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Dummy Board of a Girl in Costume of the William and Mary Period
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Dummy Board of a Girl in Costume of the William and Mary Period
Wooden painted screen dating from around 1689-1702. Dummy boards were usually placed in empty spaces, such as a staircase or empty fireplace, in large houses. They may have been amusement pieces, created to trick the eye into thinking the painted boards were real people. This kind of painting, known as trompe l oeil, was very popular at the time. The girl is pictured wearing fashion typical of the period including a long gown with sleeves to the elbow to show an under-sleeve of white lace and a black silk pinner (apron). Her hair is worn high with a frontage headdress. She is carrying a spaniel on one arm and holding a black mask in her other hand. These masks were sometimes worn by women when walking or riding outdoors to protect the face from sunburn. During this period it was fashionable to have pale skin
Royal Cornwall Museum is the UK's Greatest Museum For Cornish Life & Culture
TRURI : 1400.505.2
Media ID 19217078
© RIC, photographer Mike Searle
Artwork Black Brown Century Child Clothes Clothing Collection Cornwall Cream Early Gold Historic House Museum People White Wood Wooden 18th Cheeks Companion Companions Eighteenth Illusion Late Ribbons Rosy Screen Seventeenth Silent
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This print showcases a remarkable piece of art from the late 17th to early 18th century, known as a Dummy Board. The wooden painted screen, dating back to around 1689-1702, depicts a young girl dressed in the exquisite fashion of the William and Mary period. Adorned in a long gown with elbow-length sleeves revealing delicate white lace underneath and an elegant black silk pinner (apron), she epitomizes the style of her time. Her hair is elegantly styled high with a frontage headdress adding to her allure. In one arm, she cradles an adorable spaniel while holding a black mask in her other hand—a practical accessory used by women outdoors for sun protection. The Dummy Board itself was designed to deceive onlookers into believing that these painted figures were real people when placed strategically within large houses' empty spaces like staircases or fireplaces. This trompe l'oeil technique was immensely popular during this era. Every intricate detail— from the vibrant reds, browns, blacks, golds, and whites adorning her clothing to the ribbons delicately tied in bows and lace accents—is meticulously captured in this stunning artwork by Mike Searle. As we gaze upon this silent companion from centuries past preserved at Cornwall's Royal Museum Collection, we are transported back in time to appreciate not only its historical significance but also the artistic mastery behind it.
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