1813 The Theatre. From Poetical Sketches of Scarborough By Thomas Rowlandson. Aquatint was added by John Bluck and Joseph Stadler. The sketches by Green were made as souvenirs and not intended for publication. Via Suzi Love suzilove.com
& Wikimedia Commons commons.wikimedia.org (PD-ART)
1802 February, 15th. ‘Advantages of Wearing Muslin Dresses.’ during the Regency Era, or Jane Austen’s times. By James Gillray. Fat lady sitting with man and woman at tea table reacts in horror when hot poker from fire falls on her dress. Man sits helplessly while second woman upsets the table. Butler drops plate of muffins and cat scampers away from fire. Painting of Mt. Vesuvius hangs over fireplace. Via Wikimedia Commons commons.wikimedia.org (PD-ART)
1800s French Palais Royal Sewing Box and Twelve Mother of Pearl Enamel Tools. This is the style of sewing box Jane Austen and her family would have used in the early 1800s, or Regency years. via via suzilove.com and 1st Dibs Auctions 1stdibs.com
Definition: Palais Royal: Name of an area around the Royal Palace in Paris, France, that specialized in making small and exquisite works of art during the 18th and 19th centuries. Palais Royal sewing tools were elaborate and usually feature mother-of-pearl, often intricately carved or engraved. During the 19th century, workboxes were often works of art with engravings, carvings, mother-of-pearl, and elaborate gilt metal mounts. Most popular were scissors with steel blades and gilt mounts, thimbles and needle cases which were often shaped like animals or other natural forms. Workmanship was exceptional and the tools almost too fragile to use.
1815 July Walking Dress, English. Aqua blue walking dress with crossover straps at the back over a white bodice and with a cute sun hat with a scarf for decoration and with a matching shawl. Fashion Plate via The Lady’s Magazine Or Entertaining Companion for the Fair Sex.
1816 June Bridal Dress, English A frock of striped French gauze over a white satin slip: the bottom of the frock is superbly trimmed with a deep flounce of Brussels lace, which is surmounted by a single tuck of byas white satin and a wreath of roses; above the wreath are two tucks of byas white satin. We refer our readers to our print for the form of the body and sleeve: it is singularly novel and tasteful, but we are forbidden either to describe it, or to mention the materials of which it is composed. The hair is dressed low at the side, and parted so as to entirely display the forehead: it is ornamented with an elegant aigrette of pearls in front, and a spring of French roses placed nearly at the back of the head. Necklace, ear-rings, and bracelets of pearl. White kid gloves, and white satin slippers. Fashion Plate via Rudolph Ackermann’s ‘The Repository of Arts’.
1818 September 18th Le Palais Royal de Paris, Or ‘A Peep at the French Monstrosities’.
By George Cruikshank. Two English tourists, both dressed as dandies, walk arm-in-arm under the arcade of the Palais Royal, interested in the promenading courtesans. Two Frenchmen make more direct overtures to two women. Their dress is rather similar to that of the Englishmen, but the latter wear bell-shaped top-hats, while the Frenchmen have flower-pot shaped hats. An officer wearing a large cocked hat addresses a girl, and a man, said by Reid to be Irish, jovially accosts another. Some of the women are in evening-dress, others in street costume. Behind are iron railings between the supports of the roof; on one of these is the inscription ‘Caveau des Sauvages’. Published by: George Humphrey. via British Museum.
1804 September Exhibition of Water Coloured Drawings, Old Bond Street, London, U.K. Designed and etched by Thomas Rowlandson. Via Wikimedia Commons commons.wikimedia.org (PD-ART)
19th Century Inkstand, English. Ormolu and tortoiseshell. The type of inkstand that households would have in Bridgerton’s and Jane Austen’s times for writing letters and keeping track of estate matters. Curved, recessed top, two square inkwells of faceted cut glass with round necks and ormolu lids. via 1st Dibs Auctions ~ 1stdibs.com
1807 January Couple In Morning Walking Ensembles, English. Lady in white dress with lemon pelisse or coat, fitted hat and interesting reticule, or bag. Gentleman in long black tailcoat over yellow breeches, high black boots with wide tan tops, yellow gloves, cane and top hat. via Le Beau Monde, or Literary and Fashionable Magazine, London, U.K.
