Catwalk Disney

Throughout the Christmas Break I was able to use Pinterest to look at some ideas that related to Disney concepts. I was aware that Disney was a very difficult theme to work with and reimagine in a different concept and therefore was not 100% on the idea. I looked at alternate Disney Princesses, before looking at Disney Villains and their portrayal which I think would be an interesting interpretation through hair and make-up. I had the idea of 'Catwalk Disney'.
This was a concept made up of crossing Disney Villains with High Fashion, edgy catwalk styling, creating an editorial shoot finish. I also had a tutorial with Carolyne within the first week to discuss these ideas further. Below is my sheet from the tutorial;

We discussed the ideas of looking at pixar animations and recreating the less obvious aspects of disney corporation, such as finding nemo characters or the lion king. Animal based characters are not as commonly adapted as the human more visually relevant characters. Villains give more theoretical scope and was something to consider when choosing my brief, as was fashion designers and the influence of the catwalk. The idea of 'Beauty and the Beast' 's character being formed as a villain surrounded in hair across the face also was discussed and the alternate ideas you can create with hair. The body ideal included in my dissertations is something I could also discuss regarding the catwalk aspect of the project and the continuing theme of the female body ideal.

Upon leaving the tutorial I was able to go away and research the ideas we had discussed. Below are some Pinterest boards created around the Disney villains and character interpretations;

The images I sourced were majority of disney queens/good guys so to speak, however I found that as I delved further into the visual research I found a lot of the executions and concepts of the idea quite 'amateur' or very extravagant with a lot of budget and extreme set design/input and therefore began to agree that Disney probably was not the right path to go down for my final major project as the risk factor was too big, and it also was something that could stand out for the wrong reasons amongst my beauty editorial portfolio. 

I also found a link to a Mexican photographers project named 'Villains in Vogue' (see below images) and for me although the execution of the work is again very different to the standard I would be working to, the fact that a concept so similar to the one I had devised already existed, was enough to make me believe the idea was not the right one for the project.

https://www.behance.net/gallery/Villains-In-Vogue/7468615

https://www.behance.net/gallery/Villains-In-Vogue/7468615

Throughout my years at AUB I have never done a project solely based on a historical character/period (History and Reality exempt). Therefore looking at historical icons for influence may be a path I am now willing to go down to devise a unique idea which I am enthusiastic about.

Major Project Inspiration Board

After deciding that using Disney as a concept was going to be too risky and not a unique enough conceptual idea I began to repin images that simply inspired me for one reason or another. The images were all very wig based as this is the area I have specialised in. Below are some screenshots from the board - http://uk.pinterest.com/charleelouisehu/fmp-initial-inspiration/

 The images are comprised of a lot of alternate colour and styling, but historical reference. The fashion editorial style of the shots are very prevalent to my portfolio and enable me to identify how this fits with my own style.

 The historical images are echoed again below, with the centre image of the tall wig with kingfishers adorning it being one of my most inspiring images, this prompted me to look at the era and styling I would like to work with.

 I also investigated alternate eras below such as Egyptian era and also the 20s movements. Rococo styling also became introduced to the board, and this is a movement I would very much like to include within the project.

Scandalous females in history

After deciding against Disney and creating a moodboard to inspire a new idea, I began to look at what these images remind me of and began looking for a concept. The theme of scandalous women in history became something I wanted to research and below are some of the most popular results;
(images from http://www.xojane.com/sex/scandalous-women-in-history)

Cleopatra Queen of Egypt 

Who she is: The legendary last pharaoh of ancient Egypt known for her power, seduction, and ruthlessness. Why she's scandalous: Cleopatra knew how to use her sex appeal to get what she wanted, including having herself delivered to Caesar rolled up in a Persian carpet before becoming his mistress. She then famously became Mark Antony's lover — which ended with him taking his own life and her allegedly killing herself with a snake bite.

