History's Runway: The "Elvis" Dress, 1989

"The Elvis Dress"
Catherine Walker, 1989
This and all related images from:
The Victoria & Albert Museum

When I picture Diana, Prince of Wales, it is this gown which she’s wearing. Just one of the many iconic gowns worn by the late Princess, for some reason, this one always sticks in my memory. Known as “The Elvis Dress” (a nickname given to the ensemble by the princess herself because of the similarity of the high white collar of the jacket to those on the jumpsuits worn by Mr. Presley at his most rotund), this dress and matching bolero speak volumes of the stream-lined style favored by the Princess of Wales in the late 1980s.

Well aware of her status as a fashion icon and style-setter, the Princess of Wales was always careful to don only the most flattering and fashionable garments when out for an elegant and formal evening. By the late 1980s, Princess Diana had pushed aside the fuller-cuts, crinolines and flowing chiffons of her earlier days in favor of bolder textures and sleek, tailored gowns. I think this gown is the epitome of that trend. 

The strapless gown of white silk is encrusted with pearls and sequins. It’s given a sense of drama by the tall collar of the matching bolero. It’s the work of Catherine Walker, a favorite
couturière of the Princess of Wales. Diana’s association with Walker began during her pregnancy with Prince William of Wales in 1981. Walker continued to design for the Princess until Diana’s death in 1997.

The princess wore the ensemble to the British Fashion Awards in October 1989, on an official visit to Hong Kong, and, later for an official portrait. The gown had actually been commissioned for the official visit to Hong Kong. Walker envisioned a sheath of pearls for the occasion. Tens of thousands of pearls—long a symbol of the “orient”--were embroidered onto the dress and jacket.

Walker would recall in 2012: “Whenever I saw the Princess in this dress, I could not help but feel that it would not be possible for anyone else ever to wear this dress and bolero. She shone in the dress and the dress shone around her in a shimmering column of glistening pearls.”

It was one of the 79 dresses which the Princess of Wales sold in a charity auction in 1997. The auction, held by Christie’s, raised over three million pounds for AIDS and cancer research. A commemorative doll of the princess shows her in this dress.

Unusual Artifacts: Schichtl Marionettes Flower Seller, c. 1900

Trick Puppet
Wizard from Kasperle
The Schichtl Marionette Company, Germany, c. 1910
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Made in Germany around 1910, this marionette is part of a group from the Schichtl Marionette Company. He’s part of the “Kasperle” tradition and is, at first glance, the character of “The Wizard.” But, there’s more than meets the eye. He’s a “trick puppet.” He can transform from the wizard into a dwarfish flower seller.

The puppet features a carved and painted wooden face with glass eyes, wooden hands, leather-clad feeties, a horsehair moustache, beard and wig.

While the wizard, he carries a wand, wears a long cream silk crepe robe with a silk collar. Appliqué black felt and velvet magical symbols adorn the silk robe while skull and crossbone motifs decorate his conical silk hat.

Concealed under the silk robe, is the flower-seller. This dwarf puppet wears a white cotton shirt, green and yellow belt and braces, red cotton knee-length breeches and tan stockings. The flower seller holds a metal lamp in his right hand and a wooden bucket of silk flowers on his head—as one does. 

History's Runway: A Little Girl's Dress, 1930

The Victoria & Albert Museum

Made in 1930, this little girl's dress of unlined cotton is printed with a design of stylized flowers and foliage in pale green and blue on a white ground. This sort of dress would have been suitable for everyday wear and play.  


Designed in a simple style, the dress has a round neck with a delicate turn-down collar of white lawn.  It’s puffed sleeves are gathered into a frill beneath fabric band above the hem. The dress s given fullness by the pleating of the neck and a shoulder panel at each side.  It fastens at the back of the bodice with five pairs of bound buttons and stitched loops. 


Embellishment and style come from the hand embroidery in powder blue and olive green which adorns the bodice.  Each of the four points of the collar is worked with a design of scrolling lines and geometric shapes which is repeated on the two shoulder panels .

Crafted in the U.K. by Liberty & Co. Ltd., the gown still bears a label stating, “LIBERTY & CO/ REGENT ST, LONDON.”  

