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Promenade dresses, May 1842

20 of 27 portraits matching these criteria:

- subject matching 'Fashion Plates: Trimmings and ornamentation - Marabout; marabou feathers; willow plumes'

© National Portrait Gallery, London

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Promenade dresses, May 1842

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 May 1842
8 1/8 in. x 5 7/8 in. (205 mm x 150 mm) paper size
Acquired, 1930
Reference Collection
NPG D47894

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Described in the magazine:
First Figure - Dress of nut brown striped pékin; the corsage tight, and which is demi décolleté, is sloped down en coeur in front. The sleeves are also quite tight, as will be seen by the plate. The skirt of the dress has a broad revers en biais down each side of the front, the outer edge finished with a narrow black lace. The cuffs and bosom of the dress are also trimmed with the same. Pink satin hat, ornamented with full blown roses, and edged round the crown and front with a ruche of crêsse lisse. Our readers will observe by the plate that this hat is considerably more évasé (thrown up in front) than any that we have lately given. Plaid cravatte, white gloves, and an embroidered handkerchief complete this costume.
Second Figure - Drawn capotte of sulphur colour crape, trimmed with lilac ribbon, and ornamented with a plume of white willow feathers, which droop gracefully to the left side. Dress of sea-green gros de naples, corsage tight and à pointe, short tight sleeves, and long ones (also tight) of cambric, trimmed with fine rows of point d'Alencon, appear under the silk sleeve and terminate below the elbow. Down the front of the dress is a zig-zag of point d'Alencon, and at every point a chou, or rosette bow of green ribbon. Black lace mittens, hair in ringlets.

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Events of 1842back to top

Current affairs

Edwin Chadwick publishes his damning report, Sanitary Conditions of the Labouring Poor, which details the shocking living conditions of the urban poor and prompts government to take a new interest in public health issues.
A year-long depression and the rejection of the Chartist petition leads to riots, with workers striking in the Midlands, Lancashire, Yorkshire, and parts of Scotland.

Art and science

Mudie's Lending Library opens, becoming one of the largest circulating libraries in the period. Made popular by the otherwise high cost of books, it exerts a great influence over literature; both by maintaining the more costly 'three decker' novel structure, and acting as moral censor.
Richard Owen, the English biologist, comparative anatomist and palaeontologist, coins the term 'dinosaur', combining the Greek words for 'formidable' and 'reptile'.

International

Treaty of Nanjing, which allows China to trade with Britain and lends Hong Kong to the British crown for 150 years. In Afghanistan, the Anglo-Afghan war ends as the British abandon Kabul, withdrawing to India and losing most of their garrison force in the operation with only one member, Dr William Brydon, surviving.

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