Mistick Krewe of Comus 1910 float designs
Another new digital collection of images derived from artwork in the LaRC Carnival Collection has been published in the LOUISiana Digital Library. This one is the complete set of ornate, colorful float designs for the 1910 Comus parade. These drawings were done by Jennie Wilde (1865-1913), an artist who designed floats for many New Orleans Mardi Gras parades. These images are believed to be tracings she made from her earlier original designs, possibly given as a presentation copy to Comus captain, S. P. Walmsley. The parade had an Islamic theme, and certainly at least the float designs were created with an imaginative and respectful tone.
This is one in a series of subcollections, within the large physical Carnival Collection, which are being created for inclusion in the LDL. Earlier in 2010, the 1873 Comus parade costume designs by Charles Briton appeared. In 1873, not only were there no floats in that year’s less-than-respectful Comus parade, the city police refused break up the crowd at Canal Street, making the famous parade very brief.
To access a wide array of digital collections contributed by Louisiana libraries and archives, on various topics, see the LOUISiana Digital Library homepage.
Captions: top, The Garden; bottom, The Koran. Float design drawings by Jennie Wilde for the 1910 Mistick Krewe of Comus parade in New Orleans.
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