Sibling Ref: Antoinette & Joseph

In someways, Joseph was not very smooth, such as voicing his opinion on sensitive subjects.  On the matter of his little sister, Marie Antoinette, he held a variety of opinions. He had an opinion on her marriage, her behavior, her country, the state of her courts affairs, and Versailles etiquette.  Sometimes his opinions were shared with the wrong audiences because he did not always make the best judgment in who he was telling.

One instance that provoked Joseph to make a comment rich enough to make its way to this blog today occurred while visiting his sister at Versailles. Antoinette made plans for her brother to meet her in Paris, at the Italian opera.  Fun!

She wrote to him detailing the plan.  When the day came Joseph made his way there to meet up with her.  Unfortunatly, in a very last minute decision, for whatever reason, she decided to have him meet her at the French Opera instead!


As he was already at the Italian Opera, she had a messenger sent to there to let him know plans have changed and direct him where to go. Upon receiving the message, and surely he was quite befuddled (I mean to say, obviously annoyed) over the very last minute switch, he noted out-loud, “Your young Queen is very thoughtless, but, fortunately you French do not mind that.” Fair enough?

About Him: Duc d'Orléans

"It is there seen, that incest was a mere sport to him. In fact, if his love for the Abbess de Chelles, his daughter, is not thoroughly confirmed, it is difficult to deny his having been smitten with the charms of the Dutchess of Berri, whose hands, which were the most beautiful that a woman can possibly have, had particularly enchanted him.

He deplored her death rather as a lover in despair than as an afflicted father."

Mouffle d'Angerville, Vie privée de Louis XV.

Acknowledge Her: Act I

Marie Antoinette was less than impressed with Madame du Barry when she learned that not only was her position at court bought, but her appointment was made to become the king's favorite.  While this was all very well for Louis XV the young archduchess, now dauphine, was repelled.  Her new aunts (Louis XV's daughters) encouraged the catty talk and gossiped over Du Barry with Antoinette.  Creating alliances, and upholding her virtues, she felt she was not in the wrong for ignoring the woman.

Her mother and the Comte de Mercy both held a more worldly view on the situation at Versailles, and Maria Theresa did not hesitate to address the situation.  Mercy, who acted between the two, tried to explain this bigger picture letting the young girl know that  "if the alliance, her mother's life-work, were now to be broken, the blame would lie at her door."

After these concerned discussions, Marie Antoinette knew she needed to make this extension of peace, if you will, and agreed to acknowledge Du Barry in public.  She would not compromise her virtues but understood she had responsibilities as dauphine.  The plan for this exciting moment was very well correographed, as was everything at Versailles!

The Comte de Mercy would pull Mdm du Barry aside after a card party and begin a small conversation.  While this was going on, Antoinette would start to take a turn about the hall, saying her thank-yous and good-nights to those in attendance.  Then as she happened upon the conversing couple, she could wish Mercy goodnight, and acknowledge Du Barry all at once.  Very natural, and of course well planned.

Set scene! After the card party, Mercy was able to pull Du Barry aside, and Antoinette began going around the room.  Apparently her conversations with some guest were a bit extended, and this could have been due to anxiety.  But she genuinely wanted to speak to this lady and fulfill her duty to the king.

Right before she reached the two, her husband's aunt, Madame Adelaide hurriedly walked up to her, and in a very straightforward abrupt way told the dauphine that they (her and Adelaide) must go await for the king in Victoire's room (Adelaide's sister).  The instructions were so sudden, and from Adelaide - the king's oldest daughter - that she practically blanked and agreed to be hurried off.  Unfortunately she was so close to reaching Du Barry, it was viewed as her purposefully slighting her, making things more uncomfortable than before!

The Fashionable Male: A Green Suit

Pompeo Girolamo Batoni.  Portrait of a Man in a Green Suit, oil on canvas. Dallas Museum of Art. 

Today's fashionable male is actually an unknown subject, however he knew his style.  Offsetting his fair complexion and blue eyes, Monsieur Unknown has opted for a green suit of velvet lined with a matching satin.  The jacket is lined with gold trim and numerous gold buttons.  Exaggerated buttons (size and number) were  a trend in the later 18th century.  There were even caricatures made emphasizing the ridiculous nature of large, flashy, (unsightly?) buttons! 

His waistcoat matches the jacket, and also boasts buttons and contrasting gold details.  The pockets are highlighted and (surprise) even more buttons can be found below them. So maybe the tailor went a bit overboard on the buttons...  

Another popular trend of the period was the muslin stock worn around the neck, light weight and cool. The lace on his sleeves tells us the shirt is a dress shirt, and the rich fabric of the coat also lets us know he is going somewhere important! A narrow ruff on his shirt; he certainly works the delicate fabric. In-fact the lace is a nice contrast to the hardware on that coat!

