The Ministry of Silly Hats - Dormeuse & Mob Cap Department
What is a dormeuse? What is a mob cap? Are these even the correct terms for the light, lacy, infinitely silly caps worn by ladies in the late 18th century? Well, to be honest, I don't yet know. But in the spirit of sharing, I am starting here with a little collection of these frilly fripperies that are often called dormeuses or mob caps by modern sources. Some appear to be worn indoors, some informally, and some out doors under more structured hats.
My research, which thus far has been limited to strictly visual sources, recently turned up a nice little post by Ray at Joel Segal Books, on the etymological breakdown of the term "mob cap." A quick check of the Oxford Dictionary Online reveals that the earliest usage for "dormeuse" is 1735 and the earliest usage of "mob cap" is 1785. Hm. Which one is correct? Considering my focus is roughly around 1775-1785, I could go either way.
All images are linked to their respective sources, and are intended for educational and personal use only. Do not reproduce, sell, or otherwise appropriate these images without permission from the institutions/individuals that own them.
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Artist: Unknown (English)
Title: The Paintress of Macaronis
Date: 1772
Location: Yale Walpole Library
Accession No. N/A |
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Artist: Benjamin van der Gucht (English)
Title: Sophy Coates
Date: 1774
Location: Norwich Castle Museum
Accession No. NWHCM : 1940.29 : F |
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Artist: John Singleton Copley (American)
Title: Mrs. Ralph Izard (Alice Delancey)
Date: 1775
Location: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Accession No. 03.1033 |
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Artist: Thomas Gainsborough (English)
Title: Mrs. Philip Dupont
Date: c. 1778
Location: Art Institute of Chicago Collection
Accession No. AIC_.1987.139 |
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Artist: Jean-Francois Janinet (French)
Title: Portrait of Madeline Rose Bertin
Date: c. 1780
Location: N/A
Accession No. N/A |
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Artist: Joshua Reynolds (English)
Title: Portrait of Lavinia Bingham, Countess Spencer
Date: 1781
Location: N/A
Accession No. N/A |
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Artist: George Romney (English)
Title: Mrs. Mary Robinson (Perdita)
Date: 1781
Location: N/A
Accession No. N/A |
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Artist: Joseph Boze (French)
Title: Portrait of the Comptesse d'Artois
Date: 1783
Location: N/A
Accession No. N/A |
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Artist: Ralph Earl (American)
Title: Portrait of a Lady
Date: 1784
Location: Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
Accession No. FASF.132539 |
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Artist: George Morland (English)
Title: Portrait of Mrs. William Ward, the artist's sister
Date: c.1785-95
Location: Victoria & Albert Museum
Accession No. DYCE.728 |
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Artist: Adélaïde Labille-Guiard (French)
Title: Portrait of a Woman
Date: 1787
Location: Musée des beaux-arts de Quimper, France
Accession No. N/A |
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Artist: Adélaïde Labille-Guiard (French)
Title:Portrait de Adélaïde de France
Date: 1787
Location: Musée national des Châteaux de Versailles et de Trianon
Accession No. N/A |
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Artist: Adélaïde Labille-Guiard (French)
Title: Victoire Louise Marie Therese de France, dite Madame Victoire
Date: 1788
Location: Musée national des Châteaux de Versailles et de Trianon
Accession No. N/A |
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Artist: Joshua Reynolds (English)
Title: Mrs. Lewis Thomas Watson (Mary Elizabeth Milles)
Date: 1789
Location: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Accession No. 1987.47.2 |
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Artist: Ralph Earl (American)
Title: Mrs. Oliver Wolcott (Laura Collins)
Date: 1789
Location: N/A
Accession No. N/A |
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Artist: George Morland (English)
Title: Fruits of Early Industry and Economy
Date: 1789
Location: Philadelphia Museum of Art
Accession No. PMA_.M1928-1-19 |
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Artist: Charles Willson Peale (American)
Title: Rachel Leeds Kerr
Date: 1790
Location: Dallas Museum of Art
Accession No. DMA_.1989.23 |
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Artist: Ralph Earl (American)
Title: Mrs. Richard Alsop
Date: 1792
Location: Smithsonian American Art Museum
Accession No. SAAM .1975.49.1 |
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Artist: Johann Eckstein (active in the U.S. 1794-1817)
Title: The Samels Family (detail)
Date: 1794-1800
Location: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Accession No. 59.194 |
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