The Art Amateur Plate CXXII - Designs for Outline Embroidery - Aesthetes
Well, I have found the long
lost Art Amateur image CXXII of the Aesthetes with the assistance from the staff at JSTOR. Not really a true likeness
of Oscar Wilde – not sure if he is mentioned in the October 1881 issue – but
he is called out by name in the ads referring to that issue. Oscar was growing in
popularity – he had just signed on to do a lecture tour in America with the theater promoter Richard D'Oyly Carte to advertise the new Gilbert and Sullivan operetta, Patience or Bunthorne's Bride – so his name was used in the ads – a classic marketing ploy.
The actual outline designs are rather generic (in my opinion) and not obviously Oscar.
The ladies on the other
hand were more recognizable to me in terms of design. I had seen them before –
both in outline designs and in Judy – specifically the lady holding the
sunflower. Here is the time line of publication, I however found the
Peterson's image first (it was in my out-line designs file), then in Judy, and
finally in The Art Amateur.
The Art Amateur – Oct 1881
Judy, Or the London
Serio-Comic Journal – February 1882
Peterson’s Magazine – Sept
1882
There is a sketch similar
to the boy in tights in the Oct 5, 1881 Judy – the same time frame as the Art
Amateur issue with the CXXII image. Both the Sunflower Dress lady and the
Tights boy were drawn by A. Chasemore. He illustrated fashion costumes
for Judy – and the figures of the other ladies remind me of his style, however,
I could not find those specific ladies/poses in any of the Judy’s on-line
during that time period.
Aside: I did find a nice looking
Oscar that would be perfect for out-line embroidery in the cover of The Short
Stories of Oscar Wilde, The Easton Press, 2003. As I am working on a CQ –
I just may have to put an Oscar in mine.
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