The Queen of Clubs
(c. 1890)
Medium
cotton, paint, silk, paper, glue, string, ribbon
Measurements
(a) 38.5 cm (centre back) 92.0 cm (sleeve length) (bodice)
(b) 128.0 cm (centre back) 28.0 cm (waist, flat) (skirt)
(c) 56.5 × 22.0 × 22.0 cm (headdress)
Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Purchased through The Art Foundation of Victoria with the assistance of David Syme & Co. Limited, Fellow, 1977
Gallery location
18th & 19th Century Decorative Arts & Paintings Gallery
Level 2, NGV International
About this work
During the Victorian era, fancy-dress and masquerade balls became increasingly popular and widely reported on. These extravagant costumed affairs saw hostesses showcase their wealth and status among upper-class society. Fancy dress provided a form of escapism from the strict conventions of daily life. The expectation was that themes would be chosen from images and descriptions in fashion plates or publications of the day, which were widely available. They could range from historical figures, exotic foreign dress or be allegorical or symbolic. Here, the playing card Queen of Clubs has been playfully personified as a costume.
Artwork Details
Place/s of Execution
Brighton, England
Inscription
(a) label, inside waistline, stamped in gold ink on white cotton: S. HANNINGTON / & SONS. / BRIGHTON.
(b) none
Accession Number
D79.a-c-1977
Department
International Fashion and Textiles
This digital record has been made available on NGV Collection Online through the generous support of Professor AGL Shaw AO Bequest