Little Lord Fauntleroy Suits: Unknown Boy during the Classic Period


Figure 1.--This Fauntleroy suit was done in brown with a detailing perhaps influenced by a sailor suit. In such instances just what is a Fauntlery suit becomes a bit blurred. The ruffled collar and cuffs with the small jacket certainly give it an overall Fauntleroy appearance. We believe that the portrait was painted in mid 1890s.

The boy in the portrait is unidentified and the potrait is unsigned. We know nothing about him other than he is almost ceratinly American. The portrait was sold in Virginia recently, so he may have been a southern boy. We believe that the portrait was painted in mid 1890s, based primarily on the ruffled collar and style of the suit. The portrait looks to be done by a naive, but skilled artist. He looks much more relaxed than in boys in many photographic portraits. The boy's rather elegant outfit and the fact that the boy had his portrait painted suggests that he came from an affluent family as it would have been more expensive that a photographic portrait. The fact that it was done by a naive artist suggests that the family was not wealthy. This boy's Fauntleroy suit was done in brown with a detailing perhaps influenced by a sailor suit. In such instances just what is a Fauntlery suit becomes a bit blurred. The ruffled collar and cuffs with the small jacket certainly give it an overall Fauntleroy appearance. We are not sure how common brown Fauntleroy suits were nor do we know how common pink bows were for boys. The choice of bows suggests that modern color conventions were not yet established. Note that he wore brownstockings to match his brown suit.

The Boy

The boy in the portrait is unfortunately unidentified. We know virtually nothing about him. We know nothing about him other than he is almost ceratinly American. The portrait was sold in Virginia recently, so he may have been a southern boy. I am not sure about the boy's age, perhaps 7 or 8 years old.

Chronology

We believe that the portrait was painted in mid 1890s, based primarily on the ruffled collar and style of the suit. Lace collars were quite preavlent un the 1880s. These ruffled collars become much more common in the 1890s. The sailor styling also became more common in the 1890s.

Artist

The portrait looks to be done by a naive, but skilled artist. He looks much more relaxed than in boys in many photographic portraits, but that relates to the fact that portraits could be dome more casually in the boy's home and stiff pses were not required by the demands of slow photographic emulsions. The potrait is unsigned.

Family

The boy's rather elegant outfit and the fact that the boy had his portrait painted suggests that he came from an affluent family as it would have been more expensive that a photographic portrait. The fact that it was done by a naive artist suggests that the family was not wealthy.


Figure 2.--We are not sure how common brown suits were nor do we know if pink bows were a popular choice.

The Suit

This boy's Fauntleroy suit was done in brown with a detailing perhaps influenced by a sailor suit. In such instances just what is a Fauntleroy suit becomes a bit blurred. The ruffled collar and cuffs with the small jacket certainly give it an overall Fauntleroy appearance. The small jacket shows off the ruffled blouse underneath. We are not sure how common brown Fauntleroy suits were. The kneepants appear to have a side stripe in the same color as the deatiling on the jacket. I'm not sure what the material was.

Collar

The boy wears a wide white ruffled collar withbserrated edging. It looks to have a back flap. There i no lace edging. The collar is repeate with matching wrist cuffs. It looks to be part of a blouse rather than a detachable collar.

Bow

Nor do we know how common pink bows were for boys. The choice of bows suggests that modern color conventions were not yet established. The bow is of rather moderate size, at least in 1890s terms.

Stockings

Note that he wore brown stockings to match his brown suit. Until the turn of the century, boys mostly wore Fauntleroy suits with dark long stockings.

Footwear

We can not make out the boy's shoes. He does not appear to be wearing any, but ot seems rather unusual to have a formal portrait done in stovking feet.







Christopher Wagner






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Created: November 27, 1998
Last updated: April 11, 2002