History's Runway: The Duchess of Devonshire's Schiaparelli Gown, 1953

Ballgown
Elsa Schiaparelli, 1953
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Celebrated designer Elsa Schiaparelli (1890-1973) was born in Rome and, as a young woman, studied philosophy. After she married, she traveled to Boston and New York, moving to Paris in 1920.

The design which first cast the spotlight on Schiaparelli was a black sweater knitted with a trompe l'œil bow in white. The sweater was spotted by a store buyer and the orders she received put her into business. By 1928 she had launched her own boutique called Pour le Sport. An exclusive salon would open a year later where Schiaparelli garnered much acclaim and attention for her witty, smart, sophisticated, theatrical and elegant evening ensembles. Her eccentric designs earned her many loyal fans, among them, a good many popular artists. Many of these artists collaborated with Schiaparelli to create sumptuous, innovative new looks. Among these artists were Salvador Dalí, Christian Bérard and Jean Cocteau who each designed fabrics and accessories for her lines. Cubism and Surrealism influenced Schiaparelli's work considerably. She also loved to experiment with color, dying furs and textiles unusual colors. She favored shocking pink--like the gown we see here.

This dress from the Summer of 1953 was worn by the Duchess of Devonshire and now is part of the Cecil Beaton Collection at the V&A. The under dress of her trademark pink is crafted of Thai silk. It features short sleeves and a pleated off-the-shoulder neckline with a dropped waist and flared skirt with an over-lain white silk organza pattern of apple blossom embroidered in pink, green, yellow and white on velveteen appliqué. 

Mastery of Design: The Charles Boit Miniature, 1720



Miniature
Charles Boit
Enamel, Gold, Diamonds
1720, France
The Victoria & Albert Museum

 This oval miniature bust length portrait depicts an attractive young lady wearing a pink shawl, her hair adorned with several blue ribbons. The portrait on enamel is set into a frame of rose-cut diamonds which dates to approximately the 1720 creation of the miniature.

Portrait miniatures in enamels became quite popular in the Eighteenth Century. They developed from the decorative work of goldsmiths and watchmakers in the French cities of Blois, Châteaudun and Paris and are a continuation of the fashionable portrait plaques which had been made in the enameling workshops of Limoges in central France during the Sixteenth Century.

In the 1630s, Jean Toutin adapted new techniques of enameling which produced subtle, translucent colors. These techniques are still in practice today and allow for an impressive delicacy of detail. These portraits often were applied to small objects such as watches or snuffboxes, but usually stood alone in jeweled frames such as this.

This particular example is the work of enamel artist Charles Boit who was well respected for his ability to create light and shade in his miniatures. Boit’s subjects often showed an openness of expression due to their large eyes. Though this miniature is not signed, we can tell by the figure that this was the work of Boit’s hand.

Painting of the Day: A Watercolor of The Queen Mother as a Girl, 1907

Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Mabel Hankey, 1907
The Royal Collection

When Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (later Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother) was seven years old, her mother had a delicate pink dress made for her which had been based on a gown from a painting by the Spanish master Velázquez. At the time this special gown was completed, the young lady was photographed in it several times.

Miniature painter Mabel Hankey was commissioned to create a watercolor portrait of Lady Elizabeth in this gown. Two pictures were created—both of them done from photographs rather than painted from life. Both of these miniatures by Hankey are now in the collection of Queen Elizabeth II who cherishes these images of her mother.

Mabel Hankey was born in Bath--the daughter of artist Henry Eddington Hobson. She was the first wife of the painter William Lee Hankey, and, after many years of study, exhibited with the Royal Society of British Artists, the Royal Miniature Society, the Society of Women Artists and the Royal Academy.

Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square, Chapter 220

Chapter 220

Force a Body

“The masters oughta be spyin’ ‘their surprise just ‘bout now,”  Gerard smiled at Gamilla who sat next to his bed.

“I ‘spect so,”  Gamilla nodded.  “Sure was a fine idea Mr. Speaight had.  I’d bet them gentlemen will smile real big when they see that holly bush all done up.”

“I’ll wager they will.”  Gerard replied.  “Nice of Violet to watch Colin for awhile.”

“Poor little thin’,”  Gamilla shook  her head.  “Got her heart broke by that terrible awful Mr. Hutchinson.  I think that’s why she wanted to watch the baby.  She done said somethin’ ‘bout if she didn’t have no love didn’t mean that other folk shouldn’t.  Told me she thought we should take some time together when we could.”

“Right nice of her, it sure was.”  Gerard nodded.  “She’ll find herself a beaux soon ‘nough.  She’s pretty and if she can keep her temper, she’d make a fine wife.”

“Oh,”  Gamilla chuckled.  “Given it much thought, have ya?”

“No for my own sake, mind.”  Gerard winked.  “I got me a girl what I wanna marry.”

“Do you now, Mr. Gurney?”

“I do.”  Gerard smiled.  “Just gotta heal me-self up a bit.  See, I gotta hole  in me what oughtn’t be there.”

“I know, I done seen it up close.”  Gamilla sighed.

“What were it like when ya looked inside ‘o me?  What’d ya see?”

“Nothin’ I care to see again.”

“I know what ya saw.”

“Do ya?”  Gamilla laughed.

“You saw a big heart with ‘Gamilla” written on it.”

“Well, well.”  Gamilla blushed.  “You are feelin’ better, ain’t ya?”

