Frailties of fashion, Isaac Cruikshank, 1793

A satire on the fashion for dress projecting in front to give the effect of pregnancy. A promenade in a park. On the extreme left is a little girl holding a doll, both dressed in the prevailing fashion. Next walks (left to right) the prince of wales between mrs. Fitzherbert (left) and the duchess of york (right), who both take his arm. Next and behind, an elderly hag taking the arm of a 'cit' travesties the fashion. The next couple are two ladies walking right to left, young and good-looking, who wear their short-waisted dresses and clinging draperies with credit; the one in profile is probably lady charlotte campbell. Next and in the middle distance is a group of three: mrs. Hobart (?) and lady archer (the latter in a riding-habit) face each other angrily; a man stands between them. In the foreground lady cecilia johnston stands in profile to the left, a paroquet sitting on the enormous protuberance below her waist; her companion (? george hanger) wears a large cocked hat and holds a club. On the extreme right a couple walks off in back view. 1 may 1793 hand-coloured etching. Date: 1793. Dimensions: Height: 299 mm; Width: 518 mm. Medium: paper. Depicted People: Lady Sarah Archer. Collection: British Museum. Frailties of fashion (BM 1868,0808.6292)