Tag Archives: 1840s dresses

Pell Family Portraits: Amelia Grace Pell Craft and William E. Craft

A rare pair of portraits depicting Pell descendant Amelia Grace Pell Craft (1806–1888) and her husband, William Edward Craft (1800–1852), are recent additions to Bartow-Pell’s collection. These works, which date to about 1843, were painted by an unknown artist, probably … Continue reading

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All the Colors of the Rainbow: Ombré Patterns from 1820 to 1850

Luminous, colorful, undulating—and sometimes even iridescent—the new French ombré wallpapers and textiles of the 1820s were so vibrant that these nuanced designs in shades of one or more colors were often called rainbow patterns. They were also known as irisé … Continue reading

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The Latest Fashion: An 1840s Dress Tells All

Around 1840, there was a fashion reaction after women grew tired of the huge sleeves, broad shoulders, big bonnets, and sometimes outlandish hairstyles of the previous decade. It was time for a change. An 1840s silk dress in Bartow-Pell’s collection … Continue reading

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