Lady Lemon (1747–1823)
mid- to late 1780s
Look at that hair! In the 1780s, the higher the powdered wig, the closer to fashion heaven. George Romney, a rival to Joshua Reynolds, captured Lady Lemon here in a look that was actually quite rebellious for its time. She’s wearing a white muslin 'chemise' dress with blue ribbons, a style inspired by Marie Antoinette that critics initially hated because it looked like underwear. This simple, flowing garment was an early nod to Neoclassicism, rejecting heavy silks for something more 'natural' and Greek-inspired. Romney was the ultimate celebrity portraitist of his day, famously painting his muse Emma Hamilton over 60 times, and here he gives Lady Lemon that same soft, dreamy glow.
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