This lavishly illustrated book, organized by Peabody Essex Museum Curator of Textiles and Costume Paula Bradstreet Richter, is the catalogue accompanying PEM's spectacular spring-summer 2008 exhibition.

Concept

Wedded Bliss: The Marriage of Art and Ceremony explores aesthetic expressions related to weddings from a selection of international cultures over the past three centuries. By examining the wedding as an impetus for creativity, this publication provides fresh insight into a familiar subject and probes a complex, often highly charged, human experience.

Content

A collection of essays by five authors who explore themes and topics related to art and marriage ceremonies is featured in the book. Along with Paula Richter, contributing authors include Tiziana and Gianni Baldizzone, whose books include Wedding Ceremonies: Ethnic Symbols, Costume and Rituals; Donald Clay Johnson, editor and contributing author to Wedding Dress Across Cultures; and Chrys Ingraham, author of White Weddings: Romancing Heterosexuality in Popular Culture.

Design & Production

The wide variety of objects, from paintings and sculpture to textiles, furnishings, and costumes required a less formal design "vernacular" than the traditional museum catalogue format. A highlight of the book is the period-costume photography commissioned especially for the catalogue.

The Result

An elegant, beautifully printed, large-format catalogue for a truly unique exhibition.