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'Ball dresses', March 1845

9 of 20 portraits matching these criteria:

- subject matching 'Fashion Plates: Dresses - Double skirts; overskirts'

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'Ball dresses', March 1845

by Davey, published by George Henderson, published in The Ladies' Cabinet of Fashion, Music and Romance
hand-coloured etching, published March 1845
7 5/8 in. x 4 3/4 in. (193 mm x 120 mm) paper size
Acquired, 1930
Reference Collection
NPG D47961

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Described in the magazine:
First Figure. Blue crape open robe over a dress of blue moire, the corsage of the robe rises on the shoulders moderately high, and descending very low in the centre of the bosom, displays a white satin under corsage, short tight white satin sleeve; the crape one is of the demi Venetian form looped with white satin, and bordered with blonde lace laid flat. The Berthe, also of blonde lace, terminates in a point, under a bouquet of roses. The sides of the robe are bordered with blonde lace, and looped back at regular distance, with satin pénses corresponding with those on the sleeves. Turbans à la Marie Stuart, composed of blue crape and blonde lace.
Second Figure. Pink gaize cachemire robe over satin to correspond, a low corsage trimmed with a shawl lappel bordered with a triple volante, each fall edged with fancy sable trimming. Short hanging sleeve. The border of the skirt is trimmed with three volants corresponding, but of a larger size. A short rounded tunic has a similar garniture. Fancy turbans composed of an intermixture of green velvet and white gauze, and trimmed with a full blown rose.

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Current affairs

Cardinal Newman converts to Roman Catholicism. A leader of the Oxford movement , growing in influence since the 1820s, Newman had raised doubts about the authority of the Anglican church.
Ralph Etwall, MP for Andover, demands an inquiry into the administration of the Andover workhouse, which leads to the abolition of the Poor Law Commission, and resolution of Parliament to improve workhouse conditions.

Art and science

The American poet, short story writer, critic and leader of the American Romantic movement, Edgar Allan Poe, publishes his narrative poem 'The Raven'. The poem is a supernatural tale of a mysterious talking raven's visit to a distraught lover, who descends into madness, and explores themes of self-torture and obsession.
The reconstruction of Trafalgar Square, by architects John Nash and Sir Charles Barry, is completed.

International

Sir John Franklin's expedition in search of the North-West passage, the sea route linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Franklin took two ships, the Erebus and the Terror, and a crew of 129 men made up Royal Navy officers. The crew never returned. Search parties sent out years later discovered the ships had got stuck in frozen waters, and that all the men had died.

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