The beauties of the court of Charles the Second; a series of portraits, illustrating the diaries of Pepys, Evelyn, Clarendon, and other contemporary writers.

Collection History

These books, along with some extracted plates, feature in the NYPL exhibition "Decoration in the Age of Napoleon: Empire Elegance Versus Regency Refinement," Edna Barnes Salomon Gallery, September 3, 2004 - April 2, 2005. Many of these volumes come from the Astor and Lenox Library collections and from the private library of the architect Thomas Hastings, of the partnership Carrere and Hastings, responsible for the Library's landmark building on Fifth Avenue.

Background

Out of the formal Neoclassicism that pervaded late eighteenth-century European building and decoration were born two distinct movements, now known as the Empire Style and the Regency Style. The origins of these styles were deeply political and social in nature. Napoleon I, self-styled Emperor of the French, assumed the throne in 1804, and immediately launched an ambitious art and design program that lasted until the end of his reign in 1815. The Empire Style spread across Europe, particularly to those countries that fell under the rule of France. Napoleon's rival for influence on the arts was George, Prince of Wales, and Prince Regent from 1811-1820, and finally, King George IV of England. The Regency period has been variously dated, but it generally begins in 1783 and ends by 1837. Both the Empire and Regency Styles continue today as popular period revival modes.

Related Resources

NYPL. "The Empire and Regency Styles," by Paula Baxter. (2004) <http://www.nypl.org/research/chss/spe/art/artarc/empire/>

Collection Data

Names
Jameson, Mrs. (Anna), 1794-1860 (Author)
Dates / Origin
Date Issued: 1833
Place: London
Publisher: Pub. for H. Colburn by R. Bentley
Library locations
General Research Division
Shelf locator: AOO+ (Jameson, A. Beauties of the court of King Charles the Second)
Topics
Women
Great Britain -- Biography
Great Britain -- Court and courtiers
Genres
Prints
Portraits
Notes
Statement of responsibility: With memoirs, biographical and critical, by Mrs. Jameson. The portraits from copies made for Her late Royal Highness the Princess Charlotte, by Mr. Murphy.
Physical Description
Extent: Ix, 222 (i.e. 226) p. front., ports. 31 x 24 cm.
Engravings
Type of Resource
Still image
Identifiers
RLIN/OCLC: 4106466
NYPL catalog ID (B-number): b13039342
Universal Unique Identifier (UUID): 185c2dd0-c6b8-012f-444b-58d385a7bc34
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