History's Runway: A Boy's Waistcoat, 1820

Embroidered Waistcoat
1820-30
This and all related images from:
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Clothing for little boys over the age of seven, often emulated the outfits worn by grown men. By the end of the Eighteenth Century, trousers had replaced breeches as the main manner of dress for boys. While breeches were fitted to the knee, trousers were wider in the leg and were, therefore, looser, more practical and assuredly more comfortable for a little boy who was prone to be active and moving around. By the 1860’s, the fashion for prepubescent lads was to wear short pants. This was a style which came to the U.K. from the U.S. These short pants were worn with a variety of different shirts, collars, waistcoats and styles of jacket—depending on the occasion.

A waistcoat such as this one would have been a suitable choice for daily wear in the schoolroom of at home. Made between 1820 and 1830 in England, this waistcoat is lined with ivory-colored twill against a front of ivory satin. It boasts pockets and a shawl collar.

The collar and front of this handsome garment are hand embroidered in colored silks with a floral pattern of sprays of rosebuds, forget-me-nots and pansies. The back of the waistcoat is constructed of white cotton and features tapes and brass-bound eyelet holes to adjust the fit.

Now, we should note that this waistcoat was not made for a child—at first. It was made in an adult size. You may find the floral motif a little irregular in pattern, but remember that flowers were assigned particular meanings which were well-known and understood. Let’s take a look at this, then. The roses mean love, and rosebuds, therefore, signify love in its early stages, or a confession of love. The pansies stand for thoughts; and the forget-me-nots symbolized true love or remembrance. In this combination, the flowers would have been suited for a betrothal gift to a gentleman. So, it’s a good possibility, that when this waistcoat was originally made, it was to be worn for a wedding. Years later, the garment was cut down to be given to a child. This was not unusual. Children were often given altered adult clothes since the cost of clothing was comparatively astronomical for most families.

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: A French Mahogany Arm Chair, 1870

Armchair
French, 1870
This and all related images from:
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Here, we see an armchair of mahogany with gilt-bronze mounts. The arm supports are designed as winged sphinxes. This chair is the work of the French furniture makers at Jacob Fréres and is stamped as such. It is stenciled underneath with the inventory marks of the Palais de Tuileries and the number 27463. The number refers to its removal to the Garde-Meuble in 1826 from the Chateau de St. Cloud.

What’s curious is that though the inventory marks are genuine, the chair itself is a fake. It is not the chair that was removed from the Chateau de St. Cloud. It is, in fact, a newer chair from 1870 which was built on the frame of a much simpler chair. The original chair was the one which was supplied by Jacob Fréres between 1802 and 1803. Let’s look at the front legs. Aren’t they a bit out of proportion? The legs are, in reality, additions which were stripped from a table which had been built by Jacob Fréres.

In effect, we have a chair built in 1870 which someone has tried to give importance to by using the inventory numbers of an earlier chair built for Napoleon I. So, this is a con job along the lines of something Matt Bomer’s Neal Caffrey would have executed had White Collar been set in Nineteenth Century France. The forgery is quite clever and whoever did it took a great deal of time and effort to make it look convincing. Why? At this point, no one knows. It remains an attractive, if not poorly proportioned, mystery. 

History's Runway: The Weisweiller Balenciaga Gown, 1960

This and all related images from
The Victoria & Albert Museum

In 1960, Madame Alec Weisweiller commissioned Balenciaga, her favorite couturier,  to design a special one-off gown for the 18th birthday party of her daughter (who was also exclusively dressed by Balenciaga). Both of the Weisweiller ladies were considered quite the Parisian personalities and were especially close with both Balenciaga and Cocteau.

The gown is unique in that Balenciaga, who favored linear shapes, bold colors and embroidery, has veered from these ideals to create a more youthful piece in pale pink organza and delicate floral patterns which lean more toward Dior than the usual Balenciaga look.  

This evening dress boasts a fichu-like collar which encircles the shoulders and crosses over at the front to attach to the bodice with hooks and eyes.  One side is adorned with a pink organza bow. Embroidery of cream lace florets, ribbon-work pink and green flowers with colored silks, and with white and pearl colored beads decorates the collar and the upper third of the skirt. 

Originally, a satin ribbon was worn at the waist.  This is now lost.  the ribbon would have served to hide the waist seam.  

Mastery of Design: The Five Character Brooch, 18th C.

