Elizabeth L. Block is the author of the new book Beyond Vanity: The History and Power of Hairdressing. She also has written the book Dressing Up. She is an art historian and is senior editor at the Metropolitan Museum of New York's Publications and Editorial Department.
Q: What inspired you to write Beyond Vanity?
A: Hair was my first passion topic and the subject of my dissertation for my Ph.D. My area of focus in art history was American paintings of the late 19th century, especially images of women.
I was looking at portraits of women by painters such as John Singer Sargent, Winslow Homer, Mary Cassatt, Cecilia Beaux, and Eastman Johnson and was much more drawn to the representation of the women’s hairstyles and clothing than to the biographies or techniques of the painters.
That interest led to writing my dissertation on the representation of women's hairstyles in American painting of the 19th century, and to the broader subject of the material culture of hairdressing in Beyond Vanity.
Q: The writer Bridget Quinn, in Hyperallergic.com, said of the book, “Yes, it’s a fascinating look at some fashionable and fabulous material culture, and is beautifully illustrated, but it’s also a clear reminder of how much the culture around hair reflects the racial and economic inequalities of society writ large.” What do you think of that description?
A: I am glad that Beyond Vanity helps expose some of the racial aspects of hair--positive and negative--in the 19th century. We are still negotiating the politics of hair today.
The CROWN Act to end hair discrimination in the workplace and in public schools is now law in 24 US states, and the coalition seeks to fully codify protection across the country.
Q: How did you choose the images to accompany the text, and how do you see the two working together?
A: I feel strongly that books about visual and material culture need to be fully illustrated. In many cases, the images prompted certain investigations, like the photographs of the young girls in Brittany having their hair cut and sold. By seeing the faces of the girls, I could imagine what they experienced and the choices they made on market day.
Q: How was the book’s title chosen, and what does it signify for you?
A: It was important to me not to use a play-on-words for the title (nothing with the word "tease" in it!). Beyond Vanity signifies that the book is exploring the salience of the world of hair--looking beyond the vanity table, for instance.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: I am working with American ephemera produced by and for children that I engaged with during fellowships at the Winterthur Museum and Library and at the American Antiquarian Society. Stay tuned!
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: One of the most rewarding aspects of writing about the history of hairdressing has been talking with hair professionals today. I started a series of in-person conversations with celebrity hairdressers and am really enjoying the exchanges.
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
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