 Joanna Hiffernan

Who she is: An Irish model and muse from the 19th century who was known for getting involved with the artists she posed for. Why she's scandalous: It was scandalous enough at the time that Joanna was an unmarried artists' model for her boyfriend, American painter James Abbott McNeill Whistler. But the real shocker came when she started modeling for (and having an affair with) Whistler's friend, French painter Gustave Courbet. It is also strongly believed that Hiffernan is the model for Courbet's controversial "L'Origine du monde."

Lady Godiva

Who she is: An 11th century Anglo-Saxon noblewomen known for her legendary naked horseback ride. Why she's scandalous: According to legend, Lady Godiva felt bad for the people suffering from being heavily taxed by her husband. So in order to convince her husband to give the people relief from the taxes, she stripped naked and rode a horse through the town with nothing but her long hair covering herself. The term "Peeping Tom" stems from this story, as it was said one man watched Godiva through a hole in his shutters and was struck blind.

Lillie Langtry

Who is she: Langtry became the royal mistress of the Prince of Wales, Albert Edward (“Bertie,” later Edward VII), in 1877. Why she's scandalous: In July of 1879, Langtry began another affair with the Earl of Shrewsbury, which put her out of the royalty’s good graces and at the mercy of the creditors who repossessed the trappings of her aristocratic lifestyle.

Georgiana Duchess of Devonshire

Who is she: Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire (7 June 1757 – 30 March 1806), formerly Lady Georgiana Spencer, was the first wife of the 5th Duke of Devonshire and mother of the 6th Duke of Devonshire. Why she's scandalous: The Duchess of Devonshire is famous not only for her marital arrangements, her catastrophic affairs, her beauty and sense of style, and her political campaigning, but also for her love of gambling. She was reported to have died deeply in debt, even though her own family, the Spencers, and her husband's family, the Cavendishes, were immensely wealthy. 

The Duchess of Devonshire

Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire (7 June 1757 – 30 March 1806) was the first wife of William Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire, and mother of the 6th Duke of Devonshire.

Her father, John Spencer, 1st Earl Spencer, was a great-grandson of John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough. Her niece was Lady Caroline Lamb. She was the great-great-great-great-aunt of Diana, Princess of Wales.

She attained a large amount of fame in her lifetime. She became notorious for her marital arrangements, her catastrophic love affairs, and her love of gambling; she was famous for her beauty and her political campaigning; and she was a leader of fashionable style.

Lady Georgiana Spencer married the Duke of Devonshire on her seventeenth birthday, 7 June 1774 at Wimbledon Parish Church. He was one of the period's most eligible bachelors.

She had a number of miscarriages before giving birth to four children: three with her husband, and an illegitimate daughter fathered by Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey. She also raised the Duke's illegitimate daughter, Charlotte, who was conceived with a mistress.

The Duchess of Devonshire was a celebrated beauty and socialite who gathered around her a large salon of literary and political figures. She was connected to key figures of the age such as the Prince of Wales and Marie Antoinette.

She was an active political campaigner in an age when women's suffrage was still more than a century away. The Spencers and the Cavendishes were Whigs. The Duchess of Devonshire campaigned for the Whigs—particularly for a distant cousin, Charles James Fox—at a time when the King (George III) and his ministers had a direct influence over the House of Commons, principally through their power of patronage. 

The Duchess was haunted by debt all her life. Her addiction to gambling and the extravagent parties were pleasure and her bane. She borrowed heavily from her friends, and used her influence to borrow more from such people as Thomas Coutts of Coutts bank. She borrowed money on the tacit agreement that she would introduce Coutts' daughter's into society. On her death she left a note to her son to pleading that he should make sure the Duke honoured her debts which amounted to almost 20 thousand pounds.

One other scandal accompanies the Duchess. She had one known affair, with the Charles Grey later 2nd Earl Grey. Their was one child from this union, Eliza Couteney, who was brought up by the 1st Earl Grey as Charles' sister.