For your château? Meissen Vase

Meissen Factory. Vase, 1750. porcelain with ormolu mounts. Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.

This lovely porcelain vase was made at the Meissen Factory around 1750.  When the item was made the factory had been illustrious for 4 decades, and their pieces were de rigeur for the first part of the century.  This vase features two exagerated handles on each side decorated with gilt vines and flowers.  This motif is mimicked on the base of the vase.  The dynamic flow of the base is very organic and implies the body of the vase is floating or balancing, quite gracefully, upon the growth (roots). 

The body of the vase is also organic in shape and covered in very small and well detailed blooms.  The texture is apparent and the blooms frame a miniature of a couple strolling through a pleasure garden.  The nature of this piece, with all it's floral motifs and organic bulbus shapes may just be found within an exotic pleausre garden. 

But what about your chateau? Perhaps it would sit upon the wooden end table in your living room? Or on your night stand in your private apartments? What do you say?

Intuitive Style: Princess Elizabeth

Robert Peake the Elder, Princess Elizabeth. c. 1606, Oil on canvas. Metropolitan Museum of Art.

In this portrait of Princess Elizabeth by Robert Peake, you might notice a rather impressive poof.  Truly before her time style-wise, the young princess has her hair piled high and offsets it with pearls, rubies and emeralds.  Lovely!

With killer eyes and a nice sense of style Elizabeth would become the Queen of Bohemia, but only for a short period. She and her husband were quickly exiled and became royal refugees.  Their residence of choice was The Hague and she remained in Holland for the rest of her life, aside from travel!

Lecture: Music and Theatre in Watteau's Paris

"Antoine Watteau's art would be unthinkable without the culture of the Parisian musical theater from which it sprang."

-Cowart

Have you ever been to a lecture at the Metropolitan Museum of Art?  If not, here is a 'chance'!

I have posted below the lecture given by Professor Georgia Cowart, on Watteau in reference to the recent exhibition Watteau, Music and Theater.  If you have 50 minutes to spare it is well worth it.  I know it sounds like a long time, but it will pass quickly!

She briefly covers his early background, when he lived with Crozat (a major patron of arts), as well as the works he was producing at that time.  Watteau was often in the company of musicians and he was no stranger to the opera!  She really makes it easy to imagine Watteau's Paris, particularity the changing realm of opera and it's influence on society.  Her slide show of works in the exhibition highlight all the little details and ways Watteau found himself influenced by both the theater and, of course, music!

The second half discusses theater, with a focus on the Comédie-Italienne and Comédie-Française.  You will learn about characters such as Pierrot (above) Harlequin and even his fetching female counterpart: Harlequina.  This is well worth the watch whether or not you were able to view the exhibition.

The Fashionable Male: Italian or French?

1) This suit boasts a a herringbone-pattern which stands out in cream, pink and brown against a soft aqua.  It is silk with metallic details.  The buttons are overlaid with pink foil so they pop against the silk catching light. Flashy.

2) This suit, possibly a court suit, is made of blue silk. It includes geometric patterns, organic and floral shapes with "satin stitch and embroidery."  It is delicate yet bold, and seems to shout "I am refined."


3) This suit is made of navy blue velvet and has gold lace and embroidered details.  Floral and ribbon motifs decorate the vest with silver foil buttons, and the breeches also of velvet are tapered to highlight the legs. This suit is regal and clearly very expensive.

A little style to start the weekend!
Here is an interesting comparison.  What do you think of them?  Do you prefer one to the other?
Can you tell which are Italian and which are French?

Art du Jour! Minerva

Minerva \Mi*ner"va:
Oh hurrah! Roman mythology! Introducing Minerva, goddess of wisdom. Goddess of war.  Goddess of arts, sciences and poetry, spinning, weaving &c.  Here we have her in 18th century glory, depicted in action, beauty and stone.  What image of Minerva suits you the most? Suits her?

Jacques-Louis David,  Battle between Minerva and Mars. 1771, oil on canvas. Musée du Louvre.

Jean-Marc Nattier, Mademoiselle de Lambesc as Minerva, Arming Her Brother, the Comte de Brionne, and Directing Him to the Arts of War. 1732, oil on canvas. Musée du Louvre.

Jean Honore Fragonard, The Goddess Minerva. 1772, oil on canvas. The Detroit Institute of Arts.

Anne Vallayer-Coster, Still-Life with Military Trophies and Bust of Minerva. 1777, oil on canvas. Private.

Greuze: History Painting

Jean-Baptiste Greuze, Severus and Caracalla. 1769, Oil on canvas. Musée du Louvre.