French Brooch of Enameled Gold
The Victoria & Albert Museum

An unusual piece, this brooch is adorned with images of five different characters, painted each on their own separate but uniformly-sized sections of the circular disc which comprises the jewel. No rigid physical separation (like a frame) is between the segments which are indicated only by a change of painted ground color. The face of each character is portrayed facing forward as their bodies taper at their waists, meeting at the center of the disc where a rough cabochon ruby is surmounted by a paste “diamond.” 

The character at the top, opposite to the position the pin points, is a woman wearing a blue dress with a rich, white lace collar and a black headdress. She is set against a pale grey ground. Going clockwise, the next character is a pierrot in a striped doublet with white ruff and striped headdress. Next, we see a young woman in an embroidered yellow gown with a low lace edge and a red cloak. On her head is a coronet adorned with colored feathers. She carries a sword and may represent the Roman goddess Bellona or possibly a Queen of the Amazons. Next to her is a man in grey costume whose nightcap appears to be falling from his head. The last character—on a light blue ground--is a man in black doublet, white ruff and cuffs; his black sleeves are slashed to reveal pink beneath and his black hat bears a pink feather.

This piece was made in France in the Eighteenth Century by an unknown maker as a jewelry novelty of enamel set in beaded gold.

Figure of the Day: Mezzetin, 1764

Figure of Mezzetin
Germany, 1764
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This hard-paste  porcelain and enamel figure by Wenzel Neu (1707-1774) was made in Thuringia, Germany for the Kloster-Veilsdorg Porcelain Factory.  It depicts “Mezzetin,” a character from the Commedia dell'arte holding a palette in one hand, to which he points with the other hand.

Mezzetin is shown in his traditional costume of a cloak coat, breeches and cap of yellow stripes with green, a white ruff collar and red shoes.

Figure of the Day: The Höchst Pierrot, 1750

Figure of Pierrot
Germany, 1750
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Made in Höchst, Germany, in 1750, this hard-paste porcelain figure depicts Pierrot on a gilt-edged plinth near a tree stump. Bent-kneed Pierrot is leaning backwards a bit. He wears the brim of his black hat upturned, patches adorning his face. A turquoise jacket with gilt detail contrasts his white collar. Unlike most pierrots, he’s not in the traditional white pajamas with black buttons, but, instead wears a costume more akin to that of Harlequin with a lozenge-pattern. He’s playing cards—as pierrots do.

The underside of the piece is marked with “I E” and “G.” The whole is painted in brilliant enamels.

What's Bertie Watching: White Collar!

Finally, White Collar, is back tonight on the USA Network at 9:oo Eastern/8:00 Central.  Led by the brilliant Matt Bomer, and the stellar Tim Dekay, the cast of this entertaining look at the pairing of a master forger and an FBI agent, includes Tiffani Thiessen, Willie Garson, and Marsha Thomason.  

We at Stalking the Belle Époque have at special respect and affection for Mr. Bomer, so we encourage you to tune-in to USA tonight.  And, even though Bertie and I have invested what seems like endless months watching the fashion histrionics of Project Runway and even though the Project Runway season finale--the payoff for many weeks of viewing meltdowns, violent outbursts, some hideous and some lovely dresses, and, even, Tim Gunn falling up a flight of subway stairs, we're just going to have to watch the repeat of the finale at 1:00 Eastern/12:00 AM Central on Lifetime because NOTHING beats Bomer.

  

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: A French Mahogany Arm Chair, 1870

Armchair
French, 1870
This and all related images from:
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Here, we see an armchair of mahogany with gilt-bronze mounts. The arm supports are designed as winged sphinxes. This chair is the work of the French furniture makers at Jacob Fréres and is stamped as such. It is stenciled underneath with the inventory marks of the Palais de Tuileries and the number 27463. The number refers to its removal to the Garde-Meuble in 1826 from the Chateau de St. Cloud.

What’s curious is that though the inventory marks are genuine, the chair itself is a fake. It is not the chair that was removed from the Chateau de St. Cloud. It is, in fact, a newer chair from 1870 which was built on the frame of a much simpler chair. The original chair was the one which was supplied by Jacob Fréres between 1802 and 1803. Let’s look at the front legs. Aren’t they a bit out of proportion? The legs are, in reality, additions which were stripped from a table which had been built by Jacob Fréres.

