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| Carington Bowles after Samuel Hieronymus Grimm Be not amaz'd, dear Mother - It is indeed your daughter Anne 1774 hand-colored mezzotint British Museum |
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| Carington Bowles after Samuel Hieronymus Grimm Welladay! Is this my son Tom! 1774 hand-colored-mezzotint British Museum |
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| Matthew Darly The vis-a-vis bisected, or, The Ladies Coop 1776 hand-colored engraving British Museum |
from An Essay on Criticism
Avoid extremes; and shun the fault of such,
Who still are pleas'd too little or too much.
At ev'ry trifle scorn to take offence,
That always shows great pride, or little sense;
Those heads, as stomachs, are not sure the best,
Which nauseate all, and nothing can digest.
Yet let not each gay turn thy rapture move,
For fools admire, but men of sense approve;
As things seem large which we through mists descry,
Dulness is ever apt to magnify.
– Alexander Pope (1711)
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| Matthew Darly Chloe's Cushion, or, The Cork Rump 1777 hand-colored engraving British Museum |
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| Anonymous English printmaker The Lady's Maid, or, Toilet Head-Dress 1776 hand-colored etching British Museum |
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| S.W. Fores (publisher) A Side Box at the Opera 1784 hand-colored etching British Museum |
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| Gallerie des Modes (Paris) Fashion-plate - Hat ca. 1780-90 hand-colored engraving Victoria & Albert Museum |
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| Gallerie des Modes (Paris) Fashion-plate - Hat ca. 1780-90 hand-colored engraving Victoria & Albert Museum |
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| James Wicksteed A Stage Box Scene - Mrs Bruin, Miss Chienne, Miss Renard 1787 hand-colored etching Victoria & Albert Museum |
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| Johann Jakob Lutz Woman in costume of Berne 1788 hand-colored etching British Museum |
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| John Barlow Les Incommodités de Janvier, 1786 (The Inconveniences or Awkwardnesses of January, 1786) 1786 hand-colored etching British Museum |
Female Fashions for 1799
A FORM, as any taper, fine,
A head like half-pint basin,
Where golden cords and bands entwine
As rich as fleece of JASON.
A pair of shoulders strong and wide
Like country clown enlisting,
Bare arms long dangling by the side,
And shoes of ragged listing!
Cravats like towels, thick and broad,
Long tippets made of bear-skin,
Muffs that a RUSSIAN might applaud,
And rouge to spoil a fair skin.
Long petticoats to hide the feet,
Silk hose with clocks of scarlet,
A load of perfume, sick'ning sweet,
Bought of PARISIAN VARLET.
A bush of hair, the brow to shade,
Sometimes the eyes to cover;
A necklace that might be display'd
by OTAHEITEAN lover!
A bowl of straw to deck the head,
Like porringer unmeaning;
A bunch of POPPIES flaming red,
With motley ribands streaming.
Bare ears on either side the head
Like wood-wild savage SATYR,
Tinted with deep vermilion red
To shame the blush of nature.
Red elbows, gauzy gloves, that add
An icy cov'ring merely;
A wadded coat, the shape to pad,
Like Dutch-women – or nearly.
Such is CAPRICE! but, lovely kind!
Oh! let each mental feature
Proclaim the labour of the mind,
And leave your charms to NATURE.
– Mary Robinson (1799)
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| Louise Gaillard Fashion-plate 1779 hand-colored engraving Victoria & Albert Museum |
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| Étienne-Claude Voysard Jeune femme de qualité (Young woman of quality) 1778 hand-colored engraving Victoria & Albert Museum |
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| Anonymous French printmaker Dame aristocrate maudissant la Révolution (Aristocratic lady cursing the Revolution) 1790 hand-colored etching British Museum |