Gainsborough Study

Just been doing some studying into some of Gainsborough's paintings. Especially the portraits of the women in their blue silk sack-back panniered gowns. There's some very interesting details.

A study of the 'Unknown Lady possibly of the Lloyd Family' painted by Gainsborough in the 1750's.

Details:

- Open gown with CF opening bodice, with front pleat detail and possible stomacher.

- Medium sized Seperate Cuff detail with shift ruffles.

- Wide Panniers with interesting construction techniques going on at the top seam of the side skirt.

- Fine gauzy apron worn over pink petticoat.

- How come one side is so bounced out and the other so rumpled up as if there was no support frame underneath?

- Headress is similar to quite a few portraits around at the same time. You've got a fuller version of it in Mary Edwards Portrait by Hogarth 1742 and another example of a similar sized headress in Nattier's portrait of the Comtesse Tessin painted in 1741. Liza Picard has a drawing of a couple of headresses and one of them, I'm very sure is the same as what's used here. However this might just be like a hanky pinned into the back of the hair and displayed in this way but I have my doubts. I know so little about headresses that it is a real area I need to do more research.

- Hair is worn relatively naturally, loose and with ends hanging down.

- Black shoes with buckles.