The Great Boa Tippet–"Still ye have predilection for the serpent"
William Heath ('Paul Pry') British
Publisher Thomas McLean British
Not on view
Heath produced a striking group of satires in 1828-29 that responded to exaggerated dress styles popular in London at that time. This print marks the first appearance of the long boa as a fashion accessory, worn here by a lady walking on a pavement with an living serpent about her neck. Her enormous hat has a quasi-bonnet scoop, and her coat inflated sleeves that emphasize her small waist and wrists, with a bell-shaped skirt trimmed to expose feet clad in ribboned slippers. The apple in the snake's mouth, and text in the lower margin that mentions Eve, connect the image to the Garden of Eden, adding a layer of satirical commentary.
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