These are the types of outfits worn by Jane Austen and contemporaries in England and shown in their English magazines.The same designs had probably already been seen in France, because English publishers obsessively copied French fashions despite the two countries being at war for many years. https://books2read.com/SuziLoveFashionWomen1805-1809
On January 27th, 1772, The Pantheon opened on Oxford Street, London. Designed by James Wyatt, The Pantheon featured a rotunda which was one of the largest rooms in England at the time. The Pantheon was intended as London’s answer to Ranelagh Gardens for winter entertainment and opened to a crush when nearly “two thousand persons of rank and fashion assembled.” The Pantheon officially closed for public entertainments in 1814, after Lord Chamberlain restrictions on the building’s use as a theatre made the final venture unprofitable. It was converted to a bazaar in 1833 and in 1867 became a winemakers office and showrooms until being demolished in 1937.
From 1819 Ackermann: The Pantheon was built “for the purpose of public evening entertainments” and was a “superb and beautiful structure” with elegant interiors furnished with fine paitnings, gilt vases, and statues depicting gods and goddesses. The building consisted of a suite of fourteen rooms, and between 1789-1792 (until a fire) was used as an exhibition space for Italian operas after the destruction by fire of the King’s Theatre in Haymarket.
1814 January The Pantheon via Ackermann’s Repository : This once noble structure, situated on the south side of Oxford-street, was originally built by Mr. James Wyatt, for the purpose of public evening entertainments. It was a most superb and beautiful structure, the admiration of all connoisseurs, foreigners as well as natives. The interior was fitted up in such a magnificent style, that it is scarcely possible for those who never saw it to conceive the elegance and grandeur of the apartments, the boldness of the paintings, or the effect produced by the disposition of the lights, which were reflected from gilt vases. Below the dome were a number of statues, representing most of the heathen gods and goddesses, supposed to be the ancient Pantheon at Rome, from which it derived its name. To these were added three beautiful statues of white porphyry, representing the King and Queen and Britannia.
The whole building formed a suite of fourteen rooms, each affording a striking specimen of taste and splendor. After the destruction of the King’s Theatre in the Haymarket by fire in June 1789, the Pantheon was used for the exhibition of Italian operas, and was frequently honored with the presence of their Majesties; till on the 14th of January, 1792, this beautiful structure also fell a prey to the same devouring element.
The fire broke out in the new buildings which had been added for the most convenient performance of operas; and before any engine reached the spot, the flames had gained such a height, that all attempts to save the building were in vain. Owing to the scenery, oil, paint and other combustible materials in the house, the conflagration was so rapid that not a single article could be saved. Persons who witnessed the progress of this tremendous fire, declare that the appearances exhibited through the windows, the lofty pillars enveloped in flames and smoke, the costly damask curtains waving from the rarefaction of the air, and the superb chandeliers turning round from the same circumstance, together with the successive crashing and falling of different portions of the building, furnished to their minds a more lively representation of Pandemonium than the imagination alone cam possibly supply.
The effects, too, of the intense frost which then prevailed, upon the water poured from the engines upon the blazing pile, are described as equally singular and magnificent. The loss occasioned by this catastrophe amounted to £60,000; only one fourth of which sum was insured. The height of the walls fortunately prevented the conflagration from spreading to the contiguous houses.
The Pantheon has been rebuilt; the original elegant front and portico still remain, but the rest of the edifice exhibits not eve a shadow of its former magnificence. Since its re-edification, it has been used principally for exhibitions, and occasionally for masquerades. Various plans have at different times been brought forward for opening it for dramatic representations; and this was actually done a few months since under a license from the magistrates, by a Mr. Condy, who is understood to have embarked a considerable fortune in the concern; but whose right has been contested by the winter theatres, and is likely to become a subject of legal discussion.
1800 Pantheon Masquerade, London, U.K. via Rudolph Ackermann’s Microcosm of London. Engraved by John Bluck. (1791-1831)