In effect, we have a chair built in 1870 which someone has tried to give importance to by using the inventory numbers of an earlier chair built for Napoleon I. So, this is a con job along the lines of something Matt Bomer’s Neal Caffrey would have executed had White Collar been set in Nineteenth Century France. The forgery is quite clever and whoever did it took a great deal of time and effort to make it look convincing. Why? At this point, no one knows. It remains an attractive, if not poorly proportioned, mystery. 

Unusual Artifacts: Schichtl Marionettes Flower Seller, c. 1900

Trick Puppet
Wizard from Kasperle
The Schichtl Marionette Company, Germany, c. 1910
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Made in Germany around 1910, this marionette is part of a group from the Schichtl Marionette Company. He’s part of the “Kasperle” tradition and is, at first glance, the character of “The Wizard.” But, there’s more than meets the eye. He’s a “trick puppet.” He can transform from the wizard into a dwarfish flower seller.

The puppet features a carved and painted wooden face with glass eyes, wooden hands, leather-clad feeties, a horsehair moustache, beard and wig.

While the wizard, he carries a wand, wears a long cream silk crepe robe with a silk collar. Appliqué black felt and velvet magical symbols adorn the silk robe while skull and crossbone motifs decorate his conical silk hat.

Concealed under the silk robe, is the flower-seller. This dwarf puppet wears a white cotton shirt, green and yellow belt and braces, red cotton knee-length breeches and tan stockings. The flower seller holds a metal lamp in his right hand and a wooden bucket of silk flowers on his head—as one does. 

Drawing of the Day: George Cooke's Vesta Victoria, 1904

Vesta Victoria
November, 1904
George Cooke
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Regular readers of this site are familiar with Music Hall star Vesta Victoria’s work. The singer and performer was born in Leeds in 1874, and joined her famous father on stage at an early age. Vesta’s father was known as “The Upside-Down Comedian” because he sang songs while standing on his head.

Vesta’s first independent success was in 1893 with her hit song, “Daddy Wouldn’t Buy Me a Bow Wow.” She soon became a star both in the U.K. and the U.S. and had a repertoire of popular songs which included “Waiting at the Church.”

Regular readers also know the caricature work of George Cooke whose albums of drawings of famous Edwardian Music Hall stars are preserved in the V&A. This one depicts Vesta Victoria as she looked while performing at Collins’ Hippodrome, Stoke-on-Trent, during the week of November 7, 1904. During this period she was was billed as “England’s Brightest and Best Comedienne.”

The work of pen, ink and wash on pink paper depicts Vesta Victoria wearing a white hat with blue and red striped band, a blue jacket with white collar and gloves. She holds a parasol in her right hand.

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: An Unusual Throne

Armchair
French, 1870
This and all related images from:
The Victoria & Albert Museum

If you thought that the British Monarchy had a lot of crowns, their number is nothing compared to the amount of thrones rattling around in various palaces. Just as I’ve had to pause to figure out which crown I’m talking about, I’ve had to spend some time this morning acquainting myself with the different thrones so I don’t lead you down the wrong path.  They all look enough alike as to be confusing. 


So, let’s start with a throne of sorts—not English and not, technically a throne. Nevertheless, it’s an attractive chair and fits with the day’s theme.

Here, we see an armchair of mahogany with gilt-bronze mounts. The arm supports are designed as winged sphinxes. This chair is the work of the French furniture makers at Jacob Fréres and is stamped as such. It is stenciled underneath with the inventory marks of the Palais de Tuileries and the number 27463. The number refers to its removal to the Garde-Meuble in 1826 from the Chateau de St. Cloud.

What’s curious is that though the inventory marks are genuine, the chair itself is a fake. It is not the chair that was removed from the Chateau de St. Cloud. It is, in fact, a newer chair from 1870 which was built on the frame of a much simpler chair. The original chair was the one which was supplied by Jacob Fréres between 1802 and 1803. Let’s look at the front legs. Aren’t they a bit out of proportion? The legs are, in reality, additions which were stripped from a table which had been built by Jacob Fréres.

In effect, we have a chair built in 1870 which someone has tried to give importance to by using the inventory numbers of an earlier chair built for Napoleon I. So, this is a con job along the lines of something Matt Bomer’s Neal Caffrey would have executed had White Collar been set in Nineteenth Century France. The forgery is quite clever and whoever did it took a great deal of time and effort to make it look convincing. Why? At this point, no one knows. It remains an attractive, if not poorly proportioned, mystery.

