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

May 1829

Not on view

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.

Artwork Details

Title: The Fashion Behind but not Behind the Fashion: 1829–T'is Thus to Follow the Mode
Artist: William Heath ('Paul Pry') (British, Northumbria 1794/95–1840 Hampstead)
Publisher: Thomas McLean (British, 1788–1875)
Subject: Francis Beaumont (British, 1584–1616)
Subject: John Fletcher (British, 1579–1625)
Date: May 1829
Medium: Hand-colored etching
Dimensions: Sheet: 16 5/16 × 10 15/16 in. (41.5 × 27.8 cm)
Classification: Prints
Credit Line: Gift of Jill Spalding, 2022
Object Number: 2022.309.16
Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints

More Artwork

By William Heath ('Paul Pry')

In the same medium

From the same time and place

A Change in the Petticoats, or the Years 1780 &1817, William Heath ('Paul Pry') British, Hand-colored etching — A Change in the Petticoats, or the Years 1780 &1817
Attributed to William Heath ('Paul Pry')
Publisher Thomas Tegg
1817

On the Wharfe, Bolton Abbey, William Callow British, Watercolor — On the Wharfe, Bolton Abbey
William Callow
September 30, 1858

Imaginary View of Venice, houses at left with figures on terraces, a domed church at center in the background, boats and boat-sheds below, and a seated man observing from a wall at right in the foreground, from "Views" (Vedute altre prese da i luoghi altre ideate da Antonio Canal), Canaletto (Giovanni Antonio Canal) Italian, Etching; undivided plate, only state — Imaginary View of Venice, houses at left with figures on terraces, a domed church at center in the background, boats and boat-sheds below, and a seated man observing from a wall at right in the foreground, from "Views" (Vedute altre prese da i luoghi altre ideate da Antonio Canal)
Canaletto (Giovanni Antonio Canal)
Dedicatee Joseph Smith
1741

The Cameleopard, or a new hobby, William Heath ('Paul Pry') British, Graphite — The Cameleopard, or a new hobby
Attributed to William Heath ('Paul Pry')
Subject George IV, King of Great Britain and Ireland
Subject Elizabeth Conyngham, Marchioness Conyngham
1827

Stroh Violin, George Evans & Co. English, Mahogany and aluminum, British — Stroh Violin
George Evans & Co.
first quarter 20th century

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please contact us using the form below. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.

Send feedback

Content Notice

The Metropolitan Museum of Art presents over 5,000 years of art from around the world, and our online collection reflects ongoing work conducted over the course of our more than 150-year history. You may encounter objects or images that may be inappropriate for some viewers or information that may be outdated.