Evening Dress Gallery

Woman in strapless ballgown, c1952. Creator: Shirley Markham

Woman in strapless ballgown, c1952. Fashion illustration. Shirley Markham (1931-1999) studied Graphic Design and Illustration at Central School of Art in London from 1950-1952. The writer, artist, poet, and illustrator Mervyn Peake (1911-1968) was one of her tutors, and her style of drawing was also influenced by other British illustrators such as Edward Ardizzone, Quentin Blake and Edward Bawden. Markham spent time in the Dolomite Mountains in Italy, and also visited Rome, sketching classical buildings. After graduating from Central, she worked as a graphic designer, producing book illustrations, cartoons for comics, menus and programmes. She gave up her promising career however when she got married in 1957. Middle-class women at that time were expected to devote their energies to bringing up children and running the home, and despite her obvious talent, she lacked the confidence to return to illustration. Her portfolio remained in the family attic for many years, but now her work is published here for the first time

© Shirley Markham Collection / Heritage-Images

Madame X (Madame Pierre Gautreau), 1883-84, (oil on canvas)

1127610 Madame X (Madame Pierre Gautreau), 1883-84, (oil on canvas) by Sargent, John Singer (1856-1925); 207x110 cm; Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA; (add.info.: Sargent's portrait of Madame Pierre Gautreau (Louisiana-born Virginie AmA©lie Avegno 1859-1915) caused a scandal in Paris at the 1884 Salon when it was first shown with an off the shoulder dress dress strap.); American, out of copyright

© Bridgeman Images

A group of ladies and gentlemen in evening dress listening to a speaker

991075 A group of ladies and gentlemen in evening dress listening to a speaker, standing in a Bugatti Red Bug, (pencil and gouache) by Deutsch-Dryden, Ernst (1887-1938); 24.4x39 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: A group of ladies and gentlemen in evening dress listening to a speaker, standing in a Bugatti Red Bug'. Ernst Deutsch-Dryden (c.1883/7-1938). Pencil and gouache. 24.4 x 39cm.); Photo A© Christie's Images; Austrian, out of copyright

© © Christie's Images / Bridgeman Images