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: The Schiaparelli Evening Coat, 1939

Silk Evening Coat
Elsa Schiaparelli, 1939
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This delicious, crimson long evening coat is made of red grosgrain. Floor-length with a straight front and wide self-faced edges, it has a narrow band collar and wide straight sleeves and is slightly pleated at the head into padded shoulders.

The back of the garment has been designed to fit as far as the waist where it blossoms into two wide cross-cut panels which extend into a dramatic train. A button, covered with matching silk, is bound with white metal is adorned with a small mother of pearl flower in the center. This is stitched at the top of the pleat. Half way down the train is a fleur de lys shaped loop which, when attached to the button, pulls the train up into a bustle. The coat is lined with a slightly darker scarlet silk.

The coat was designed by Elsa Schiaparelli for her 1939 Summer collection and is an example of the historicism which defined the fashion at the end of the 1930s, as designers reinterpreted the shapes of the leg-of-mutton shoulders and bustles that dominated the 1880s.

Schiaparelli always put the cut of a garment first. Her silhouettes were frequently described as having a “strict neatness with angles replacing feminine curves.” With its theatricality and almost cardinal-like overtones, this evening coat demonstrates modern and forceful lines and the streamlined simplicity which dominated late 1930s fashion.

Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square, Chapter 298

Chapter 298 

Sleep 


“Lennie?” Robert said quickly as he came out of his rarely-used bedroom. “What is it?”

“It’s Punch. Come quickly!” Lennie shouted from the floor below.

The shouts of the young woman had attracted the attention of the entire household. Charles and Gerard came running down from the attics and Mr. Speaight came from the servants’ hall to see what was wrong.

“Gerard!” Robert shouted as he raced down the stairs. “Get my bag from my study, would you?”

“Yes, Sir.” Gerard nodded.

“Doctor!” Gamilla called down from the balcony. “What’s happened?”

“I don’t know.” Robert responded without looking up. “Please, stay with Colin.”

“Violet is with him. Maybe I can help ya like I done before.” Gamilla answered.

“Yes, yes.” Robert said.

“He’s in the library.” Lennie pointed. “I found him under the table…in his little spot. But, he won’t respond. He’s unconscious.”

Robert and Lennie rushed into the library, followed by Charles, Speaight, and, then Gamilla.

Dog Toby barked frantically.

“There, there, Toby.” Robert said gently.

“I’ll take him.” Lennie picked up the terrier who refused to break his gaze from his master.

Robert crawled under the table and put his hand on Punch’s throat. “His heartbeat is slow, but he’s breathing normally, if not deeply.”

“It’s like he’s asleep.” Lennie said quietly. “But, it isn’t quite sleep is it?”

Robert shook his head. He leaned in. “Dear Punch?” He whispered. “It’s your Robert. Can you open your eyes?”

Punch remained still.

“Is it…is it an episode?” Lennie asked, still holding Dog Toby nearby. “I don’t know how to say it…when he’s overtaken by one of the other…minds?”

“No.” Robert shook his head. “That doesn’t alter the workings of his body.” He peered out from under the table. “Charles, would you help me?”

“Yes, Sir.” Charles replied.

“Help me move him gently…over to the sofa.” Robert said, crawling out. “You take his legs, I’ll lift him from under his arms. But, first, we’ll have to drag him out. Carefully now.”

Charles very gingerly tugged on the Duke’s legs to pull him from beneath the table.

“Gamilla, could you get some water from the pitcher there?”

Gamilla went to the sideboard where a chilled pitcher of crystal water always sat on a silver tray in case the Duke became thirsty during his work.

“It’s empty.” Gamilla replied.

“Give it to me.” Speaight nodded. “I’ll fill it.”

Once Charles had removed Punch from under the table, Robert bent at the knees and lifted his companion from underneath his arms. Charles picked up the man’s legs, and, together, they moved him to the sofa.

Robert undid Mr. Punch’s cravat and removed it and his collar, unbuttoning the first few buttons of the Duke’s white shirt.

“He feels warm.” Robert muttered.

“Feverish, Sir?” Charles asked.

“No. Warm. As he always is.” Robert answered softly. “I don’t understand it. He was fine when I last saw him.”

“When was that, Sir?” Charles asked.

“Just before I went up to the attics to speak to you and Gerard. His Grace went to the kitchens to speak to Ruthy.”

