Andrea here, thinking today about history. Those of you who read our blog regularly know how passionate all the Wenches are about history—not the dull, dry textbook litany of facts and dates that make most students fall asleep in school, but the myriad visceral experiences that make the past really come alive.
Recent posts here showed Christina sitting in a Viking longboat and Nicola exploring an historic castle. Seeing and touching history sparks a sense of wonder and excitement. Getting a glimpse of what people ate and wore . . . what their houses looked like . . . appreciating the details of their timepieces and personal jewelry. I find that helps me imagine what people in past were thinking; what mattered to them; what sparked a sense of wonder for them.
So it will be no surprise when I say I’m a huge fan of ‘object-based learning.’ I find that individual items from the past can spark so many plot twists or add background color to my stories. I’m sure people think I’m totally eccentric when I start hyperventilating, nose pressed up to a glass display case, as I study the details of a flintlock pistol. But it truly does excite me.
For example, an exhibit at Metropolitan Museum in NYC on the innovative pistol makers of Regency London inspired plot twists in my historical mysteries. I fell in love the work Durs Egg, who was on the cutting edge of technological innovations in gunsmithing (his workshop created a really cool two-shot pocket pistol!) But what really blew me away was his attention to artistry. He wanted his weapons to look beautiful as well as perform perfectly. That made me think about him as a person . . . and I’ve ended up making him a characters in books, using my own imagination to flesh him out.
I love museums and always look to visit all the small, esoteric ones when I travel. They are always offer a wealth of wonderful information that add to my appreciation and understanding of the grand tapestry of Life. But I’m also lucky enough to live close to a museum that offers an amazing opportunity not only to see but also to touch important pieces of history.
The British Art Center at Yale has the largest collection of British art in the world outside the UK. (For a writer of Regency-set fiction what could be more perfect!) And its material is not only on display, but in keeping with its educational mission within a great university, much of it is available for hands-on examination in their study room—one of my favorite places in the universe!
Charlotte Sloane, one of the main protagonists in my Wrexford & Sloane mystery series, is a satirical artist—a social commentator who keeps the public informed on politics, social issues and the scandals of the rich and powerful. The Study offers literally box after box of original satirical prints by famous gadflies of the Regency era like Rowlandson and Gillray. I fill out a request form, and take a seat at the table—and voila, I’m given a case filled with original hand-colored art that I’m allowed to touch and get really close-up to in order to study the tiny details. (And by the way, if you’re ever near New Haven, you should pay a visit there. The Study Room is open to the public, and it only a takes a quick registration process and then you’re allowed to work with the art.)
I’ve spent hours with the prints. But my favorite “squee” moment happened on a whim. For some reason while I was fiddling with the card catalogues, I decided to look up J.M.W. Turner, one of my favorite artists. A number of his large original oil paintings hang in the museum’s galleries, but lo and behold there was box listed for the Study Room. Curious, I filled out a request for it, and five minutes later it was delivered to my table. I opened it—and my heart started thumping like a hammer against my ribs!
It was a selection of watercolor sketches from a walk in the Alps. I was able to pick up a stack of his actual work—the watercolor paper he held!—and flip through them. Talk about a thrill, and having history come alive. Now, every time I see a Turner in a museum, I think about having had the experience of holding his actual art in my hands.
So what about you? Is there any historical object or place that has touched your imagination and given you that “ah-ha “thrill of making history come alive? Please share!
