Robert Morris (5) (1955–)

The "Common Man" series are pamphlets (quite chunky ones) home-published (8.5 x 11 paper folded in half and stapled). What the text consists of is compilations of period references to clothing, mainly derived from wills and post-mortem inventories. There are quite a few line drawings (re-drawings) from contemporary artwork, including paintings (few), scuplture, engravings, and other visual images. The artistic skill is not very high, but I can see that photographs would not be much better, considering the technical level of the publication. There is some commentary describing what the garments actually were; some of the statements seemed a little unsupported, but mostly I had no problems with what they said.

The complementary series on how to make the garments has small patterns (within the scope of the 8.5 x 5.5" page), so you will have to draft them up to people size and alter for the wearer's figure.

So, on the whole, I like them, but not ravingly. They definitely aim to fill an empty niche, and I'm very glad SOMEONE is getting info out there for costumers who want to make peasant clothing.… (altro)