“Do ya think maybe he ate somethin’ that made him sick?” Gamilla asked.

“I can’t think of anything that does make him sick.” Robert shook his head. “He’ll eat anything.”

“I’ll go fetch Mrs. Pepper and see if she fed him anything.” Charles volunteered.

“Thank you.”

Charles hurried to the door and brushed past Gerard who was just entering with Robert’s medical bag.

“Here you are, Sir.” Gerard said.

“Perhaps some smelling salts.” Lennie suggested. “That always worked on Mr. Barrett when he fainted.”

“This isn’t a faint.” Robert shook his head. “But, we’ll try it.” Reaching to open his bag, Robert frowned.

“What is it, Doctor?” Gerard asked.

“Did you open this bag?” Robert asked.

“No, Sir. I’d never.”

“Someone’s been in here. It’s not latched properly.” Robert began to rummage through the contents of the leather satchel, taking inventory in his mind. “There’s…there’s a bottle missing?”

“What bottle?” Lennie asked.

“A sleeping tonic.” Robert hissed. “Someone’s taken the bottle from my bag.”

“Who could have done such a thing?” Lennie gasped.

“Gamilla,” Robert snapped. “Go and fetch Fern.”

“Surely you don’t think that poor girl took a tonic from your bag and gave it…” Lennie began. “She wouldn’t. She’d…that’s tantamount to poisoning someone. She’s just a child.”

“She’d do it, Miss.” Gamilla answered. “I’ll get her.”

As Gamilla exited, Lennie shook her head. “Robert, she’s a child. What does she know of tonics?”

“She knows far more about wickedness than she should.” Robert clucked his tongue. “Just think of where she’s been and with whom. Furthermore, look what she’s already done while here—Gamilla’s dress and…furthermore, Lennie, everyone else in the household can be accounted for and knows not to go into my medicine bag.”

Lennie sighed. “You’re correct, of course. I can’t deny those facts. I just…”

“You want to romanticize the concept of childhood. But, Lennie, this girl…she’s been changed by her life. She’s no longer a child though her body says otherwise.”

“Robert,” Lennie asked tremulously, “Be frank. If Fern did give Punch this tonic, what’s the worst it could do? It’s a sleeping tonic, yes? Surely it’s mostly harmless.”

“Yes, in small doses. But…if Fern gave him too much—say the whole bottle—it could be fatal.” His eyes widened. “The pitcher! It was empty. She poured it into the pitcher of water! We all know how Punch sips his water when he’s in here.”

“What reason could she have?” Lennie gasped.

“He punished her. Just as Gamilla did.” Robert shook his head. “She’s a vengeful little bitch like her grandmother and I want her out of this house! I’ve said it before, and…”

Gamilla entered with an ashen-faced Fern, followed by Charles who’d returned from the kitchens. Charles looked puzzled as to why the child had been brought into the library.

“Charles?” Robert asked.

“His Grace refused Mrs. Pepper’s offer of tea when he was in the kitchens, Sir. He took neither food nor drink.”

“I see.” Robert inhaled. He turned to Fern. “Have you anything to say, Miss?”

“Is the Duke sick?” Fern asked.

“He’s been poisoned.”

“Has he?” Fern replied. “By whom?”

“By you.”

“I didn’t poison him.”

“No?”

“No, Sir.”

“But, you did put something in his water?”

“Yes.” Fern nodded.

“The liquid in the blue bottle that you found in my bag?”

“Yes.” Fern replied. “I did. I thought he deserved it.”





Did you miss Chapters 1-297 of Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square? If so, you can read them here. Come back tomorrow for Chapter 299.

Figure of the Day: The Höchst Pierrot, 1750

Figure of Pierrot
Germany, 1750
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Made in Höchst, Germany, in 1750, this hard-paste porcelain figure depicts Pierrot on a gilt-edged plinth near a tree stump. Bent-kneed Pierrot is leaning backwards a bit. He wears the brim of his black hat upturned, patches adorning his face. A turquoise jacket with gilt detail contrasts his white collar. Unlike most pierrots, he’s not in the traditional white pajamas with black buttons, but, instead wears a costume more akin to that of Harlequin with a lozenge-pattern. He’s playing cards—as pierrots do.

The underside of the piece is marked with “I E” and “G.” The whole is painted in brilliant enamels.