Beribboned Caps in the 18th Century

Last updated: Jan 5, 2024

There are thousands of examples of this in 18th century portraiture, so this list just provides a general survey to suggest ideas for cap ornamentation.

Many of these involve simple silk ribbon bows adorning caps, which sometimes coordinate with bows worn on the front of a gown. Ribbons often appear as decorations on straw hats.

• Portrait of a lady, c. 1725-1760
• Before by William Hogarth, 1730-1731
• Frederick, Prince of Wales, and his sisters by Philippe Mercier, 1733; also Frederick and his sisters making music at Kew
• Woman taking tea by Chardin, 1735
• The young schoolmistress by Chardin, c. 1735-1736; also The little schoolmistress, after 1740
• The hard-working mother by Chardin, 1740
• A Game of Quadrille by Hubert-François Gravelot, c. 1740
• Interior with a wool-winding girl by Louis Aubert, 1746
• A girl holding a cat by Philippe Mercier, c. 1750
• Meriel Legh and Dorothea Byrne, c. 1750
• A lady seated in a park by Paul Sandby, c. 1751
• An old lady playing cards by Paul Sandby, c. 1755
• The wool winder by Jean-Baptiste Greuze, c. 1759
• Young Knitter Asleep by Jean-Baptiste Greuze, c. 1759
• Portrait of an old lady, c. 1750-1790
• The Press Gang by John Collet
• Dr Oliver and Mr Peirce, the First Physician and Surgeon Examining Patients Afflicted with Paralysis, Rheumatism and Leprosy by William Hoare, 1761
• Anne Hogarth by William Hogarth
• Mrs. James Warren (Mercy Otis) by John Singleton Copley, c. 1763
• A girl reading by Paul Sandby, c. 1760-1770
• A girl and boy, standing by Paul Sandby, c. 1760-1780
• A girl in a landscape by Paul Sandby, c. 1760-1780
• A group of figures, reading by Paul Sandby, c. 1760-1780
• A young woman in rustic dress, c. 1760-1783
• A laundry maid ironing by Henry Robert Morland, c. 1765-1782
• A lady’s maid soaping linen by Henry Robert Morland, c. 1765-1782
• Anne Catharine Hoof Green by Charles Willson Peale, 1769
• High life below stairs, 1770
• Mrs. Levi Willard (Catherine Chandler) by Winthrop Chandler, c. 1770-1775
• A maid pouring soup by Pehr Hilleström, 1770s
• The Peale Family by Charles Willson Peale, c. 1771-1773
• Mrs. John Winthrop by John Singleton Copley, 1773
• Portrait of a woman by Charles Willson Peale, c. 1775
• Madame Chardin by Chardin, 1776
• Plucking the turkey by Henry Walton, 1776
• The Twelve Months: March, c. 1781
• Girl shelling peas, 1787