II: Pamela and Mr. B in the Summerhouse, Joseph Highmore, 1743-4; Fitzwilliam Museum M.Add.6 After the first letter, Mr. B began to make presents to Pamela of his late mother's clothes. As the kind housekeeper, Mrs. Jervis (who is "a gentlewoman born, though she has had misfortunes"), told her that she was so pretty any … Continue reading Painting Costume Analysis: Pamela Series, Part Two
Tag: 18th century
Galerie des Modes, 11e Cahier, 2e Figure
Middle class woman in a striped Satin Gown with a furred pelisse and a white muff. (1778) The pelisse is a type of winter overcoat that Ladies throw on their shoulders to protect themselves against the rigors of the season. There are two types, the plain and the furred. The former are worn by the … Continue reading Galerie des Modes, 11e Cahier, 2e Figure
Galerie des Modes, 11e Cahier, 1e Figure
Elegant seamstress going to sell her work. (1778) Elegant seamstress, going to sell her work; one expects that she is rushing her steps, and in order to keep from overheating, or for coquetry, she has taken off her mantelet with two tapered points and hung it over her arm. Her gown is of Indian taffeta, … Continue reading Galerie des Modes, 11e Cahier, 1e Figure
Galerie des Modes, 10e Cahier, 6e Figure
Gentlewoman dressed in a Caraco, coiffed with a "Doll" cap in filet lace, trimmed with streaked liserés. (1778) Type of Polonaise Caraco, entirely closed in the front and not very décolleté, also called the Caraco à la dévoté. A band of gathered gauze is the trim; the volant is very high, with two rows of … Continue reading Galerie des Modes, 10e Cahier, 6e Figure
Painting Costume Analysis: Pamela Series, Part One
The novel Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded, by Samuel Richardson, holds a special place in the western literary canon, as it marks the transition between adventure novels and character-based novels, and was extremely popular in its day, but it is now largely unknown outside of English literature classes. The story is told in epistolary form, through … Continue reading Painting Costume Analysis: Pamela Series, Part One
Mimic of Modes 