Gallerie des Modes 1780, a young nurse-maid in a long dress with apron and bonnet. Gotta love the child on a lease circa 1780s.

Gallerie des Modes 1780, a young nurse-maid in a long dress with apron and bonnet.

Gotta love the child on a lease circa 1780s.

Self-Portrait by Vigée-Lebrun, 1793 A gorgeous selfie by V-L, as usual - though it doesn’t look much like her! I adore the double ribbon closure around the neck of her chemise à la reine.

Self-Portrait by Vigée-Lebrun, 1793

A gorgeous selfie by V-L, as usual - though it doesn’t look much like her! I adore the double ribbon closure around the neck of her chemise à la reine.

Portrait of a Lady This lovely portrait is unsigned and and undated, but the pastel medium leads me to believe that it was created by a female artist, since pastel was an easier and typically feminine medium (and hence was more “acceptable” for women to practice); if it is by a woman, I’m not surprised that there’s no artist’s name. After all, in France’s famous Académie alone,only four women were permitted to be academicians at once - not a very encouraging time to be a female artist! As for the date, I’m far less certain since riding habits - and this one is glorious - remained relatively unchanged over the decades. If I was better at hats, I could date it from that! Oh, more and more things to learn..

Portrait of a Lady

This lovely portrait is unsigned and and undated, but the pastel medium leads me to believe that it was created by a female artist, since pastel was an easier and typically feminine medium (and hence was more “acceptable” for women to practice); if it is by a woman, I’m not surprised that there’s no artist’s name. After all, in France’s famous Académie alone,only four women were permitted to be academicians at once - not a very encouraging time to be a female artist!

As for the date, I’m far less certain since riding habits - and this one is glorious - remained relatively unchanged over the decades. If I was better at hats, I could date it from that! Oh, more and more things to learn..

Victoire Louise Marie Thérèse de France (Madame Victoire) by Adélaïde Labille-Guiard, 1788 Stunning purple! What a delicious robe à la française. I also just realized that there is a fleur de lis in the upper left corner, and I can’t tell if that is painted on or if it was somehow added by someone on the internet.. I’ve never seen a symbol like that in the corner of a portrait, but it would make sense as the fleur de lis is the symbol of the ancien régime (and Mdm Victoire is the daughter of King Louis XV)!

Victoire Louise Marie Thérèse de France (Madame Victoire) by Adélaïde Labille-Guiard, 1788

Stunning purple! What a delicious robe à la française. I also just realized that there is a fleur de lis in the upper left corner, and I can’t tell if that is painted on or if it was somehow added by someone on the internet.. I’ve never seen a symbol like that in the corner of a portrait, but it would make sense as the fleur de lis is the symbol of the ancien régime (and Mdm Victoire is the daughter of King Louis XV)!

Marie-Antoinette by Vigée-Lebrun (of course), 1788 Le reine de mode! J’adore le bordure de fourrure.

Marie-Antoinette by Vigée-Lebrun (of course), 1788

Le reine de mode! J’adore le bordure de fourrure.

Gallerie des Modes Pierrot, 1787 Eighteenth century clothes while cuddling a cat? With a peppy dog at her feet? This is basically me.

Gallerie des Modes Pierrot, 1787

Eighteenth century clothes while cuddling a cat? With a peppy dog at her feet? This is basically me.

Antoine-Laurent Lavoisier and His Wife (Marie-Anne-Pierrette Paulze) by Jacques-Louis David, 1788 This is a flawless chemise dress - even if it was painted by David… 

Antoine-Laurent Lavoisier and His Wife (Marie-Anne-Pierrette Paulze) by Jacques-Louis David, 1788

This is a flawless chemise dress - even if it was painted by David… 

Portrait of a Lady with a Book, Next to a River Source, by Antoine Vestier, 1785 I just can’t resist the sheer stripey silk goodness of her gown. Brilliant.

Portrait of a Lady with a Book, Next to a River Source, by Antoine Vestier, 1785

I just can’t resist the sheer stripey silk goodness of her gown. Brilliant.

Louise Augusta, Princess of Denmark, by Jens Juel, 1784 A favorite because the colors and fabrics of her gown are just like candy.

Louise Augusta, Princess of Denmark, by Jens Juel, 1784

A favorite because the colors and fabrics of her gown are just like candy.

I’ll be celebrating finishing two hours of nonstop essay writing (aka my grueling art history midterm) by posting and queuing eighteenth century portraiture (and perhaps some fashion plates and extants)!

Because, as strange as it seems, agonizing over the 18th century makes me want to post 18th century. Go figure.


← 4/216 →