Behind the gilded curtain: Hamilton Gallery explores working-class dress in new exhibit

Visitors to Salve Regina’s Dorrance H. Hamilton Gallery are being transported back to the Gilded Age through the current exhibition, “Fashion and Longing: Gilded Age Dress in New England.” Showcasing historic garments from the University of Rhode Island’s historic textile and costume collection, the display offers a view into Newport’s cultural and social history, celebrating an era marked by opulence, societal shifts and emerging modern sensibilities.

Curated through a partnership between Rebecca Kelly, textile conservator and dress historian at URI, alongside Dr. Anthony Mangieri and Ernest Jolicoeur from Salve Regina’s Department of Art and Art History, the exhibit highlights the elegant yet complex world of Gilded Age fashion. From refined mourning dresses and finely detailed afternoon wear to bathing suits and men’s needlepoint slippers, each garment offers a glimpse into an era when self-expression through clothing reflected one’s place in society.

Telling a different side of the story

The exhibition invites viewers to see Gilded Age clothing as a window into the lives of the growing middle class of the late 19th century. Rather than centering on the wealth and luxury that often define this period, the focus shifts to highlight the experiences of working-class New Englanders, whose stories are woven into the fabric of these historic garments.

“Lots of people visit Newport to behold its architectural grandeur. But the tours along Bellevue Avenue tend to paint a rather biased or exclusionary story of life in New England during the Gilded Age,” said Jolicoeur, who also serves as the Hamilton Gallery director. “We hope this exhibition widens the scope of that narrative to include the experiences of others in the community.”

Salve Regina’s historic location enriches the experience. “Fashion and Longing” comes to life in a fitting setting, as Ochre Court and many nearby Gilded Age mansions are monuments to the extravagance and artistic achievements of the era. Built in 1892 for New York real estate magnate Ogden Goelet, Ochre Court once housed gatherings and elaborate social events that echoed Newport’s reputation as a hub for high society.

“Visiting the mansions in Newport, it’s usually the opulence and wealth of the Gilded Age that makes the biggest impression,” Mangieri said. “I hope that audiences come away with a more nuanced understanding of social class and the importance of dress after seeing our show.”

Assortment of Gilded Age dress.

A special experience for Salve Regina students

In addition to bringing Newport’s Gilded Age history to the public, the exhibition provides a once-in-a-lifetime learning experience for students enrolled in the advanced course Curatorial Practice and the Gallery Experience. These students have gained hands-on experience working alongside Jolicoeur and Mangieri as assistant curators, developing skills in exhibit design, artifact handling and historical research. In particular, students helped plan the layout of each piece within the gallery, considering where and how each garment’s unique story could best be told.

“Exploring the Gilded Age through clothing almost seems unreal,” said Abigail Gibson, a studio art major with a concentration in graphic design and a minor in marketing. “It is quite interesting to learn about life that came before us on these very same grounds.”

Working on the exhibition has allowed students like Gibson to apply classroom learning to a real-world project and to develop professional skills as they pursue careers in the arts. “I have never participated in curating an exhibit before, so it was interesting to learn the process of all the steps that go into curating an exhibit, and it was exciting to know that our ideas made an impact on the gallery,” she said.

Red shoes, silk satin, 1884.

Expanding the reach through digital storytelling

As the exhibition approaches its closing date, the students are hard at work on a digital humanities project that will further extend its impact. Set to launch in January 2025, the project uses the garments in the exhibition as a backdrop to tell the fictional story of Mary Anna Violet, a young woman from Newport’s Gilded Age society. The narrative, crafted entirely by students, will follow Violet’s love of fashion and her dreams for social progress, weaving together historical research with creative storytelling.

“Part art historical study, part scrapbook and part historical fiction, this project uses the dress in our exhibition as a point of departure to imagine and explore the lives of historical people who would have actually worn such clothes through the creation of the diary,” Mangieri said.

For visitors to the gallery, “Fashion and Longing” is a rare opportunity to view garments from a transformative era, beautifully curated within the historic surroundings of the University. With Ochre Court as their daily backdrop, the students are not just studying history but experiencing it – living among the very architecture and landscapes that defined Newport’s Gilded Age.