Research Catalog

Title

The wig : a hairbrained history / Luigi Amara ; translated by Christina MacSweeney.

Author

Amara, Luigi, 1971-

Publication

London : Reaktion Books, 2020.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Additional Authors

MacSweeney, Christina

Description

252 pages : illustrations (black and white, and colour); 21 cm

Summary

"Whether in a courtroom or a dressing room, wigs come in many forms and represent many things: from power, to sexuality, parody, health, self-identity, and disguise. Wigs are present at parties and in chemotherapy rooms, in pop music and contemporary art. In this witty and eloquent book, Luigi Amara reflects on the curious history of the wig and along the way takes a sideways look at Western civilization. Amara shines light on the starring role played by the wig throughout history, from ancient Egypt to the court of Louis XIV, and from British courtrooms to drag shows today. Containing many striking and unusual images, the book will appeal to a wide audience, from those interested in the history of fashion to readers of philosophy, art, culture, and aesthetics."--book jacket.

Uniform Title

Historia descabellada de la peluca. English

Alternative Title

Historia descabellada de la peluca.

Subjects

• History
• Wigs > History

Genre/Form

History.

Note

• Translated from the Spanish.
• Originally published Editorial Anagrama, 2014.

Bibliography (note)

• Includes bibliographical references and index.

Contents

An otherworldly prologue -- A theory of disguise -- Casanova, wigs and masks -- The she-wolf of the night: Messalina -- The rage called wig -- Samson at the Roland-Garros -- The counter-philosophy of the wig -- The future was a purple wig -- The mannequin and the dark object of desire -- Andy Warhol's wig -- The hemisphere in a wig -- On the other side of the mirror of horror -- Musical curls -- Capillary plagiarism -- The indiscreet charm of hair -- On remains and other relics -- Dressing up justice -- Towering hairdos -- Abbé de Choisy; or, the inner woman -- Cindy Sherman in Simulationland -- Death will come and shall be wearing a wig -- a bald wig in search of a head -- In and out of the theatre -- Stony hair -- Wigs at the extremes of crime -- On nudity; or Venus in a wig -- Reinvention by hair -- Devotional hairstyles -- The chimeric wig -- That old camp stridency -- The tangled mop of fetish -- A knife named guillotine -- The discourse of false hair -- Bedside reading.

Call Number

JFD 21-301

ISBN

• 9781789143461
• 1789143462
• 9781789143478 (ebook) (canceled/invalid)

OCLC

1222776320

Author

Amara, Luigi, 1971- author.

Title

The wig : a hairbrained history / Luigi Amara ; translated by Christina MacSweeney.

Publisher

London : Reaktion Books, 2020.

Type of Content

text

still image

Type of Medium

unmediated

Type of Carrier

volume

Bibliography

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Added Author

MacSweeney, Christina, translator.

Other Form:

ebook version : 9781789143478

Research Call Number

JFD 21-301