Period Setting Ideas: Styling

After choosing 'The Arnolfini Portrait' as the image I wished to re-create I had to decide whether to set it contemporary to the painting of a different period in History.
To set it in the 1400's would by no means be impossible, however I would feel that I have to get it absolutely, perfectly true to the original. So I then started to think of what other periods I could set it in.
I have always been interested in the early 1920's as it was a very turbulent time for changing roles for women and I felt that the symbolism from the image could be interesting to rework into this period.
Some female costume ideas:

While I do really love this period in fashion, there is something about it that doesn't quite work with the ideals and themes of the original Van Eyck painting. A key elements of the original is the supposed pregnancy and whether it is being hidden of not. The silhouettes of this era do not allow for any amount of deception with the dresses, so i think I will consider another period.


The second of my ideas for a period in which to set my remake is during the Victorian/ Edwardian era. With the bustles and full skirts, the hidden pregnancy theme would be better included into the womans costume. Also, the roles of men and women were still relatively similar to the period in which the arnolfini is set as it was before the suffergette movement. I really like the Victorian era as well as it is the period in which one of my favourite Art movements occured, The Pre-Raphaelites. Their contemporary paintings would be a great help in choosing styles of dress and how to dress the setting.
Costume Ideas: