Recently three 19th century portraits appeared in Pinterest of individuals wearing eyeglasses. They struck me as being remarkably unique, in that so few people at the time are shown wearing these accessories. The first shows a Southern belle in Louisiana. She wears the light-framed oval shaped spectacles so popular during that era.
Jean-Joseph Vaudechamp portrait of Mrs. Antoien Julien Meffre-Rouzan, c. 1839, New Orleans
During the 1830’s and afterwards, a new
inexpensive metal gained popularity for the manufacture of
spectacle frames and many other items. In New York City in
1829, German chemist Louis Feuchtwanger introduced the alloy
“German silver”, composed of varying amounts of copper,
zinc and nickel. Spectacle frames of this material became widely
available after 1835. The cost and durability of German silver
spectacle frames made them very popular…History on Your Face
Portrait of a Man 1835, Oil on canvas by Merry Joseph Blondel
This gentleman could be a lawyer or accountant, even Mary Bennet’s husband. What say you?
Portrait of a Lady, 1835
The woman in this last image could be Mary Bennet from Pride and Prejudice all grown up.
Love these paintings. Here is my Pinterest board for 18th and 19th Century Art. Enjoy: http://www.pinterest.com/janeaustenworld/18th-19th-century-art/
This article from Historic Eyewear discusses19th century American spectacles in detail.
Jane Austen's World 
Good to have you back, Vic.
One never thinks of people in the Regency wearing specs; a forbidding dowager using a lorgnette, perhaps, but not ‘Mary’s Husband’ (love your casting him) taking time away from the office to have a portrait painted. Mary, too, is so perfect a characterisation.
Chris H.
Hi Vic,
I wasn’t sure if you got the word or not, and if you have I apologize for the SPAM, but I wanted to make sure you were aware of the Virtual World of Jane Austen now on Kickstarter. We have had some excellent reviews and the market seems to be proving itself. We are all huge Jane Austen fans and this is a way to immerse yourself and actually play as a character in Regency Period and write your own stories acting them out with other players. We provide the sandbox, the players provide the stories (though we will help with quests and such).
Anyway, of all the people who might love this I can’t help think of you.
Judy Tyrer CEO 3 Turn Productions
Reblogged this on carolegill and commented:
Amazing and very informative!
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Interesting pictures and story…makes those glasses I wore in high school (circa mid 60’s) look pretty good. The ones on the young man are particularly funny. Just imagine how great an invention they would have been, though – being able to read and do needlework with less eyestrain. Pretty amazing when you think about it.
The specs make people in these portraits look so serious and when we think of the Regency, it’s more about the Prince of Wales and his hijinks and entourage that liked to have a good time. Good to know there was more than that even if in images only.
remembering my first pair of glasses aged 9, I don’t feel so bad now
I find it interesting these individuals decided to be painted with their eyewear. They could have chosen to leave the spectacles off, especially the females. And I love what that might say about them, their character. I project it could mean they are women who want to clearly see, who were not driven by societal norms of fashion in dress or greater things. They are the equal of women from following generations who broke conventions that gave us the same rights as men: to vote, to own property, to marry or not… and I recognize and thank them.
Mrs. Antoien Julien Meffre-Rouzan appears to be wearing an ‘x-bridge’ oval spectacle frame in gold.
Portrait of a Man 1835. Once again an X-bridge oval spectacle frame made of iron, steel or silver with the patina of age and wide slide temples.
Portrait of a Lady, 1835. Possibly gold, Oval with a ‘C’ bridge and ‘ladies’ long, straight temples.
As someone who got her first glasses at age 10, I really appreciate this post. Unlike the ladies in these photos, I probably would have taken my glasses off–not out of vanity, but simply because it would make the portrait more timeless. Nothing dates a photo quite like the eyeglass frames. Though I would not have gone without my glasses for my wedding, I later wished I had at least taken them off for a couple of the formal shots. Lasik was a miracle for me, but now I need reading glasses.