A Desert [sic]–Imitation of Modern Fashion
Heath here makes use of an artistic tradition associated with Giuseppe Arcimboldo (1526/27–1593) to create an inventive fashion satires. An inverted, partly fluted, claret-shaped wine-glass represents the corseted torso and laring skirt of a woman, its upturned base turned into a wide hat brim. Its crown is formed by a cork, and bunches of grapes and hanging leaves create bows and ribbons. Below, two pears act as puffed sleeves. Like many of Heath's prints from this period, the work is signed with a small top-hatted dandy holding an umbrella–Paul Pry, a nosy character from a play.
Artwork Details
- Title: A Desert [sic]–Imitation of Modern Fashion
- Artist: William Heath ('Paul Pry') (British, Northumbria 1794/95–1840 Hampstead)
- Publisher: Thomas McLean (British, 1788–1875)
- Date: ca. 1828
- Medium: Hand-colored etching
- Dimensions: Sheet: 13 7/8 × 9 5/8 in. (35.2 × 24.4 cm)
- Classification: Prints
- Credit Line: Gift of Jill Spalding, 2022
- Object Number: 2022.309.26
- Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints
More Artwork
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William Heath ('Paul Pry')
S. Gans
1830
William Heath ('Paul Pry')
Thomas McLean
1827–29
Multiple artists/makers
1827–29
William Heath ('Paul Pry')
Thomas McLean
1828–29
William Heath ('Paul Pry')
Thomas McLean
1828
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