Information from http://www.amanda-foreman.com/new-yorker.shtml

First Impressions of the Duchess

Using Pinterest for my initial research allows me to often find visual alternatives to a topic. The film The Duchess (2008) featuring Keira Knightly was a popular result, rather than the historical impressions of Georgiana which will need to be investigated further.

Getting an impression of the styling of the era is also important to relay as I prepare my team including a stylist. I am looking to fuse The Duchess's 3 faces, love, gambling and politics in 3 different wigs and stylings with the theme of rococo, popular in the reign of Louis the VI who Georgiana famously liased with his wife Marie Antoinette.

Rococo Inspiration

Pinterest again for initial visual research is one introduced me to the movement of Rococo. Rococo although being a movement for art, furniture and clothing in the 18th century has now been transferred to all aspects of design in the twenty first century 'Rococo Return' movement. The movement similar to avant garde, looks at high fashion, historically referenced styles, which is something I would like to transfer to the characteristics of Georgiana. Below are my Pinterest boards which I found most inspiring.

 The height of the hair commonly reflects the historical contexts of the images, but within a much less intricate style. This paired with a beauty make-up is something I would be able to develop dependant on which characteristic I am focusing on at the time.

 The idea of lust and passion is one that is received well within a pink colour scheme, and an accentuated makeup on the cheek is a subtle way to include a modern colour palette without removing the historical context.

The gambling theme is to use a much more vivid colour scheme, green potentially will work for the representation on money. Using red and black is a little too familiar, and also represents danger and death in some circumstances. Roulette also was not played in the 18th century! I would like to look at creating wigs potentially with slightly less height than some of the images here that have required a cage, and make it a very beautiful, sophisticated photoshoot.

Proposal

Proposal:

Final major project will be looking at fusing the Rococo art movement with Georgiana the Duchess of Devonshire’s three characteristics. Within the 18^th century Georgiana had infamous Love affairs, died very in debt due to gambling and partying wildly and also was also one of the first females to stand for the Whigs party, prior to women’s rights movement. I will meet this brief by integrally researching the Rococo style and movement, as well as the 18^th century. To represent each characteristic colour theory and a semiotic analysis of the individual aspects of the outcome will need to be assessed fully. My outcome will include three wigs, which will demonstrate my ever-developing skills as a wigmaker. They will be of a neutral colour palette, which is something that has a niche in my portfolio, as majority of my previous work has been made up of a lot of colour. The styling of the wigs will aim to echo the historical relevance of Georgiana but will be contemporary and combine the ‘Rococo Return’ style of the twenty first century. Theoretically I am looking to create an Editorial outcome, which will be photographed and could be seen within in a fashion magazine or on a fashion database, however I also would like to also design an advertisement for a makeup collection using the images as a branding tool for an upmarket makeup company such as MAC Cosmetics. I will need to source a stylist, photographer, three models and an assistant for the shoot in April. Working alongside other students to resource the best items for the outcome is important to me and is something I will be looking to keep consistent with the standard of my last outcome. As I have not completed a historically influenced project throughout my studies the research aspect of the project will be very stimulating and should revolve around books as well as internet research, looking at fashion, referring back to wig making techniques, wig making companies, history, Georgiana, Rococo, photography, artists as well as semiotics, colour theory and I also aim to use more databases available to myself through the university. This is a project based on my ambitions after graduation making wigs but also working as a fashion based makeup artist. I would like to look at a historical concept, as mentioned it is something I have yet to do and will be a challenge for my wig making skills but can allow me to demonstrate my ability for the final time. I will be presenting my work in a blog as this format works a lot better regarding my own presentation preferences, and again the project will be live so referencing at the point of insertion will be kept as discreet as possible.

Aims:

A1     To provide you with the opportunities to exercise and enhance your knowledge and abilities in the development of a body of creative and technically competent work appropriate to your course aims and criteria at Level 6.

A2     To provide opportunities for you to learn from the increased complexity and rigour of creative production required for this unit.

A3     To encourage you to apply the advanced level of discipline and time-management which are required during the unit.

