What: The exhibition — Belle Époque Brides

When: January 24, 2008 to January 4, 2009

Where: Higbee Gallery in Rockwell Hall on the corner of East Main and South Lincoln streets on the Kent Campus.

Background: The exhibition Belle Époque Brides will feature bridal gowns and artifacts from the museum's collection that represent wedding customs in the United States and Europe during the period between 1875 and 1914, a period known as the "Gilded Age" in the United States, and in France as La Belle Époque, the "Beautiful Time."

The exhibit spans a time of great change in the lives of women as expressed in fashion. There was a surge in artistic expression, an increasing divide between rich and poor, and expanding imperialism. New forms of music, dance and fashion were controversial, evoking even violent reactions such as the riot in 1913 at the first performance by the Ballets Russes of Stravinsky's ballet, Le Sacre du Printemps, The Rite of Spring.

French styles during La Belle Époque greatly influenced fashion throughout Europe and the United States, changing throughout the decades. Bridal fashions followed this trend, adding touches of romance to the fashionable silhouette. The devastation brought on by World War I, including the loss of so many young men, effectively brought to an end that lifestyle and the period known as the La Belle Époque.

The costumes and artifacts on display in the Higbee Gallery represent brides of the late 19th and early 20th centuries and include wedding ensembles, portraits, wedding documents, shoes, trousseau lingerie, and other unique pieces.

The Kent State University Museum is open Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.; Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8:45 p.m.; and Sunday from noon to 4:45 p.m. It is closed on Monday and Tuesday.

The museum is located in Rockwell Hall on the corner of East Main and South Lincoln streets on the Kent Campus. Special guided tours are available for groups by reservation. Free on-site motor coach parking is available.

For additional information about the Kent State University Museum, go to www.kent.edu/museum, or call (330) 672-3450.

LINK TO BRIDE WEBSITE

# # #