Doll
1875-1895 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
This French doll wears clothes reportedly made for her by a wife of Nasir al-Din Shah, the ruler of Persia from 1848 to 1896. According to the donor's family tradition, the doll was dressed in this way before being presented to Caspar Purdon Clarke as a gift for his daughter. Purdon Clarke, who later became director of the V&A, was reportedly then studying Middle Eastern art in Iran: if so, this dates the encounter to the years 1874-76. Otherwise the shah visited Europe on two later occasions, and could have encountered Purdon Clarke again at either of two International Exhibitions in Paris, in which Purdon Clarke participated: 1878 and 1889. The clothes are an interesting example of the dress worn by upper-class Iranian women in the late 19th century. They include wide-legged trousers gathered at the ankle, voluminous split skirts, and two full-skirted jackets.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Parts | This object consists of 4 parts.
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Materials and techniques | The wax doll is much damaged by heat and age |
Brief description | Wax doll dressed in Iranian costume, France and Iran, 1875-1895 |
Physical description | 19th-century French wax doll, with outfit made in Iran. |
Style | |
Credit line | Given by the late Mr Giles M. S. Tod in memory of Sir Casper Purdon-Clarke and his daughter, Gwendolyn Purdon-Clarke Tod |
Object history | Donated to the V&A by Caspar Purdon Clarke's grandson's widow. |
Production | Doll made in France, but its outfit was made in Iran. According to the donor's family tradition, the miniature clothing was made by a wife of Nasir al-Din Shah (Qajar ruler of Iran, r.1848-1896), and the dressed doll was given by the shah to Caspar Purdon Clarke, a gift for Purdon Clarke's daughter Gwendolyn. |
Summary | This French doll wears clothes reportedly made for her by a wife of Nasir al-Din Shah, the ruler of Persia from 1848 to 1896. According to the donor's family tradition, the doll was dressed in this way before being presented to Caspar Purdon Clarke as a gift for his daughter. Purdon Clarke, who later became director of the V&A, was reportedly then studying Middle Eastern art in Iran: if so, this dates the encounter to the years 1874-76. Otherwise the shah visited Europe on two later occasions, and could have encountered Purdon Clarke again at either of two International Exhibitions in Paris, in which Purdon Clarke participated: 1878 and 1889. The clothes are an interesting example of the dress worn by upper-class Iranian women in the late 19th century. They include wide-legged trousers gathered at the ankle, voluminous split skirts, and two full-skirted jackets. |
Collection | |
Accession number | ME.1:1 to 4-2002 |
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Record created | April 25, 2006 |
Record URL |
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