18th Century Milliners
Last updated: Feb 25, 2024
This page focuses on illustrations of milliners, who tend to be depicted either in their shops, on the way to see clients, or showing their wares in clients’ homes. Newspaper advertisements, trade cards, and other records provide useful details as to what sorts of wares an 18th century milliner would have sold.
Millinery shop interiors
- The Rival Milleners, 1772
- A Milliners Shop: Mrs Monopolize, the Butchers Wife, purchasing a Modern Head Dress, 1772 The Unwelcome Customer, 1772
- The Pretty Milleners, 1781
- A Morning Ramble, or — The Milliners Shop, 1782
- A Milliner’s Shop, 1787
- The Man Milliner, 1793
- High-change in Bond Street, ou la politesse du grand monde, 1796
Milliners en route
Typically, milliners carry their wares in a rectangular box with an arched top, although other shapes also appear (such as large disc-shaped boxes ideal for wide hats).
- A Rake’s Progress: The Arrest by William Hogarth, 1733
- Lord W— G— habited as a Milliner, 1769
- The Charming Millener of ___ Street, 1771
- Galerie des Modes, 7e Cahier, 5e Figure, “Drawing of a character, representing the marchande de mode, who carries her merchandise in the city,” 1778
- An English Man of War, taking a French Privateer, 1781
- A Man Millener, 1787
- A March to the Bank, 1787
- A Man Millener, 1787
- Obediah tempting the Pretty Milliner, 1788
- Old Q-uiz the old Goat of Piccadilly, 1796
Milliners in clients’ homes
Milliners often visit their customers at their dressing tables.
- The Milliner by François Boucher, 1746
- Les Marchandes de modes by Jean-Baptiste Mallet, 1780
- The Modern Harlot’s Progress, or Adventures of Harriet Heedless: Harriet being discarded for her infidelity, takes lodgings, turns common, is attended by rakes and gamesters, and furnished by the millener, with dresses to continue her prostitution, 1780
- Dressing for a Birthday, 1790
- A Lady putting on her Cap, 1795