Monday, June 24, 2013

The Countess of Warwick as Marie Antoinette at the Devonshire House Ball


image: the Countess of Warwick as Marie Antoinette 
credit: ©National Portrait Gallery, London

The Devonshire House Costume Ball of 1897 was one of the most anticipated social events of 1897. For this elaborate event, the Duchess of Devonshire instructed her guests to dress in the theme of various courts--mythical and real life. And her guests wasted no time commissioning intricate, elaborate--and quite expensive--costumes from famous houses, such as the house of Worth in Paris.

To stress the importance of this magnificent affair, The London Photographic Firm of Lafayette was invited to take studio-style photographs of the guests in their costumes. Elaborate backdrops, which ran the gamut from a stylized version of the Devonshire Gardens to a Turkish setting with an antique carpet, were created especially for the event. Although some guests, not satisfied with the shots done by the studio at the event, would later return to the Firm for 'retakes.'

 
image: the Countess of Warwick as Marie Antoinette 
credit: ©V&A Lafayette Negative Archive 

The costumes chosen by the ball's guests ranged from mythical goddesses, figures from paintings, and historical kings and queens. Frances Evelyn (Daisy), the countess of Warwick, chose Marie Antoinette as her costume for his elegant and highly anticipated evening. The costume, made by Worth of Paris, was studded with real diamonds and used both gold and antique lace.

The Countess of Warwick's Marie Antoinette costume, as depicted in The Queen, July 10th, 1897
image credit: Russell Harris 
image: the Countess of Warwick as Marie Antoinette
credit: ©V&A Lafayette Negative Archive

Daisy's costume, as described by The Times July 3rd report of the event:

'... bodice and paniers of pink and gold flowered brocade and gold lace studded with silver sequins and diamonds, the square-cut neck trimmed with old lace, and chiffon sleeves divided into small puffs with gold lace sparkling with jewels; diamond rivieres were festooned across the front of the bodice. The petticoat was of white satin draped with chiffon scarves edged with gold and sequin lace. The regal train of turquoise velvet was lined with the same and embroidered all over at equal distances with raised gold fleur-de-lis, and fastened on each of the shoulders with gold cord'.

image: the Countess of Warwick as Marie Antoinette
credit: ©V&A Lafayette Negative Archive

Did you spot the photographer assistant's hand in the full-length photos?

image: the Countess of Warwick as Marie Antoinette
credit: ©V&A Lafayette Negative Archive 

Of course, the Countess of Warwick was not the only guest who chose a figure whom we can associate with Marie Antoinette. The Lafayette Archives have records of at least eight other guests who chose from among Marie Antoinette's friends, family, associates and predecessors as their costume for the night--but I'll leave those for another post!



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