A4       To encourage you to work independently, albeit with supervision, in the development of your work, in a way which reflects contemporary professional practice.  You are also encouraged to work effectively as a team member where this is demanded by your project or subject specialism.

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of this unit you will be able to:

LO1  Demonstrate the ability to rigorously apply specialist knowledge, understanding and creativity in the production of your major project.

LO2  Demonstrate the ability to manage the complexity of practice demanded by the major project by managing your time and work efficiently.

LO3  Demonstrate ability in the coherent use of various representation techniques, documentation and presentations to specialist and non-specialist audiences.

LO4  Demonstrate your awareness of the ethical, social and cultural issues appropriate to the concept of a responsible professional practitioner, whether working independently or as part of a team

        

TRANSFERABLE SKILLS:

Managing Self

Professional Skills 

Team working         

Assessment Requirements:

Already introduced my final major project will be based on the three characteristics of Georgiana Duchess of Devonshire. The project is going to take the elements of the 18^th century styles along with the Rococo and Rococo Return art movements to create a collection of 3 wigs, potentially demonstrating further cage making and wefting skills as well as knotting. Developing a new visual reference to a historical figure is something which will challenge my conceptual thinking, and enable me to develop further my professional identity, through make-up and hair transformation. Sourcing and working alongside other courses, and managing time as well as developing contacts and networking ability is something I am also keen to develop in the major project.(LO1+2). The outcome will be in photographic format, and will be presented as final images but also will be designed to fit and represent a high end makeup advertisement. The budget for the project regarding purchasing clothing, hair as well as travel and wig lace will be set at an overall £400. This is slightly higher predominantly due to the amount of money that may be put into clothing towards the end of the project. The budget for wig making will be approximately £150 (LO3).  I will hand in 5 final images from the shoot, along with a blog documenting the development of the project and also two alternate advertising formats the images could be appropriate for. Working alone for the project is something which will improve my time management as well as my own critical awareness. (LO4)

Rococo Movement

The Rococo movement was an art movement that emerged in France and spread throughout the world in the late 17th and early 18th century. The word is a derivative of the French term rocaille, which means 'rock and shell garden ornamentation'.

It began in 1699 after the French King, Louis XIV, demanded more youthful art to be produced under his reign. It is also referred to as Late Baroque because it developed as Baroque artists moved away from symmetry to more fluid designs.

The Rococo movement addressed the most important controversy of the time – color versus drawing – and combined the two to create beautiful pieces. Artists of this period focused more on attention to detail, ornamentation and use of bright colors. The images below of the furniture and ornament style of the period echo this, in bold colours with very fine detail incorporated into the craft of the products.

http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/s/style-guide-rococo/

Rococo furniture and architecture was defined by a move away from the austere religious symmetrical designs of the Baroque. Instead, they focused on secular, more light-hearted, asymmetrical design, while continuing the Baroque penchant for decorative flair. Below is the Music room from St.James House, which is a clear representation of the rococo style and decor which was popular in the 18th century;

http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/s/style-guide-rococo/

The detailing, and gold grand carved wooden decor represents the style of the Rococo period. Often Rococo was not symmetrical, and one side would be curved slightly lower than the other, or for instance the design would be a different style one side to the other. This can be seen in this image, where on the left hand side of the fire place the Golden motifs facing each other vertically on the wall are completely different styles.

In art, light colors, curvaceous forms and graceful lines became characteristic of the Rococo movement. Canvases were adorned with cherubs and myths of love, while keeping with the jocular trend of the period, portraiture was also popular. The Rococo artists moved away from the intense dramatics of the Baroque period and became more playful in their works. Although many artists flourished during the Rococo Movement, the most renowned are François Boucher, Jeane Antoine Watteau and Jean-Honoré Fragonard.



