@vikkijennerhistory: Ellen Terry: Power, Passion and a Thousand Wings 🪲🪲🪲🪲🪲 Ellen Terry wasn’t just an acting legend… she was a visual spectacle. In December 1888 she stunned audiences as Lady Macbeth at London’s Lyceum Theatre, wearing her now iconic emerald green beetle wing dress, designed by Alice Comyns Carr and crocheted by Ada Nettleship. The gown was more than just beautiful. It was intentional theatre. With around 1,000 jewel beetle wing cases shimmering like serpent scales, the dress caught the gaslight and candlelight, creating an almost supernatural effect as she moved across the stage, perfect for Shakespeare’s most chilling queen. This masterpiece was so unforgettable it was immortalised in John Singer Sargent’s famous 1889 portrait, where Ellen strikes her dramatic power pose as Lady Macbeth, crown in hand and eyes ablaze. But why were the Victorians so fascinated with stitching dead beetles into their clothes? In the 19th century beetle elytra embroidery became a fashionable craze: exotic, iridescent, and a little macabre. Thousands of wings from metallic green jewel beetles were imported from India and painstakingly sewn onto gowns to create dazzling patterns. It spoke to the era’s fascination with nature, exoticism, and a touch of drama — just like Ellen herself. And just like Lady Macbeth, Ellen understood how to command desire. She was known for her many lovers, as bold in love as she was on stage. Have you ever seen a dress like this up close? #EllenTerry #BeetleWingDress #LadyMacbeth #VictorianFashion #TheatreRoyalty #HistoricCostume #Biomimicry #FashionHistory #SmallhythePlace #NationalTrust

Vikki Jenner, Art Historian
Vikki Jenner, Art Historian
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Friday 18 July 2025 19:28:34 GMT
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l.e.o.s.tt
Leonora-Valentina :
Cruella is That u?
2025-07-20 20:34:57
690
gganbucat
GGANBU CAT :
1600 years ago, National treasures discovered in Korea, there's a horse saddle made with jewel beetle. These were primarily used as a background color among gold ornaments. While there might be similar subspecies, it's astonishing that this technique was also used on the opposite side of the continent. Currently, the jewel beetle is an endangered species.😳
2025-07-24 02:24:43
20
bleh916
Bleh :
Well now I’m wondering if any of our girlies used em as press on nails
2025-07-18 21:21:29
6643
priyahninhnin
பிரியா :
That’s beautiful but so cruel that so many lives have to die for 1 dress is unfair and sometimes I think human are the most evil creatures in the world
2025-07-24 05:31:03
28
kiktokkk
KikTok :
how are they attached
2025-07-19 17:17:21
1
pfifferling25
Pfifferling :
This with the sad you know you know where you are with song for the beetles and birds that went extinct for fashion that no one remembers.
2025-07-18 21:56:57
209
millie_and_skip
Millie and Skippy 🐶 🐕 :
Poor beetles
2025-07-20 10:06:26
21
myriamkassoui
Myriam K :
I wonder if this is where they got the inspiration for that scene in Cruela !
2025-07-19 08:47:20
73
polar_hill
Polar Hill :
wood is probably one of the rarest material in the universe, and these jeweled bettles are probably more rare
2025-07-25 20:09:35
2
charlchewiedog
Charl 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 :
Errm where did those beetles originally come from ?
2025-07-19 10:47:22
4
punkianna
Punkianna :
Thought those were stick on nails 🤣
2025-07-19 19:48:58
28
imafreakingcat88
imaCat :
So, they gone now?
2025-07-18 21:05:13
1
spellblooms
spellbloom :
where can this be viewed??
2025-07-18 19:56:15
22
emmyroma8553
E :
Question. Did you apply anything that can seal and protect them? As the dress can be damaged while sitting or anything as they’re dried. But I believe as for your work you did consider and secured them
2025-07-24 00:57:22
0
appeal.not.approved
Appeal Not Approved :
i feel sad for the 1k bees 🙏🥺
2025-07-26 11:10:05
3
iraconda
Iraconda :
There’s also an entire huge building ceiling covered with this wings, it’s in Bruxelles
2025-07-18 22:01:05
52
djora99404
djora :
poor beetles😭
2025-07-24 16:34:19
9
2006dirtbag
2006dirtbag :
The beetles are already dead when they harvest the wings.
2025-07-19 14:37:06
17
nsb_nsb02
N.B 🦋🦋🦋 :
Humans 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄
2025-07-26 18:47:44
2
thelionofkyba
The Lion Of Kyba :
Ok so Cruella De Ville gets a pass because she chose bugs instead of dogs? Not on my watch!
2025-07-24 13:11:23
5
09391406590user
0939150480user :
That one cruella dress
2025-07-24 10:31:15
8
alexa_danci_
alexa_danci_ :
Must have inspired Merida’s mothers outfit Queen Eleanor in Brave
2025-07-21 16:15:25
3
mochi.ni_ki
chronicolelyonline :
are we supposed to be proud or not?😭
2025-07-24 04:37:00
3
user11723516652736
seedlessgrapes :
I've never seen anything as beautiful
2025-07-21 07:56:17
4
residentbritonguenyo
nil caguimbal :
Rita Skeeter would not think of sneaking again if she sees this
2025-07-24 16:53:03
1
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