'Afternoon Costume', May 1827

1 portrait by William Read

© National Portrait Gallery, London

1 Like voting
is closed

Thanks for Liking

Please Like other favourites!
If they inspire you please support our work.

Buy a print Buy a greetings card Make a donation Close

'Afternoon Costume', May 1827

by William Read, published by George Byrom Whittaker, published in La Belle Assemblée or Bell's Court and Fashionable Magazine
hand-coloured etching, line and stipple engraving, published 1 May 1827
8 1/2 in. x 5 3/8 in. (216 mm x 135 mm) plate size
Acquired, 1930
Reference Collection
NPG D47596

Artistsback to top

This portraitback to top

Described in the issue for May 1827:
A dress of very fine jacconot muslin, with one broad flounce, embroidered in a rich and splendid pattern. The body plain, and made exactly to fit the shape, but encircled round the upper part of the bust by a broad falling tucker of fine lace, or of muslin, beautifully embroidered, to answer the flounce on the border of the skirt. The sleeves are long, and confined at the wrists by gold jointed bracelets; the different partitions of which are in points, finely wrought, and finished in the most masterly style. The hair is arranged in full clustered curls and bows, among which are mingled puffs of pink gauze with those of canary-yellow. From the puffs depend long lappets, one of pink, the other of canary-yellow, each terminated by two rich tassels of silk. A belt of canary-yellow satin encircles the waist, and is fastened in front with a square gold buckle. The ear-rings worn with this dress are of wrought gold, and the necklace is formed of two rows of large pearls. We have seen a dress similar in fashion to that above described, for an evening party; but then the dress was of tulle over white satin, and the flounce was of blond; the body of white satin; the sleeves short, and the tassels on the lappets were formed of pearls. The whole style, however, is better adapted, according to our first description, for receiving afternoon parties at home.

Events of 1827back to top

Current affairs

Lord Liverpool suffers a stroke and is forced to resign as Prime Minister. George Canning succeeds him only to die after four months in office.

Art and science

University College London, the first metropolitan university in England, is founded specifically to educate dissenters excluded from Oxford and Cambridge. Whig politician Henry Brougham, writer Thomas Campbell and financier and philanthropist Isaac Goldsmid are its principal patrons.

International

Britain, France and Russia sign a treaty in London agreeing to intervene in the Greek War of Independence. Allied troops under General Edward Codrington subsequently destroy Turkish and Egyptian fleets at the Battle of Navarino.
Western Australia is explored for the first time by Captain Stirling.

Comments back to top

We are currently unable to accept new comments, but any past comments are available to read below.

If you need information from us, please use our Archive enquiry service . Please note that we cannot provide valuations. You can buy a print or greeting card of most illustrated portraits. Select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Buy a Print button. Prices start at around £6 for unframed prints, £16 for framed prints. If you wish to license an image, select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Use this image button, or contact our Rights and Images service. We digitise over 8,000 portraits a year and we cannot guarantee being able to digitise images that are not already scheduled.