Jean Baptiste Greuze, desiring admission to the Académie Royale, submitted a work of art to be considered for acceptance.  On August 23, 1769 the Académie received him, but not on the conditions he hoped for.  He was accepted, but as a "genre painter." The piece he submitted was a history painting of Emperor Severus accusing his son, Caracalla, for wanting to assassinate him.  History painting was a classic route to take but it just did not work out for Greuze.  The rejection left him humiliated for quite some time.

Caracalla was born in an area which today is Lyon, France.  His father was the Roman Emperor Septimius Severus.  Caracalla and his brother Geta did not get along well, and their father tried to soothe family tensions by having everyone under one roof, under his watchful eye. Good idea?  

Severus raised Caracalla's rank above his brother's, so that he would be next in line for Emperor.  When the three went on a campaign in Britain the emperor fell ill.  Caracalla picked up the slack for his father.  It is said that he would just as well have seen his father dead so that he could be emperor. ..makes sense so far!  Rumor has it that Caracalla actually tried to murder his father while on campaign.  If he were so bold to attempt it, he did it unsuccessfully.

Severus decided to raise Geta's rank as well, with a plan that the two could co-rule.  After his death both brothers disregarded his advice, and their rivalry continued.  Back at the Palace, they split things up in half, one half for Caracalla and one for Geta, even with separate entryways!  One day Caracalla summoned his brother to call a truce.  Caught off his guard, the unsuspecting brother was murdered and Caracella became emperor.

Greuze chose to depict a moment when the ill emperor calls out his son. Wrapped in cloth and mimicing Michelangelo's God (sistene chapel), the man is able to gather strength to sit up and physically and verbally direct his claim against Caracalla. Clearly the boy has not kept his feelings private. It is an intense moment between father and son, and Caracalla, who should be stunned turns around with a look more of annoyance than anything.

Time himself, that perverse and obstinate Destroyer

Giovanni Battista Piranesi – where to start! He began his career in architecture with a typical apprenticeship under his uncle (family thing!), eventually landing him a position as a draftsman in Rome, with the papal court.  His position at court was satisfactory, as could be expected, already talented in drawing, he continued to improve his skills which would lead him to success as an artist in 18th century Rome.

Drawing scenes of the ruins and buildings of Rome was only useful if one could actually sell the work and make a profit. It did not take him long to realize members of the court were not looking for images of the ruins to adorn their studies.  They could look out the window for that!   However, just outside, riding in posh carriages were rich men, young and old, taking the Grand Tour. Who better to sell works of art to? And as a bonus: they were willing to spend.

Paintings and drawings were desired but prints were ideal.  They could easily be reproduced, and therefore you could make a larger profit on a single work or view.  They were also affordable to purchase. The demand was for vedute, or views.  Like a modern day postcard, those on the Grand Tour would purchase the artworks to take home.  They were a reminder of the amazing sights from the trip!

When he was 27 he opened a studio in Rome.  It was typical for artists to depict ruins as background elements, decorative and pictorial, adding a classic and beautiful tone to a scene.  Piranesi portrayed his ruins slightly different. By bringing the ruins to the foreground of an image and portraying the worn, crumbling surfaces he was able to depict time in the form of nature overtaking architecture.

Upon the ruins, vines and leaves would sprout, grass and moss would grow. Here is a great example. In some cases this vegetation would completely cover sections of a ruin. The effects of wind and precipitation were made apparent as well, and the man-made object would, in turn, return to nature.  Surfaces deteriorate and this was impressive detail he skillfully captured in his prints.

Piranesi’s artwork stood apart from his peers. He did not create compositions based on a central vanishing point as was traditional; the result was a much more dynamic composition with more depth. He also took advantage of contrast to further imply the illusion of depth, space and detail.

We may sink into melancholy when looking at ruins, some of us may just see them as a reminder of the past or even of our own mortality.  For others it may bring pleasure - as a place so far removed from our everyday lives.

A Worthwhile Cause: Recent Historical Discoveries

This week I am going to call it Rome week, and I mean this in a very general way.  Any posts that go up this week will relate to Rome and the 18th century; I hope you will enjoy them!  The inspiration for Rome Week here, lay in a little town called Colchester which you may or may not know!

In brief, the only known Roman circus in the UK has recently been discovered in the town of Colchester.  The town was originally named Camulodunum by the Romans, and they have it as the oldest recorded town in England.  Queen Boudicca (Bodicea)  had a rebellion there, destroying the (at the time) Roman capital in Britain!

So what is a Roman circus? A Roman circus was a large open-air venue used for public events in the ancient Roman Empire such as chariot racing.

The plan is to turn the circus "into a major feature of Britain's first Roman town." Love it!

The Colchester Archaeological Trust is in need of donations for the purchase of a building over the site to secure it.* The area is currently for sale and private buyers would develop the land.  The above image shows where the circus lays, and details of the starting gates.

