The Fashion Behind but not Behind the Fashion: 1829–T'is Thus to Follow the Mode

Thomas McLean|John Fletcher|Francis Beaumont|William Heath ('Paul Pry')

May 1829 · Hand-colored etching · Drawings and Prints

Heath served in the army and began by drawing military satires but, by 1827, had returned to London and focused on satirizing exaggerated dress styles. He also started to sign his prints with a small top-hatted dandy holding an umbrella–Paul Pry, a nosy character in a play. This work centers on a comely young woman, seen from behind, who wears a full skirted green dress with a hem shortened to reveal flat slipper held on by ribbons. Huge puffed sleeves emphasize her tiny waist and an earring dangling below a huge beribboned hat echoes the shape of her ensemble. The woman's backward glance suggests that she is fully aware of her allure.

Artist

Thomas McLean|John Fletcher|Francis Beaumont|William Heath ('Paul Pry')

Date

May 1829

Medium

Hand-colored etching

Department

Drawings and Prints

Credit line

Gift of Jill Spalding, 2022