François Boucher

http://uploads4.wikiart.org/images/francois-boucher/young-woman-with-a-bouquet-of-roses.jpg

Jeanne Antione Watteau

Avant Garde

Information from tate.org.uk

Originally a French term, meaning in English vanguard or advance guard (the part of an army that goes forward ahead of the rest): it first appeared in reference to art in France in the first half of the nineteenth century, usually credited to the influential thinker Henri de Saint-Simon, one of the forerunners of socialism. He believed in the social power of the arts and saw artists, alongside scientists and industrialists, as the leaders of a new society. In 1825 he wrote:

'We artists will serve you as an avant-garde, the power of the arts is most immediate: when we want to spread new ideas we inscribe them on marble or canvas. What a magnificent destiny for the arts is that of exercising a positive power over society, a true priestly function and of marching in the van [i.e. vanguard] of all the intellectual faculties!'

Avant-garde art can be said to begin in the 1850s with the realism of Gustave Courbet, who was strongly influenced by early socialist ideas. This was followed by the successive movements of modern art, and the term avant-garde is more or less synonymous with modern. Some avant-grade movements such as cubism for example have focused mainly on innovations of form, others such as futurism, De Stijl or surrealism have had strong social programmes. The notion of the avant-garde enshrines the idea that art should be judged primarily on the quality and originality of the artists vision and ideas.

The model for this sculpture was a ballet student at the Paris Opéra, where Degas often drew and painted. Degas first made a reddish-brown wax sculpture of her in the nude. Then, aiming for a naturalistic effect, he dressed a three-quarter life-size wax sculpture of her in clothing made of real fabrics - cream-coloured silk for the bodice, tulle and gauze for the tutu, and fabric slippers. He also gave it real hair tied with a ribbon. When the wax sculpture was first exhibited, contemporaries were shocked by the unprecedented realism of the piece. But they were also moved by the work's representation of the pain and stress of ballet training endured by a barely adolescent girl.

In carrying out this reconstruction of The Large Glass, Richard Hamilton deliberately avoided making a copy that acknowledged its fifty years of ageing and deterioration. Instead he set out to make it as it was conceived, accepting that it would similarly change to some extent with the passage of time. Rather than simply working from photographs of the completed work, Hamilton used the notes and drawings of The Green Box to closely follow Duchamp’s original process of creation. By doing this, thirteen years of work were compressed into nearly as many months. As Hamilton recalled after finishing the project, ‘mental effort was exerted only in the direction of detective work, deductions from signs marking a path to be followed – the creative anguish was erased from the trail’. When Duchamp came to London for the opening of his exhibition in 1966, he agreed to sign the reconstruction and the four glass studies produced by Hamilton, inscribing on the back ‘pour copie conforme’ (‘for a faithful replica’).

Paintings of the duchess

Georgiana was the topic of many paintings during her lifetime. She was known for her beauty and also the controversy associated with the many aspects of her life made her a desirable topic. After visiting the National Portrait Gallery in London and The National Gallery I was able to view these images related to the Duchess and analyse her styling and visuals throughout her life. She was painted in many different lights based on how she was viewed by the artist behind the canvas. This is useful in analysing the hair styles and also the ways in which georgiana dressed and was viewed in a true to period fashion.

Georgiana Cavendish (née Spencer), Duchess of Devonshire

by Francesco Bartolozzi, after Lady Diana Beauclerk (née Spencer)
hand-coloured etching and aquatint, (1779)
7 1/2 in. x 8 5/8 in. (191 mm x 220 mm) plate size; 7 3/4 in. x 8 7/8 in. (198 mm x 225 mm) paper size
Given by Sir Herbert Henry Raphael, 1st Bt, 1916
NPG D19693

http://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portraitLarge/mw80082/Georgiana-Cavendish-ne-Spencer-Duchess-of-Devonshire?LinkID=mp01280&role=sit&rNo=3

The etching above of georgiana is one of the earlier portraits of her, from 1779. She is very youthful, looking flushed and 'full of colour'. The hair is large however not as large as Marie Antoinette, Georgianas best friend at the time. Her hair is of a natural light brown/blonde colour and is also worn in a half up half down style. This is echoed throughout the images of her painted during her life.