The Trust intends to create "a free public facility with informative displays, a cafe, and a well laid-out and attractive garden featuring the remains of the eight starting gates of the circus."


This is an issue very near and dear to Heather and I.  If you would like to contribute a small donation towards the effort you can here! All donations to support the Roman circus go straight to The Colchester Archaeological Trust with no fees taken.  A dollar/pound would do, as every little bit helps.  I hope to visit Britian's Roman circus one day!

If anyone is interested and would like to learn more click here! 
*current status: £200,000 needed. £9,000 to go before 28 Februrary 2010.  (2/22/10)

For your château? Andiron

Pierre Gouthière.  Andiron, c. 1770/80.  Gilt bronze.  The Detroit Institute of Arts.

Here are a pair of andiron, made in France by Pierre Gouthière, when the new monarchs took the throne.  Gouthière worked in Paris and received many commissions from Marie Antoinette, he was simply one of the best! The term andiron originated in the thirteenth century and now we also refer to them as firedogs.  They are metal stands which are placed in a fireplace to hold logs. 

Elegant in style, this pair was designed with architecture in mind.  It would sit in the fireplace as we see it here. The logs lay across supports behind the gold banister, as if to represent keeping the fire within.  I particularly enjoy the exaggerated and billowy flames bursting from the two vessels on either end. But how about you? Would you use these in your fireplace?

Arrivée de l'archiduchesse: Preparations

An account of preparations for Marie Antoinette's arrive onto French soil, in a prepared pavilion made of wood, and richly decorated. You may recall Sophia Coppola's vision of the ceremony which occurred there, posted below.


"The Crown Upholsterer is here; he brought furniture and tapestry from the Garde-Meuble, and is being assisted by the most expert workmen in the town. Cardinal de Rohan lends his own carpets to decorate the two ante rooms, French and Austrian. The Lutheran University lends a daïs,* and a state-chair, in crimson and gold; the Grand-Chapter a velvet carpet in the same colour; the Prince de Lorraine a cover for the principal table; other wealthy residents send tabourets et banquettes. It is hoped that all will be ready towards the end of April. Meanwhile the pavilion de remise becomes the aim and object of sightseers."

Comtesse d'Armaillé, Marie Thérèse et Marie Antoinette.

The arrival scene by Sophia Coppola, Marie Antoinette, 2006.

*A daïs is a raised platform.

Family Tree: Meet Marie's Brother Joseph

On January 12, 1740, the Empress Maria Theresa gave birth to her third daughter, Maria Carolina, but sadly the child only survived a year and thirteen days.  Three months after the death of the little archduchess the empress delivered a baby boy, Joseph. As the oldest son he was destined to rule, an idea he grew up to love, not dissimilar to his mother.  Like his mother also, he seemed to inherit her gumption.

The education Maria Theresa provided for her children was based on learning by repetition.  While this method is tolorable for some children, for Joseph it was insufferable. He had a rather short attention span which did not help. His mother often tried to please him, praise him and develop his talents.  Personality wise, the boy grew up very confident in his own thoughts and ideas, and has been described as an egotist.  Maria Theresa found it very difficult to get along with her son who shared her own self-willed and stubbornness.

Pride and haughtiness were descriptions given to the little archduke at the tender age of six! By nine Maria Theresa had the soldier, Count Charles Batthyany, working with her son with the hopes of setting him straight.  He back-talked, would ignore those under him and liked to argue.

At nineteen he fell in love, and a marriage was quickly arranged.  Maria Theresa had wished for her son to marry a Bourbon to help tie France and Austria together (sound familiar?).  The Bourbon in question was Isabella of Parma. Her mother was Louise Elisabeth of France, the beloved daughter of Louis XV.  The plan started to deteriorate when Louise Elisabeth passed away at just 32.  It could have fallen through completely but Joseph already saw a portrait of the young lady in question and had to have her.

His mother spent plenty of money on the wedding festivities in Vienna, even if the means were not readily available.  He adored her and they celebrated the birth of a daughter.  While the young wife was pregnant with their second child she fell victim to the smallpox.  Sadly neither wife nor child survived.  Her father received a tender letter from the devastated Joseph, which read, "I have lost everything.  My adored wife, the object of all my tenderness, my only friend is gone...Agonised and beaten down, I hardly know if I am still alive."

He would marry Princess Maria Josepha of Bavaria six years only later to become a widower again in two.  His brief marriage to her was his last. In 1780 when his mother passed away he was left in charge as emperor.  He had always focused on making reforms which he believed were entirely correct and always 'new'. He was not always praised for his personality or his reforms, and many did not prove as monumental as he had hoped.  Anyway we could go on about Joseph but that will be for later!