Marie-Antoinette was here displayed not so much as a Fashion Queen, as we can see in some of the previous pictures, but she is displayed as the Queen of France. When you look at the painting there is no doubt the woman portrayed in the painting is the Queen of France. Focus lays on symbols that confirm Marie-Antoinette's royal background. Take for example the crown on the pillow with the fleur-de-lys (symbol for the House of Bourbon) pattern. This crown is not entirely suprising in the painting though, this is quite common in portraits of Queens of France, but it was lacking in some of the previous paintings. On the book Marie-Antoinette is holding in her hand and holding on her lap the arms of the House of Habsburg and the House of Bourbon can be seen. Marie-Antoinette's dress is a simple, blue gown with a fur trim.
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Marie-Antoinette (1788) |
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Madame Adelaide (1766) |
There is quite some alikeness with this portrait and the portrait of Marie-Antoinette. Take for example the fact that they are both sitting, both are having a book in their hands, and not to forget the fur trim they both have on their gowns. Who would have ever thought Adelaide and Antoinette had so much in common?
The painting was made for propaganda purposes. If you look at the year the painting was made, in 1788, things were already heating up in France politically. It was thus a move to present Marie-Antoinette as the Queen of France surrounded by royal symbols, in a time where royal authority was questioned. Of course it was also a move to restore some of her image damage, because, as the Affair of the Diamond Necklace proved, Marie-Antoinette was seen as a frivolous, extravagant person. Is this why they chose to portray Marie-Antoinette in a simple blue dress? We must also not forget the disaster with the portrait in which Marie-Antoinette was displayed wearing a simple chemise, very little powder and with a straw hat. This was breaking with protocol and tradition, which was what Marie-Antoinette already known for by those who despised her, which contributed to her image as rule-breaking Austrian. In this portrait Marie-Antoinette is portrayed according to protocol: royal symbols and a proper dress.
I personally think it is a nice portrait, but I prefer the other portraits as they seem to give a bit of a more 'natural' and 'real' impression of Marie-Antoinette.
Please tell me how you feel about this portrait!
P.s.
My first blog post :-)
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