Demi Monde
In Georgian London a courtesan could be both rich and independent
Covent Garden Ladies
Although 18th century women were far from being docile and submissive, the laws were made by and in the main, for men, and consequently there were not as many career options for women then as there are today. If a woman found herself in a position of having to support herself without a partner, her prospects were very limited, and the jobs that were available usually involved working for long hours for a low wage. Consequently, the prospective earnings from prostitution were enticing indeed. Some of the most highly paid prostitutes were listed in Harris’s List of Covent Garden Ladies which was started in the 1740s, was updated annually, and became extremely popular, selling over 8,000 copies a year. It listed a number of young ladies along with their addresses and their particular talents. Early editions of the List included some of the women who went on to become high-class courtesans such as Kitty Fisher who was painted by Joshua Reynolds and reputedly ate a £50 note between two slices of bread..
**quoted from juliabrannan.com
Courtesans
effectively had a good deal of power in as far as they could influence the views of their male keepers, sometimes to an extraordinary extent, the most notable being the mistresses of the monarch. A report published in 1782 stated that the top eight courtesans spent around £3,000 a year on ordinary expenses. To put this into some sort of perspective, a skilled tradesman at the time might earn around £50 a year.
The Extravagant revelry of materials and fine hand executed artistry in textiles of the Georgian period is something I find endlessly delightful and inspiring. All of our work here is hand made with flourish and celebration of artisanal making, luxurious swathes draped silk tulles and hand dyed satins are mixed with fine antique and vintage lace and trimmed with real pearls and jewels. One off pieces from vintage stock materials have to be placement cut and stitched individually so these garments can’t be replicated in mass production ..
Paintings by Flameng and Fragonard, Photos by Phillip Volkers, Dollhouse, Joana Korelewska and Etta Bond by Jesse May Fisher
