Title: Weeping Willow 
Collection: The Regency Wardrobe
Garment: Woman’s parasol
Size: Life-sized
Materials: paper tablecloth, tissue paper, quilling paper strips, rolled paper lollypop sticks, card, embroidery thread, lacquer, coloured pencils 
 
In the collection of Bevan and Dewar letters held at the Regency Town House, Hove, are repeated references to concerns over the health of the writer’s own person or that of a family member. To that end there is also widespread reference throughout the letters to the remedies of the time. These include arrow root, syrup of poppies and indeed bark; presumed by rth researchers to be the bark of the white willow.  
 
“Bagll complains of much languor and [-] [barely legible text], he will improve I hope with the colder weather. The shock to him was very great. He is so thin, he is having some bark… Jas said he would sent him some port wine. I am not surprised the dear one has failed… Evd B[-] [barely legible text] wrote a few lines to Jas such a note, a heathen might have sent it, no reference to the hand which smote, or Heart which could heal - his, and [-] [barely legible text] stand alone, every other recognises the hand of God.” - rth.org
 
This piece is inspired by the use of willow bark during the early 1800’s for the treatment of “nerves” and different types of pain. Willow bark contains salicylic acid. A synthetic derivative of this product is the active ingredient in modern aspirin. 
There is a dog rose at the centre of the spoke of this parasol to represent the commonplace use of the rosehip and rose petals in scents and infusions.
 
Weeping Willow has been designed to reflect the play of shadow and light experienced beneath a weeping willow tree.