Mrs Abington in the Character of Lady Betty Modish
Mrs Abington in the Character of Lady Betty Modish
1777
Isaac Taylor
© The Trustees of the British Museum
Image location:
https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_K-57-17
Mrs Abington plays ‘Lady Betty Modish’ in The Careless Husband by Colley Cibber (1730-1807). She is shown in Act V, Scene 6, and behind her stands Lord Morelove. She turns to the audience and tells them:
‘How handsomely does he reproach me! But I can’t bear that he should think I know it’
Lady Betty Modish is a vain and proud woman, and we see Abington in an exotic and elaborate sack back, almost overwhelmed by heavy decorations (called robings), huge cuffs, lace frills and a very tall wig topped with feathers. She toys with Lord Morelove, enjoying her power over him, with the flapping frills and fluttering feathers emphasising the self-important, selfish, and vacuous nature of her character.
The fan has become a screen behind which she can address asides to the audience, drawing them into complicity with her character’s schemes. The sack was out of fashion by this point, only worn for very formal occasions and visits to the court, which adds to her pomposity.
The character’s name, Lady Betty Modish, is a satirical indicator of her character and Abington’s choice of dress adds visual emphasis to the comedy.