Rolinda Sharples’s 1817 painting of the Cloak-Room, Clifton Assembly Rooms is a familiar one to most Jane Austen fans. This image graces many book covers and has been used for depicting life in the Regency era. Looking closely, one sees that the assembled party seem to be enjoying the occasion as they wait and chat. A lady’s maid is helping a woman exchange her shoes, a man holds a lady’s fan, and the ladies are wearing an assortment of pale dresses, and colorful headwear and shawls. John Harvey, author of Men in Black, 1996, a book about the predeliction men have had over the centuries for wearing black, noted on p. 37 that Rolinda’s painting illustrates the direction that fashion was taking in the 19th century:
The white-haired man to the left is dressed in the older style, with light-coloured knee-breeches and lighter stockings. The stooping man to the right is a transitional type, wearing black knee-breeches, black stockings.
Cloak Room, Clifton Assembly Room, 1817, Rolinda Sharples
The man to centre-left is dressed as Brummel dressed, in skin-tight black trousers.
The above style and the two previous styles would have been familiar to Jane Austen, for she died the same year that this painting was made.
It is the man to the right of him, in looser black trousers, who is dresed as the century was in future to dress. The men at Mr. Rochester’s party [in Jane Eyre] would all be in his style.
These links do not describe formal menswear, per se, but the are descriptive of men’s clothes of the era:
Love this painting Vic. Do you know who owns it or if it is on display? The variety of characters read like a novel. You could almost write a story imagining who they are and their relationship to each other. There’s a book concept for ya!
Hi LA! The painting is exhibited at the Bristol’s City Museum and Art Gallery, a city where Rolinda lived and painted. I think that she was probably paid to paint portraits of people who frequented the assembly rooms, with some paying for frontal views and others paying for profile views. Those in the background would pay less than those who were placed in the front. I venture to say this, because this was the way Rembrandt was paid for painting some of his larger group paintings, including The Night Watch.
As you say, you can see a story unfolding and a relationship among the group. Books with this cover include: A Portrait of Jane Austen, David Cecil, Jane Austen’s World, Maggie Lane, and High Society, Venetia Murray.
Interestingly, the image is also included on the cover of Penguin Clasics “Lady Susan, The Watsons and Sandition” (2003) edition. It shows a detail of the threesome in the right forefront of the gentleman holding the ladies fan. You have included him above.
I am curious about the military gentleman in the blue uniform to the left forefront. I do not recognize the uniform as British. If this was painted in 1817 in Bristol, the Napoleonic wars were over in 1815. It must be an allied officer. I doubt a Frenchmen would have been welcomed to an Assembly dance in Bristol! Does anyone recognize the nationality of the uniform?
Thanks for the info and images of this great artist and her painting.
I love this painting. It is also con the cover of my precious Deirdre Le Faye’s JANE AUSTEN.THE WORLD OF HER NOVELS . Wonderful psot!
I could pour over period styles endlessly, and this is a lovely painting to study. Wonderful post and great blog. I’ve put it on my favorites toolbar and plan to visit often!
Thank you all for your wonderful compliments and for loving this painting. I’ve adored it for a long time.
You have linked to an old version of my guide to dressing for a Regency Ball. Here is a more recent version:
Thank you, Miss Lisa! I have made the change. Vic
I like your post & i will always be coming frequently to read more of your post.Thank you very much for your post once more.
Yes, this painting is part of the permanent collections at the Bristol Museum. I had only recently found out of its connection with Jane Austen. There are three of Rolinda Sharples paintings exhibited at the museum, and this one seems to be the more dynamic of the lot. There’s a lot of movement within the painting, making the overall composition really expressive.
Very interesting post. Thanks for sharing!