Le Beau Monde and Monthly Register, December 1809.
“Walking Dress.”
The magazine Le Beau Monde or Literary and Fashionable Magazine was published by John Browne Bell (husband of the famous modiste Mrs. Mary Ann Bell) and his partner J. Decamp beginning in 1806. In April 1809 it was sold to John Tyler who renamed it Le Beau Monde and Monthly Register. Tyler was only able to keep it going for a year. The magazine folded forever in April 1810.
During that last year under Tyler, the style of the fashion prints changed. Clearly new artists were used. The new artist or artists, one of whom we know was Arthur William Devis, had a soft and beautiful hand at rendering faces.
Note that the little purse is called a ridicule. That term, borrowed from the French, was used in all the ladies’ magazines during the Regency. Sometime post-Regency, the term was bastardized into reticule. It is nice to see in this print that the ridicule was specifically made to match the mantle.
The print is described in the magazine as follows:
“Hat and mantle of Merino blue cloth, bound round the edges and cape with rich orange-coloured silk, and fancy trimming of the same colour; the ends of the cape and mantle ornamented with a silk tassel of orange.–Round dress of cambric muslin, made high in the neck, with a ruff.–High boots of blue cloth or kid, laced up the front with orange.–Gloves of York tan.–Ridicule of the same colour and materials as the hat and mantle.”
