This is my great-grandmother, Anna Nowak Novatne Horn, holding my grandfather, Alfred Sigmund Horn, in his dress-up outfit. At that time, boys were kept in dresses until they were several years old.
The dress is of thin fabric covered with embroidery.
Three years later, at the age of four, the young man proudly showed off his new rifle!
People grew up fast in the mountains of Colorado.
The dress that Anna is wearing is made of several types of lace combined, and she is wearing an apron made of thin fabric with tucks and lace at the bottom. Her high collar is typical of the attire worn by a young mother in those times.
The Novatne and Nowak families emigrated from Prague in Bohemia during the 1860s. They were masters of wood carving, and textile arts, as well as other types of hand creations that were of high refinement and very much in demand for the homes of the wealthy. The Novatnes were costume makers for the Vaudeville show business tradition in New York, as well as being active in the intellectual life of the region. Anna spoke six languages.
The family traditions of art and wood carving held for many generations, and clans of artists lived together sharing their resources. These types of community interactions formed the core of artistic life for generations in old Bohemia.
There would be a large gathering each day at meals to share whatever had come to the family. This tradition of sharing made sure that everyone had what was needed in life. In this way, clans of artists made their way for centuries in whatever types of circumstances came along. The table would be decorated splendidly with hand made linens and all types of ornaments, to assure everyone had a place among whatever wealth had been accumulated.
"There is a strength of quiet endurance as significant of courage as the most daring feats of prowess."....Henry Tuckerman
Anna's hardanger and silk embroidery are still very beautiful to this day.
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