Georgiana Cavendish (née Spencer), Duchess of Devonshire

by Francesco Bartolozzi, published by M. Lawson, after John Downman
stipple engraving, (1787)
10 1/8 in. x 7 1/2 in. (258 mm x 191 mm) plate size; 10 3/8 in. x 7 7/8 in. (263 mm x 199 mm) paper size
acquired Unknown source
NPG D35166

http://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portraitLarge/mw192166/Georgiana-Cavendish-ne-Spencer-Duchess-of-Devonshire?LinkID=mp01280&role=sit&rNo=6

The image above, again of an early Georgiana demonstrates her flushed cheeks, and feminine cheeks. Her hairstyle has progressed to a curlier style, again worn in a half up half down style. The curl is reduced from the top to a more relaxed curl at the bottom of the hair.

Georgiana Cavendish (née Spencer), Duchess of Devonshire; Georgiana Dorothy (née Cavendish), Countess of Carlisle

by and published by George Keating, sold by William Austin, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
mezzotint, published 19 May 1787 (1784)
13 7/8 in. x 16 in. (352 mm x 406 mm) plate size; 16 in. x 26 1/2 in. (406 mm x 673 mm) paper size
Purchased, 1868
NPG D35167

http://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portraitLarge/mw192167/Georgiana-Cavendish-ne-Spencer-Duchess-of-Devonshire-Georgiana-Dorothy-ne-Cavendish-Countess-of-Carlisle?LinkID=mp01280&role=sit&rNo=7

The image above is a portrait of Georgiana after giving birth to her first child Lady Georgiana Cavendish. Her hair has remained in a half up half down style, full of bounce and curl, however her face is now looking considerably older than the previous paintings of her.

Georgiana Cavendish (née Spencer), Duchess of Devonshire

by William Whiston Barney, published by Thomas Palser, after Thomas Gainsborough
mezzotint, published 20 April 1808
29 1/8 in. x 18 1/2 in. (739 mm x 470 mm) plate size; 28 1/8 in. x 17 5/8 in. (715 mm x 447 mm) paper size
Given by the daughter of compiler William Fleming MD, Mary Elizabeth Stopford, 1931
NPG D35165

http://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portraitLarge/mw192165/Georgiana-Cavendish-ne-Spencer-Duchess-of-Devonshire?LinkID=mp01280&role=sit&rNo=12

An even later portrait of the Duchess shows her face again ageing and her hair again representing the style she has adorned her whole life. The top of the hair is looking slightly sleeker, with less bounce and a more firm style, leading into the typical bouncy loose curls she wears so often.

Georgiana Cavendish (née Spencer), Duchess of Devonshire

published by Excelsior Fine Art Association, with permission of Henry Graves & Co, after Robert Graves, after Thomas Gainsborough
chromolithograph, originally published 24 February 1870 (1785-1788)
21 in. x 14 7/8 in. (534 mm x 378 mm) paper size
Given by W.M. Campbell Smyth, 1935
Reference Collection
NPG D35170

http://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw192171/Georgiana-Cavendish-ne-Spencer-Duchess-of-Devonshire?LinkID=mp01280&role=sit&rNo=15

One of the final images of the duchess Painted by Thomas Gainsborough in 1880 shows a fuller looking head of hair, with a less coloured flushed cheek. She is again a lot older in these images and her complexion is looking drained. The fuller curls have returned to the top of her hairstyle and the length of the hair has also got longer since the previous portrait of her. 

