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Dinner or evening dress and carriage dress, March 1840

5 of 11 portraits matching these criteria:

- subject matching 'Fashion Plates: Neckwear - Berthas en coeur'

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Dinner or evening dress and carriage dress, March 1840

published by Dobbs & Co, published in The Court Magazine and Monthly Critic and Lady's Magazine and Museum, first published in Le Follet, Courrier des Salons, Journal des Modes
hand-coloured etching, line and stipple engraving, published March 1840
7 7/8 in. x 5 7/8 in. (201 mm x 150 mm) paper size
Acquired, 1930
Reference Collection
NPG D47857

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Described in the magazine:
Dinner or Evening Dress - Dress of white spotted gauze over white satin. The corsage is low and à pointe, ornamented round the neck with a Berthe. Short sleeves of black velvet, in two sabots, finished by a third and very small sabot, of the same gauze as the dress. It will be remarked that the sleeves in the plate are very short. The skirt has two tolerably deep flounces, with a pink satin liseré (piping) at the edge, and row of the same, putting on the upper one. Hair dressed in full tufts of ringlets at the sides of the head, and inter-mixed with full-blown roses and buds; a wreath of the same crosses the entire front of the head. Gold necklace and locket; white kid gloves, with the top trimmed with roses; white silk stockings; black satin shoes; fan.
Carriage Dress. - Redingotte of satin, à reflets (shaded pink and violet). The corsage is only half high; the front in folds, and forming a slight point. The sleeves are taken down in gathers in three places at the shoulder, the remainder very full to the wrist, where they are again taken in to match the top. The skirt is plain at the bottom, but a garniture of passementerie, trimmed on each side with wide black lace, goes down the left side of the dress. Hat of primrose colour, velours épinglé; the front is much thrown back, and sits completely round to the face; it nearly meets at the chin, and the corners are pointed, not round. It is trimmed with a bow of itself on the left side, and a feather drooping at the right. Underneath the front, at each side, is a yellow rose and bud. Hair in smooth bands, with the ends braided and turned up again. A frill of very wide lace serves instead of a collar; cambric ruffles; lemon-colour kid gloves; handkerchief trimmed with lace; black satin shoes.

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Events of 1840back to top

Current affairs

Victoria marries her cousin, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha; he is given the title of Prince Consort.
The Penny Black stamp is introduced by Rowland Hill; the first pre-paid, self-adhesive stamp, it marks the start of the modern postal system.
The start of the Irish potato famine, which by the time of its peak in 1851, had caused the deaths of one million, and contributed to the sharp rise of emigration from Ireland to England and America.

Art and science

Beau Brummel, the fashion leader responsible for sparking the culture of 'Dandyism', dies of syphilis.
The first stone is laid on the new Houses of Parliament, based on the gothic designs by the architects Charles Barry and Augustus Pugin. The old buildings had burned down in 1834, following a blaze caused by burning wooden tallies used by the Exchequer to calculate tax.

International

The Afghans surrender to Britain during the Afghan-British war (1839-42). The war was sparked by British fear over Russian influence in Afghanistan, with the British East India Company resolving to depose the Afghan leader, Dost Muhammad, who was insistent on Afghan independence, and restore the former leader Shoja Shah.
The Maoris yield sovereignty of New Zealand under the Treaty of Waitangi.

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