The Bustle!!!
William Heath ('Paul Pry') British
Publisher Thomas McLean British
Not on view
In the late 1820s, Heath created memorable satires that responded to exaggerated fashions. Here he shows a young woman whose distinct silhouette relies on a tightly corseted waist and flared skirt hemmed short enough to reveal slipped feet secured with ribbons. Standing before a dressing table, the belle has donned a ruffled bustle and will soon add a gown with huge puffed sleeves prepared by her maid. A large beribboned hat sits ready at left, while the title connects the commotion of dressing with the actual bustle used to support the woman's flared skirt. Like many Heath prints from this period, this is signed with a small top-hatted dandy holding an umbrella–Paul Pry, a nosy character from a play.
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