“Better each day.”  Gerard answered brightly.  “But, that’s no surprise.”

“No?”

“No, a man in love heals fast.”

“You’re full o’ all kinds of sweet words tonight.”

“I mean all of ‘em.”  Gerard said seriously.

“I know ya do, honey.”  Gamilla answered softly.

“I wish everyone could feel like I do.”  Gerard sighed.  “His Grace and the doctor, they do.  But, what of Charles?  Ain’t it funny?  But, when you told me of Hutchinson breakin’ Vi’s poor heart, I thought, ‘Now she can marry Charles.’”

“I don’t think they want to marry each other.”  Gamilla raised her eyebrows.  “I don’t think they even like each other so much.”

“Sure they do.”  Gerard shook his head.  “I seen ‘em chat many a time.  All nice and polite by the fire at night.”

“Honey, Charles talks to me and you the same way.  Same as he does Ethel and Jenny and Mrs. Pepper and Georgie.  Don’t mean he loves Vi.  He’s just polite.”

“I don’t believe it.”  Gerard said.

“Besides that, Charlie ain’t got no time for to worry ‘bout gettin’ married.  He’s doin’ the work o’ two men right now.  Plus we got all them troubles with them ladies.  He’d gotta stick close to the Duke and the doctor for to protect ‘em.  See, he done got too much to think ‘bout to be fallin’ in love with Violet.”

“He just don’t know he wants to love our Vi.”  Gerard smiled.

“My mama used to tell me, honey, that when folks was in love, they wanted to make everyone else be in love, too.  But, it don’t work like that.  Ain’t somethin’ a body can force.”

“Don’t need forcing, ‘Milla.”  Gerard shook his head.  “It’s a fine thing.  Everybody wants it.”

“Sure.  When they’re ready.  When Charlie’s ready, he’ll start thinkin’ ‘bout it.  Remember, weren’t too long ‘go he thought he was in love with the Duke’s other sister.”

“He didn’t love her.”  Gerard frowned.  “He was just taken with her beauty.”

“She was pretty.”  Gamilla admitted grudgingly.  “And, I could see how a fella might find her excitin’.  Danger’s always excitin’.”

“But, she’s got nothin’ on our Vi.”  Gerard smiled.

“Honey…”  Gamilla chuckled.  “You is too much.”  She stood up.  “Speakin’ of our Vi, I’d best get back to her.  She’s got her own duties.”

“You like your new room in the nursery?”

“Sure I do.”  Gamilla said sincerely.  “It’s the finest room I ever saw.  It’s just like one o’ the bedchambers for guests.  Never thought I’d…”  She sighed.  “I just never thought.”

“When things settle down, you’ll be gettin’ a nursery maid, Mrs. Pepper tells me.”

“Ah, I don’t need a girl.”  Gamilla shook her head.  “Vi needs the help more.  Actin’ as lady’s maid for Miss Lennie and doin’ my old work.  Just think, Gerry, if we get a new girl, it’ll be one more for Charles to fall in love with.”

“You tease me, but you know I’m right.”  Gerard replied playfully.

“You quit worryin’ ‘bout other folk fallin’ in love and put all your strength to getting’ well again.  Ya hear?”

“Yes, Miss Gamilla.”  Gerard winked.

Did you miss Chapters 1-219 of Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square?  If so, you can read them here.  Come back tomorrow for Chapter 221.

History's Runway: Christmas and New Year's Party Fashion Plate, 1875

Fashion plates such as this one from the V&A often formed the centerpiece of publications for women—rather, they still do.  This landscape format plate from 1875 is set in a ballroom draped with garlands, and depicts twelve women and 8 small children.  Nine of the women are in party dresses with one small boy in a brown suit.

Two women in the background wear the long-sleeved day dresses which were fashionable at the time, and a third woman wears a formal reception gown with elbow-length sleeves. The others, in their party dresses, show the elaborately bustled and embellished evening gowns with low necklines and short sleeves that dominated the fashions of the 1870s.

One female child in the centre foreground holds a fashionably dressed doll, and another to the far left holds a doll dressed as a Polichinelle (the French version of Mr. Punch).

While the artwork was created in Paris, the piece was published in London, in December 1875, in “The Young Ladies' Journal.”  A descriptive line states:  “Christmas and New Year's Party Fashion Plate December 1875. The Young Ladies' Journal.”

Object of the Day: The Dudley Box, 1579

This pretty little box was made in England in 1579 to hold sweetmeats.  Gifts of sweetmeats, sugared fruits and candies were traditional presents at New Year in the Royal Court.  Sometimes these were presented in special, and often precious, containers such as this one.  

The crest of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester (died 1588) is inlaid im silver in the lid. Dudley was the favorite of Queen Elizabeth I, and was, therefore, a very important fella about the court.  No doubt, this box must have been made especially for Dudley as a New Year's gift.  

Curiously, after the box had been donated to the V&A, it was untouched for many years.  In fact, it was not opened until 1968 when the crest of Dudley and inscribed date  was discovered for the first time.

The box is decorated in the technique known as damascening, a process, especially popular in the Sixteenth Century, in which gold and silver ribbon is forced into a cross hatched surface of iron using a copper tool. The base iron was darkened with heat and chemicals so that it would develop a blue or black hue which would contrast with the gold and silver ornament. 

Merry Christmas!

We'll be back with new posts on December 27th.