Galerie des Modes, 46e Cahier, 1ere Figure

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The beauty, engaged by the touching discourse and tender felicitations of an amiable and still more affected Seducer, seeing a casket full of jewels which he presents to her, is ready to surrender herself; her heart wavers between love, interest, and virtue: she is coiffed in a chapeau à la Henri IV, and dressed in a robe à la Marguerite.* (1785)

As one has observed in many plates of the Galerie des Modes, from the advent of the reign of Louis XVI the fashions of the time of Henri IV strove to come back into favor; the movement corresponded to a general sympathy for the good king, that one found confirmed in a thousand ways, especially in the theatre.  In 1774, at the same time as The Hunting Party of Henri IV, The Battle of Ivry was shown.  "This is," wrote Grimm, "the adoration which inspires the sole name of Henri IV, this is the hope with which the new reign has filled our hearts, that we find there is a so keen and so touching interest.  It seems that the virtues of our pious monarch consecrate these offered homages to the memory of the father of the Bourbons.  And is it not enough to render worth to him?  This manner of encouraging and sustaining the arts is worth, without a doubt, many others."

Correspondance litteraire, 1774

* Marguerite de Valois (1553-1615), the wife of Henri IV.

Comments

  1. SusanJuly 12, 2013 at 9:30 AM

    Is it just me, or is this "cahier figure" a lot more colorful than most? I like it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. CassidyJuly 13, 2013 at 8:03 AM

      I think it's that yellow suit. Super bright, and brings in the other side of the spectrum!

      Delete

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