Farthingale Collection

Young woman of North Holland, 1775. Creator: Paulus Constantijn la Fargue
Young woman of North Holland, 1775

Ellen Maurice (1578-1626), 1597. Creator: Marcus Gheeraerts, the Younger
Ellen Maurice (1578-1626), 1597

Claude de France, Duchess of Brittany, first wife to King Francis I of France, 1499-1517
FLO4570968 Claude de France, Duchess of Brittany, first wife to King Francis I of France, 1499-1517. She wears a costume composed of two robes on top of each other

Woman of the court of King Henry IV of France, 1589-1610. She wears her hair tied up with a ribbon
FLO4657471 Woman of the court of King Henry IV of France, 1589-1610. She wears her hair tied up with a ribbon, an upright lace collar, Spanish court dress with low cut bosom, slashed sleeves, corset

Margaret of Valois, Marguerite de France, daughter of King Henry II, first wife of King Henry IV, 1552-1615
FLO4657437 Margaret of Valois, Marguerite de France, daughter of King Henry II, first wife of King Henry IV, 1552-1615. Portrait from 1572 showing her in high upright lace collar

Lady in mask at a ball, reign of King Henry III of France, 1573-1575. She wears a hat decorated with pearls
FLO4657423 Lady in mask at a ball, reign of King Henry III of France, 1573-1575. She wears a hat decorated with pearls, a full-face black mask

Marguerite of Lorraine, sister of Queen consort Louise of France, sister-in-law to Henry III of France
FLO4657410 Marguerite of Lorraine, sister of Queen consort Louise of France, sister-in-law to Henry III of France, wife of Anne Duke of Joyeuse, 1581

C is for Countess, illustration from An Alphabet, pub. 1898 (hand-coloured woodcut)
ELB109837 C is for Countess, illustration from An Alphabet, pub. 1898 (hand-coloured woodcut) by Nicholson, William (1872-1949); Private Collection; © Desmond Banks

Queen Anne of Denmark, c. 1605 (oil on panel)
3928565 Queen Anne of Denmark, c.1605 (oil on panel) by Critz, John de, the Elder (c.1552-1642)(attr. to); Private Collection; (add.info.: Anne of Denmark (1574-1619)

Lady at Her Toilette, late 1740s. Creator: Pietro Longhi
Lady at Her Toilette, late 1740s

Gabrielle d Estrees, mistress of King Henry IV of France (coloured engraving)
971822 Gabrielle d Estrees, mistress of King Henry IV of France (coloured engraving) by French School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Gabrielle d Estrees (1573-1599)

Portrait of a lady, 1620 (oil on canvas)
XIR336975 Portrait of a lady, 1620 (oil on canvas) by Ravesteyn, Jan Anthonisz. van (c.1570-1657); 131 x 103 cm; Musee des Beaux-Arts, Lille

Charlotte de Montmorenci, wife to Henri de Bourbon, Prince of Conde, 1594-1650. She wears her hair tied up with ribbons, an upright lace collar, pearl necklaces, dress with embroidered corset

Sophie Arnould, French soprano in the opera Pyramus and Thisbe, 1771. She is depicted in the famous costume from Act V, a mantua dress with hoop petticoats or panniers decorated with frills

Marquise de Verneuil, mistress of King Henry
Catherine-Henriette de Balzac d Etragues, Marquise de Verneuil, mistress of King Henry IV of France, 1579-1633. She wears her hair tied up with a ribbon of roses

Woman of the court of King Henry IV of France, 1589-1610. She wears her hair tied up with a ribbon, an upright lace collar, Spanish court dress with low cut bosom, slashed sleeves, corset

Gabrielle d Estrees, mistress of King Henry
Gabrielle d Estrees, Marchioness of Monceaux, mistress of King Henry IV of France, 1571-1599. She wears her blonde hair tied in a pearl lattice, three-tier lace ruff collar

Margaret of Valois, first wife of King Henry IV, 1552-1615
Margaret of Valois, Marguerite de France, daughter of King Henry II, first wife of King Henry IV, 1552-1615. Portrait from 1572 showing her in high upright lace collar

Lady in mask at a ball, reign of King Henry III of France, 1573-1575. She wears a hat decorated with pearls, a full-face black mask

Young lady in a mask, reign of Henry III of France (coloured engraving)
971818 Young lady in a mask, reign of Henry III of France (coloured engraving) by French School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Young lady in a mask, reign of Henry III of France)

Princess Elizabeth (1596-1662), Later Queen of Bohemia, c. 1606 (oil on canvas)
3472167 Princess Elizabeth (1596-1662), Later Queen of Bohemia, c.1606 (oil on canvas) by Peake, Robert, the Elder (c.1551-1619); 154.3x79.4 cm; Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

Portrait of Queen Elizabeth of Bohemia (1596-1662) (oil on canvas)
CH140986 Portrait of Queen Elizabeth of Bohemia (1596-1662) (oil on canvas) by Peake, Robert, the Elder (c.1551-1619); 171.4x97.7 cm; Private Collection; (add.info)

Anna of Austria, Queen of Spain, c. 1570 (oil on canvas)
3930869 Anna of Austria, Queen of Spain, c.1570 (oil on canvas) by Sanchez Coello, Alonso (c.1531-88) (studio of); 106x107 cm; National Museum, Stockholm

Unfinished Portrait of an unknown lady, c. 1595 (w / c on vellum)
FIT84916 Unfinished Portrait of an unknown lady, c.1595 (w/c on vellum) by Hilliard, Nicholas (1547-1619); 18.2x12.2 cm; Fitzwilliam Museum, University of Cambridge, UK; (add.info.: larger scale)

