Ramsay & Edinburgh Fashion Exhibit opens at The Georgian House
A collection of Allan Ramsay’s portraits of women from NTS properties are brought together in 2024 for the first time. Set against the backdrop of the fashion trade, this exhibition demonstrates how vital it was for a painter to be familiar with dress styles, materials and accessories in the mid-18th century.
Fashion was a key signifier of good taste, and we move from an early 1739 portrait of a young heiress to a 1769 painting of an Edinburgh society hostess, to reveal how Ramsay used clothing to reflect a sitter’s personality.
Events
There are a number of events from June November, including our popular Wednesday evening lecture series.
Stories to be discovered include:
- The lives of dressmakers and fashion retailers in mid-18th century Edinburgh.
- How silk made its way into Edinburgh.
- The significant role Allan Ramsay’s father played in his son’s career.
- Mapping Edinburgh’s streets during Ramsay’s lifetime.
From Canvas to Silk
Don’t miss this – from June 8 – June 13th – a group of volunteers led by dress historian Rebecca Olds will be in the Drawing Room making a mid-18th century dress in silk to re-create one of Ramsay’s most vibrant renderings of Edinburgh fashion.
Come and watch, ask questions, and see how the fabrics are cut out to precisely fit the wearer without a sewing pattern.
Scan the QR code or go to www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/georgian-house to find out more.
The exhibition includes portraits from Hill of Tarvit, House of the Binns, Newhailes, Leith Hall, and House of Dun.
Also on display is a rare mid-18th century dress from Newhailes’ textile collection. And, a replica dress – made at the Georgian House in June – will allow visitors to feel the silk Ramsay captured in his portraits.
