APT COLOUR NAME
Whimsical names of colours have varied from the semi-legendary elephant's breath to the immodest violet announced for this season, comments an overseas writer. There are curious stories about some of them. One, very much in vogue between 1601 and 1604, was a dingy whitish yellow called l'lsabeau or Isabella, which must have been very embarrassing to Isabella, daughter of Philip 11, after whom it was called.
Her husband, Archduke Albert, Governor of the-Spanish Netherlands, had been given the task of conquering provinces that had not submitted to Philip. Albert was unskilful, and suffered defeats which humiliated his proud wife. Finally the General Spinola took charge of military operations, and in 1601 commenced the siege of Ostend.
Ashamed and ill tempered, Isabella vowed that she would not change her linen until after Ostend had fallen. And that did not happen for three years. In the meantime the supposed colour of her linen became fashionable.
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Bibliographic details
Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 137, 7 December 1938, Page 18
Word Count
156APT COLOUR NAME Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 137, 7 December 1938, Page 18
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