Affectation Collection

The Macarony Dressing Room, 1772. Artist: Charles White
The Macarony Dressing Room, 1772. A satire on the affectations of the 18th-century macaroni, a sort of dandy. Illustration from Social Caricature in the Eighteenth Century

A Pretty Fellow, London Swell

The High Art Maiden (colour litho)
610784 The High Art Maiden (colour litho) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The High Art Maiden.); Look and Learn / Peter Jackson Collection

Dandyism Ruralising (gravure)
671690 Dandyism Ruralising (gravure) by Dore, Gustave (1832-83); Private Collection; (add.info.: Dandyism Ruralising. Illustration for Historical Cartoons (John Camden Hotten, c 1860)

A Promising Young Aesthetic (engraving)
2777049 A Promising Young Aesthetic (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: A Promising Young Aesthetic)

Nincompoopiana (engraving)
2777054 Nincompoopiana (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Nincompoopiana. Illustration for Punch, 20 December 1879.); Look and Learn / George Collection

Illustration for Little Mr Bouncer and His Friend Verdant Green (engraving)
3099552 Illustration for Little Mr Bouncer and His Friend Verdant Green (engraving) by Bradley, Cuthbert (1861-1943); Private Collection; (add.info)

Sketch for The Copley Family, 1776. Creator: John Singleton Copley
Sketch for The Copley Family, 1776

The Madonna embracing the sleeping Christ child, 1797. Creator: Raphael Morghen
The Madonna embracing the sleeping Christ child, 1797

Two Men Smoking, One Seated in the Others Lap, 1880s-90s. Creator: Unknown
Two Men Smoking, One Seated in the Others Lap, 1880s-90s

An eighteenth-century dandy in Ranelagh Gardens, London, 1772. A macaroni or dandy in powdered wig, lace shirt and knee-britches, with a sword, and carrying a three-cornered hat in his left hand

Taste in High Life, 1798. Artist: Samuel Phillips
Taste in High Life, 1798. A satire on affected manners. A man holds a saucer and a woman daintily holds the teacup. Another woman tickles a black servant under the chin

Adoration of the Shepherds, c1478-1480. Artist: Leonardo da Vinci
Adoration of the Shepherds, c1478-1480. From the collection of the Louvre, Paris, France

A cat in affectionate frame of mind, from The Expression and Emotions in Man and Animals, 1872
A cat in affectionate frame of mind, From Charles Darwins The Expression and Emotions in Man and Animals, London, 1872

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"Affectation: A Glimpse into the World of Artistic Pretense and Exaggeration" Step into the Macarony Dressing Room of 1772, where Charles White's brushstrokes capture the essence of affectation. Behold a Pretty Fellow, a London Swell adorned in extravagant attire, epitomizing the artifice that permeates society. In The High Art Maiden lithograph, we witness an embodiment as she poses with affected grace. Dandyism Ruralising in gravure transports us to a world where rural simplicity is adopted as an artificial fashion statement. An engraving reveals A Promising Young Aesthetic, whose exaggerated mannerisms and flamboyant style reflect his desire for attention and admiration. Meanwhile, Nincompoopiana exposes the folly behind affectation through its satirical engravings. Little Mr Bouncer and His Friend Verdant Green come alive in an illustration that mocks their pretentiousness. Similarly, John Singleton Copley's sketch portrays The Copley Family amidst their affected airs and graces. Raphael Morghen's masterpiece depicts The Madonna embracing the sleeping Christ child with tender affection untouched by any hint of affectation. In contrast, Two Men Smoking showcases an intimate moment tainted by one man seated on another's lap - a display of audacious disregard for societal norms. Travel back to 1772 when Ranelagh Gardens hosted eighteenth-century dandies indulging in their affectations while Taste in High Life captures Samuel Phillips' critical eye on aristocratic extravagance during 1798. Through these artistic expressions spanning centuries, we glimpse into humanity's inclination towards affectation - our tendency to adopt false personas or exaggerate traits for social acceptance or personal gratification. These artworks serve as reminders that beneath layers of artifice lies genuine human connection waiting to be discovered.