Anne of Austria, Consort of Emperor Mathias, c. 1615 (oil on canvas)
3930871 Anne of Austria, Consort of Emperor Mathias, c.1615 (oil on canvas) by Crayer, Gaspar de (1584-1669); 144x118 cm; National Museum, Stockholm

Anne Catherine of Brandenburg, c. 1600 (oil on canvas)
3930867 Anne Catherine of Brandenburg, c.1600 (oil on canvas) by Isaacsz. Pieter Fransz. (1569-1625); 207x123 cm; National Museum, Stockholm

German costumes, second half of 18th Century (coloured engraving)
968858 German costumes, second half of 18th Century (coloured engraving) by German School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: German costumes, second half of 18th Century)

Lady of the court of Henry IV of France (coloured engraving)
971824 Lady of the court of Henry IV of France (coloured engraving) by French School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Lady of the court of Henry IV of France)

Three Figures Dressed for a Masquerade, c. 1740s. Creator: Louis-Joseph Le Lorrain
Three Figures Dressed for a Masquerade, c. 1740s

The Game of the Cooking Pot, c. 1744. Creator: Pietro Longhi
The Game of the Cooking Pot, c. 1744

Portrait Of A Woman In Light Blue, 1785. Creator: Arthur Devis
Portrait Of A Woman In Light Blue, 1785

Four women walking alongside four cows;plate from Repraesentatio Der Fü
Four women walking alongside four cows; plate from Repraesentatio Der Furstlichen Auffzug und Ritterspil... Herrn Johann Friderichen Hertzogen zu Wurttenberg und Teckh

Princess Elizabeth (1596-1662), Later Queen of Bohemia, ca. 1606. Creator: Robert Peake I
Princess Elizabeth (1596-1662), Later Queen of Bohemia, ca. 1606

Portrait of a Woman, ca. 1600. Creator: British Painter (ca. 1600)
Portrait of a Woman, ca. 1600

Taste a la mode, 1745. Artist: F Patton
Taste a la mode, 1745. Satire on the fashion for wide skirts. Illustration from Social Caricature in the Eighteenth Century

The Review, 18th century. Artist: John June
The Review, 18th century. Two women saucily raise their voluminous skirts to the crowd in a satire on fashion. Illustration from Social Caricature in the Eighteenth Century

The Glorious Comedy Of Destouches, (1885). Artist: Lancret
The Glorious Comedy Of Destouches, (1885). Illustration from 18th Century Institutions, Usages And Costumes, France 1700-1789, by Paul Lacroix, (Paris, 1885)

Portrait Of French Fashion, (1885). Artist: Augustin de Saint-Aubin
Portrait Of French Fashion, (1885). Illustration from 18th Century Institutions, Usages And Costumes, France 1700-1789, by Paul Lacroix, (Paris, 1885)

Anne of Denmark, early 17th century, (1910). Portrait of Anne (1574-1619), the queen of James I. Her clothing is similar to the costume at the end of Elizabeth Is reign

Caricature of the farthingale and the mask, 1610. From Modes and Manners, published 1925

Portrait Of A Woman In Gold, 1785. Creator: Arthur Devis
Portrait Of A Woman In Gold, 1785

Portrait of James I (1566-1625) and Anne of Denmark (1574-1619) title page from the
XJF909333 Portrait of James I (1566-1625) and Anne of Denmark (1574-1619) title page from the Book of Kings, engraved by Renold Elstrack, 1618 (engraving) by English School

The Waltz
BAL34308 The Waltz by Zoffoli, A. (19th century); Josef Mensing Gallery, Hamm-Rhynern, Germany; out of copyright

Elizabeth I drawn by W. Derby and engraved by T. A. Dean (litho) (b / w photo)
XJF265859 Elizabeth I drawn by W.Derby and engraved by T.A.Dean (litho) (b/w photo) by Oliver, Isaac (c.1565-1617) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: Elizabeth I (1533-1603)

Catalina de la Cerda, Duchess of Lerma, 1602 (oil on canvas)
XJL109948 Catalina de la Cerda, Duchess of Lerma, 1602 (oil on canvas) by Pantoja de la Cruz, Juan (1551-1608); 101 x 204 cm; Hospital Tavera, Toledo

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"Farthingale: A Fashionable Framework of the Past" Step back in time to the late 16th and early 17th centuries, where women's fashion was a spectacle of grandeur and opulence. The farthingale, also known as a vertugadin, played a pivotal role in shaping these extravagant ensembles. Ellen Maurice, an influential figure from the Elizabethan era, is depicted in Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger's portrait from 1597. She stands proudly wearing two robes layered atop each other, with her skirts held high by a colossal farthingale. This structural undergarment provided volume and shape to her ensemble. Claude de France, Duchess of Brittany during King Francis I's reign (1499-1517), showcased another variation of this trend. Her costume featured two robes as well but stood out due to its massive vertugadin or farthingale that supported her voluminous skirts. A woman from King Henry IV's court (1589-1610) exuded elegance with her hair tied up using ribbons and an upright lace collar framing her face. Her Spanish court dress boasted low-cut bosom detailing alongside slashed sleeves and corseted attire enhanced by a striking farthingale or vertugadin. Completing her ensemble was a striped petticoat adding flair to every step she took. Margaret of Valois (1552-1615), daughter of King Henry II and first wife of King Henry IV, embraced this fashion statement too. In a portrait dating back to 1572, she donned an exquisite Spanish court dress accentuated by high upright lace collars and adorned with pearls around her neck – all complemented by the presence of a corseted bodice and voluminous vertugadin or farthingale. Even masked balls during King Henry III's reign (1573-1575) saw ladies embracing this trend.