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French dinner or evening dress, winter 1836

7 of 12 portraits matching these criteria:

- subject matching 'Fashion Plates: Hair - Coques; bows of hair'

© National Portrait Gallery, London

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French dinner or evening dress, winter 1836

published in Le Follet, Courrier des Salons, Journal des Modes
hand-coloured etching, line and stipple engraving, circa November 1836
8 1/2 in. x 5 5/8 in. (215 mm x 144 mm) paper size
Acquired, 1930
Reference Collection
NPG D47717

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Also published in the Lady's Magazine and Museum, December 1836, with the following description:
Toilette de Spectacle - Dinner or evening dress - Dress of pink satin. The corsage is made low, and quite plain to the bust, with small draperies put on, à la Sevigne, and a small revers, or kind of low pelerine, which forms little more than a garniture round the neck of the corsage (see plate); it is open on the shoulders. The sleeves are short, and fit as exactly as possible to the shape of the shoulder and arm. Two long puffs of gauze are let into the centre of each sleeve, and the sleeves are finished by ruffles à la Louis the Fifteenth, of white blonde. These ruffles are so deep at back, that they reach far below the elbow; at front they do not quite reach to the bend of the arm. The skirt of the dress is ornamented with an excessively rich and deep flounce of white blonde, headed by puffs of satin ribbon, placed very close to each other (see plate). The ceinture is fastened in front with a small bow, and two long ends. Scarf of blonde; the ends only, embroidered, and finished with a silk fringe.
Demi-antique Coiffure. - The back hair is taken up to the crown of the head, where it is divided into two parts: one part is formed into a rather high coque or bow (see plate), and the other into what was formerly called a chignon; for a description of which we refer our readers to the plate itself. The bow of hair, and the chignon are separated from each other by a thick braid. The front hair, in the modern style, is in smooth bands, but not reaching lower than on a level with the eye, where the hair is rounded and turned up again. Three long ringlets hang on the neck at each side (see plate): a very long wreath of roses crosses the entire upper part of the head; descends at each temple as low as the hair; goes round the braid, which divides the bow and chignon, and finishes by a high branch, consisting of a large full-blown rose, and which is placed exactly in front of the coque of hair: long gold earrings, gold chain, long white kid gloves, and black satin shoes.
Garniture de cheminée, consisting of an antique pendule (clock), à la Louis the Fourteenth, of Sevres China. Jars of the same.

Events of 1836back to top

Current affairs

William Lovett founds the Working Men's Association, the precursor to Chartism, with the aim to achieving equal social and political rights between men of all classes.
A reduction in stamp duty from 4d to 1d helps to keep unstamped newspapers off the street, and leads to wider circulation of legal newspapers.
The first railway line is built in London, connecting to Greenwich and operated by the London Greenwich Railway (LGR).

Art and science

The American poet and writer Ralph Waldo Emerson outlines his theory of transcendentalism in Nature, in which he argues for individualism above traditional authority, stressing the infinitude of the private self and the possibility of achieving an original relation to the universe.
The German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer publishes On the Will in Nature, a precursor to his famous The World as Will and Representation.

International

Texas declares its independence from Mexico following a series of battles, including those at the Alamo and Goliad. Sam Houston is the first president of Texas, serving both in 1836-38 and 1841-44.
The city of Adelaide is founded in Australia, at the mouth of the Torrens river, named in honour of Queen Adelaide, consort of William IV.

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