The Three Witches from Macbeth (Elizabeth Lamb, Viscountess Melbourne; Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire; Anne Seymour Damer)

by Daniel Gardner
gouache and chalk, 1775
37 in. x 31 1/8 in. ()
Accepted in lieu of tax by H.M. Government and allocated to the Gallery, 2011
Primary Collection
NPG 6903

http://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw144816/The-Three-Witches-from-Macbeth-Elizabeth-Lamb-Viscountess-Melbourne-Georgiana-Duchess-of-Devonshire-Anne-Seymour-Damer?LinkID=mp01280&role=sit&rNo=1

"This image painted within Georgianas lifetime represents her as a witch. This unusual group portrait depicts three of the most notorious women of the late 18th century. They were intimate friends sharing a common passion for Whig politics and the arts. Whereas Lady Melbourne had been friends with Anne Seymour Damer since the early 1770s, the friendship with Georgiana was fairly recent and this pastel may in part be related to Melbourne’s desire to publicize their friendship. While all three women are described as having enjoyed attending private theatricals and tableaux vivants, Gardner’s choice of the cauldron scene from Macbeth can also be related to their shared and shadowy political machinations as leading members of the Devonshire House circle. The composition has no parallel in Gardner’s oeuvre and it is assumed that either Damer or Melbourne suggested the design. " Art History News

Georgiana's traits: Politics

https://houseswithhistory.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/g-2.jpg

Research taken from: Amanda Foreman - Georgiana Duchess of Devonshire

Newspapers would often give full detail of what Georgiana wore, her every activity and of her passion for Whig politics.  Like her friend Marie Antoinette had done in France, Georgiana made fashionable in London the completely outrageous three-foot pompadours. With horse hair put beneath her own, Georgiana’s hair was so tall the only way to ride in a carriage was to sit on the floor, quite a feat given her wide skirts. Because of her close friendship with Charles Fox leader of the whig party, there were rumours that he became Georgiana’s lover, but there is no evidence of this, nor is there evidence that she was lover to the Prince of Wales, as was her friend Lady Melbourne, whose son George was said to have been fathered by the prince.Before her time, Georgiana led an arduous door-to-door campaign in the Westminster election of 1784 and is credited with helping Fox and Lord Hood gain victory.  As the opposition party, the Whigs dressed in the blue and buff colors of the American rebels and carried fox tails–a manner of dress Georgiana was only too happy to adopt. Her canvassing resulted in a flagrant political rumors and satirical cartoons that implied she exchanged sexual favors and money for votes.  Despite her mother pleading to quit politics to shield her from public ridicule, Georgiana determined that the Whig’s could not win without her notoriety. Georgiana refused to stay in her carriage, instead walked the streets and faced commoners as an equal.

Georgiana's traits: Gambling

https://houseswithhistory.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/georgianna.jpg

Information taken from: Georgiana Duchess of Devonshire by Amanda Foreman

Georgiana launched into London society regardless and due to her high rank, enormous fortune and youthful beauty, she caught the public’s imagination. A celebrated beauty, Georgiana was constantly written about in the newspapers and her sense of style was reported with great interest.  Yet her true passion was gambling.  Gambling parties were all the rage and although Georgiana was technically wealthy, her husband controlled the family finances, giving her only an allowance. When her debts exceeded the generous four-thousand pounds annually given to her by the duke, her mother never failed to admonish her for her gambling debts.  “Play at whist, commerce, backgammon, trictrac or chess,” Lady Spencer wrote, “but never at quinze, lou, brag, faro, hazard or any games of chance.” The advice went unheeded.Despite that she was married to one of the wealthiest men in the kingdom, she was constantly borrowing money from her friends, from the Prince of Wales, and would flatter the wealthy banker Thomas Coutts with her friendship in exchange for him settling some of her debts. Constantly strapped for cash, her addiction to gambling threatened to bring shame on her and when she was died at age of 48, the Duchess was deeply in debt owing in today’s equivalent of £3,720,000.  The Duchess hid her debts from her husband until after her death, where upon he remarked, and “Is that all”? 

The Duchess anonymously published an autobiographical novel titled “The Sylph”, which was a success, going into four printings. Though she never publicly acknowledging her authorship, Georgiana did admit it in private. The book was a thinly veiled autobiography about an aristocratic bride seduced into wickedness and was written during one of her many attempts at reform from gambling and her fast lifestyle in public and in private.