Contextual Research: Reading around the text.

I am keen to educate myself about the era that the novel, Persuasion by Jane Austen, was written and set in.  This is to make the imagery that I created relevant and true to the text. From previous experience,  I discovered how important authenticity is to costume students, as it can determine how believable their production will be. As an illustrator wanting to create for work for theatre use, i think its important to adopt a similar attitude.

I came across a documentary series on BBC4 Elegance and Decadence: The Age of Regency that explores the social and political events of the times as well as looking at the Arts, Fashion and Architecture. The series reflected on the snobbery and ridiculous extravagance of the upper classes that Jane Austen writes about in Persuasion. You can most definitely relate characters such as Sir Walter Elliot, the protagonist's overspending and vain father, with the Prince Regent and the 'Dandies' of the day. Such characters in society that were mocked and exaggerated in the Satirical artwork of James Gillray, Thomas Rowlandson and George Cruikshank. These illustrations will be good reference in my own work, as they give abstract representations, something I want to explore to create more innovative pieces of work.

After watching these documentaries, i was intrigued by the architecture of the age. John Nash, the Prince Regent's architect, worked on many adventurous and intricate design projects that give great inspiration for paper cut artwork and pattern designing.

Here are two screenshots of satirical illustrations of the time. The application of colours is very strong and reflects the flamboyancy of the age. I'm interested to see how colours could be added to the poster design and other project work to reflect on satirical themes of Austen's writing.