New Exhibit: Victorian Hair Art

One of my favorite parts of school tours is taking a school group into the Victorian Room. Oftentimes, the kids look around at all the knick-nacks and old things and have a hard time finding anything interesting to connect with. I describe hobbies from the Victorian period, which included painting, sewing, playing piano and spending time with friends and family and one last hobby that always makes at least a couple ears perk up.

"See the wreath in that frame over there? That's Hair Art"

"Whaaat?"

Wealthy women in the Victorian period were encouraged to keep themselves busy in the home. Whether it was mending clothing or bedding, cooking food, decorating, or taking care of the children, there was some downtime, especially if the woman was in a wealthier family where household tasks could be done by servants. Hobbies focused largely around beautifying the home and included creating crazy quilts, painting, playing piano, and embroidering. Another lesser known hobby is the creation of three-dimensional wreaths and adornment items made of a variety of materials including thread, feathers, and, perhaps surprisingly, human hair.

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Victorian hair art came into style as a craft made to mourn those who had died. During the Victorian period, especially in very populated areas, many people died young from accidents and disease. When Queen Victoria’s husband Prince Albert died in 1861, the cultivation of mourning traditions became more popular as Victoria spent the rest of her life in mourning. In the United States, high death tolls from warfare and poor sanitation during the Civil War also promoted mourning culture which included crafting like the creation of hair wreaths. A remarkable, and oftentimes considered creepy, part of hair and hair art is that the hair retains its color spectacularly over time, even after the owner has died. Photography at the time was expensive to many lower middle class and lower class people, so if a friend of family member died, you might have very little to remember them by. Hence, making items from the deceased’s hair was a mode of remembrance for some.

This wreath, made of dyed chicken feathers, commemorated a wedding in the 1870s

An interesting side note is that hair wreaths were not exclusively made for mourning however. Some wreaths were made to commemorate happy times, such as weddings and the growth of families or social groups like churches. One of the watch fobs on display here was made by a sister for a brother who was traveling to America from Norway.

Many of the smaller items in the case are watch fobs or bracelets made of hair. The hair was braided or woven then burned at the ends to keep it from fraying, and the melted ends were concealed in a metal clasp. Some of the braidwork is incredibly ornate, showing off the skill of the maker.

The flowers and wreaths are made by wrapping a lock of hair around a metal wire and bending the wire into the desired shape. Some flowers included beads or other additions to add color to the pieces. Theories on why the wreaths are horseshoe shape abound, from symbolizing the deceased’s soul moving into heaven or for good luck. Some wreaths included a small flower in the middle made of the hair of a most recently deceased family member or friend, and would be replaced when another family or friend passed away.

Hair wreaths went out of style around the beginning of World War I and it is very uncommon to find them made after this time. However, if you'd like to try your hand at hair art, there are video and written tutorials online!

Victorian Hair Art will be on display on the Museum's Art Wall in the Main Hall until the end of October.