops, are mainly the same garments as those of a century ago. The people of India are even more divided among themselves in details of costume than are the people of Europe. The general character of the different races, north and south, leads toward a great distinction between classes of the population. The simple piece of stuff", four feet wide by thrice as long, worn by the women, is most gracefully draped about the shoulders and breast; in very recent times it is often a piece made in Europe of three large handkerchiefs, with their several borders complete. This is worn over a petticoat; arms and legs are bare, and the feet, except for occasional use of sandals; but the dark skin is barred and spotted with many and large jewels. Necklaces, broad armlets and wristlets, rings for toes and fingers, earrings, and nose-rings, are all made of silver wire for the l)oorer women, who often put their whole savings into these adornments. The necessity of providing for a very warm summer climate, and in the south for a wholly tropical year, has caused the making of muslins of a fineness and perfection of weave never approached in Europe, though these native manufactures have been destroyed by the com- petition of British cottons. A few of the native princes alone encourage the making of these exquisite weaves. Besides these there are figured cottons of such perfect make and so beautiful in design that they are worn even by princes, as if of equal importance with silk. The gold-flow- ered and silver-flowered textiles of silk and cotton, or even of fine cotton alone, are famous in Europe, under the name kinkab or kincob. The costume of India in general is mainly an affair of beautiful stuft's, very little shaped to the body, and usually worn loosely, and of jewels in great abundance. Among the people of the tropical islands, the Malays, and the black and brown inhabitants of Polviiesia, the art of weaving has never reached sufficient perfection to allow the stuffs to be sought for their own sake. Very beautiful pat- terns are printed upon cotton by the women of the larger islands, wood blocks being used for the purpose in a way almost exactly like that employed in the printing of paper hangings among the Western nations : hut these stuffs, however attractive to our eyes, however superior