Women's History Month: "A tragic note prevails."

Women's History Month: A month celebrating women of history! I will be posting media and book recommendations, highlighting women from (mostly) the 18th century, and otherwise sharing content with an emphasis on women in history. 

Women's History Month is at an end... but as always, you can expect plenty of content highlighting women of the 18th (and sometimes other) centuries on this blog. I decided to round out this month with a quote from one of my favorite 18th century women centric non-fiction books, Blood Sisters: The French Revolution in Women's Memory by Marilyn Yalom.

"Aristocrats and bourgeois women, royalists and republicans, even the few peasant and working-class women who dictated accounts of their experiences, all were bound together by a common nightmare. Whatever their political loyalties … a tragic note prevails. The experience of having survived when so many others had perished often produced what we in the twentieth century, in the aftermath of the Holocaust and Vietnam, have labeled “survivor guilt.” Their testimonials spring from an inner urgency to bear witness for those who had been silenced, and they derive their haunted grandeur from the pervasive mark of death."

--Marilyn Yalom, Blood Sisters: The French Revolution in Women's Memory

Women's History Month: "Though the historians of the period have never fully or willingly acknowledged its existence..."

Women's History Month: A month celebrating women of history! I will be posting media and book recommendations, highlighting women from (mostly) the 18th century, and otherwise sharing content with an emphasis on women in history. 

They ruled society, as women of the world; the empire of letters, as patronesses of the fine arts; the state, as favorites and advisers of kings. They gave the tone to feeling, philosophy and thought. Their caprice made wars, and signed treaties of peace. They hastened the fall of a Monarchy, and the outbreak of the greatest Revolution of modern times. They could attempt to check or direct that Revolution in its rapid and fearful course; they shared to the fullest extent its errors, its crimes, and its heroic virtues.
… Though the historians of the period have never fully or willingly acknowledged its existence, their silence cannot efface that which has been; and without that rule of woman, so reluctantly recognized, many of their pages of statesman’s policy, court intrigue, civil strife, or foreign war, need never have been written.

--Julia Kavanagh, Woman in France During the Eighteenth century, 1850 

Women's History Month: 'They gave more grace to wit...'

Women's History Month: A month celebrating women of history! I will be posting media and book recommendations, highlighting women from (mostly) the 18th century, and otherwise sharing content with an emphasis on women in history. 

They gave more grace to wit, more daring to philosophy, more generosity to political contests, and more heroism to defeat and death. For those who know how to look beyond the mere surface of history, the action of woman in France during the eighteenth century will not soon be forgotten. … She appears in that age … connected with every important question. We behold her giving a stronger impulse to literature, aiding the development of philosophy and thought; and, like man, earnestly seeking, through all the mists and errors of human knowledge, to solve the great social and political problems which still agitate us in our day: the legacy of the past to the future.

--Julia Kavanagh, Woman in France During the Eighteenth century, 1850

March 27th, 1785: Detail from an allegory depicting the birth of Louis Charles de France (1785-1795)

This simple yet charming allegory depicts the infant Louis Charles de France--then 'just' the duc de Normandie, as his elder brother Joseph was still alive and thus the dauphin--being presented to the state of France on his birthday: March 27th, 1785. Marie Antoinette can be seen on her birth bed with an enraptured material expression, watching as her second son is handed over to France.

image: Detail from Lucine présente à la France Monseign. le duc de Normandie né à Versailles le 27 mars 1785. 

credit: Bibliothèque nationale de France, département Estampes et photographie

Women's History Month: A Self-Portrait by Elisabeth Vigee-Lebrun, Circa 1808-1809.

Women's History Month: A month celebrating women of history! I will be posting media and book recommendations, highlighting women from (mostly) the 18th century, and otherwise sharing content with an emphasis on women in history. 

image: A self portrait by Elisabeth Vigee-Lebrun, circa 1808-1809. From a private collection. Image via HyperAllergic.

This self-portrait by Elisabeth Vigee-Lebrun was done when the artist was around 52 years of old; it is a unique contrast to her earlier and more well-known portraits depicting her in popular English-style gowns and fashions of her youth. While it would be greatly exaggerating to say the artist depicted herself in an unflattering light here, even this self-portrait shows signs of the artist's maturity since the days of her more youthful self-portraits. Deeper fine lines, a slight double-chin, and more refined--rather than youthful--fashions help mark the passage of time. Yet her gaze and her smile retains the elusive mixture of kindness, sincerity, intelligence and even a hint of mystery that always graced Vigee-Lebrun's self-portraits, from her earliest pastel self-portrait at aged 16 to her famous 'Self-Portrait in a Straw Hat' and even, as this work shows, in the paintings the artist made well into the 19th century.

Music Monday: 'Marie Antoinette' by Curved Air

Introducing Music Monday: a day for contemporary music, soundtracks and other tunes related to Marie Antoinette.

Curved Air's 'Marie Antoinette' was one of the first modern songs about Marie Antoinette I ever stumbled across, and it was one of the lyrics in this unique 70s-era song that inspired my Tumblr blog title: "Marie Antoinette/Your name's a legend in this land/Treasure for your pleasure/bestowed on favorite gentlemen." 

It's still one of my favorite songs--so sit back, press play, and enjoy!

Women's History Month: 5 Portraits of 18th-Century Ballerinas

Women's History Month: A month celebrating women of history! I will be posting media and book recommendations, highlighting women from (mostly) the 18th century, and otherwise sharing content with an emphasis on women in history. 

5 Portraits of 18th-Century Ballerinas

18th-century ballerinas did not yet rule the stage as they would come to do just a few decades later, but as the foundations of modern classical ballet began to take root in the 1700s, so did the presence of female dancers who found themselves the subject of fame-boosting public acclaim, scathing critics, and even amorous royalty. Let's take a look at 5 portraits of 18th-century ballerinas who made their mark on the stage over 200 years ago.

A portrait of Caterina Gattai Tomatis by Marcello Bacciarelli, circa 1780.

Caterina Gattai Tomatis (1747-1792) was an Italian ballerina who made her debut in Venice and would later become a prima ballerina at the Royal Opera in Warsaw. During her time at the ballet, she became the mistress of Stanisław II, a position which would continue on-and-off again until at least 1778. She retired from dancing upon her marriage to Carlo Alessandro Tomatis in 1766, just six short years after her ballet debut.

A painting of Françoise Prévost as Bacchante by Jean Raoux, circa 1723

Françoise Prévost  (c.1680-1741) was a French ballerina whose unique dramatic work helped to pave the way for the development of ballet d'action and other emotional, more independent styles of ballet dance during the mid-to-late 18th century.. Prévost, whose students included Marie Sallé and Marie-Anne de Cupis de Camargo, is best known for a famous solo she choreographed in 174 called 'Les Caracteres de la Danse,' which she later taught to her students. Prévost retired as a première danseuse for the Paris Opera in 173.

A portrait of by Marie Sallé Maurice Quentin de La Tour, circa 1741-1742.

Marie Sallé (1707-1756) was a  French ballerina whose then-unusual takes on ballet costume and scenic design made a lasting impact on the development of ballet as an independent art form. Sallé also challenged the male-dominated world of dance in numerous ways, most visibly by creating and giving substantial roles to female dancers and helping to popularize costumes which did less to restrict movement than typical ballerina costumes of the time.Sallé performed with various ballet companies throughout her career and made history in 1734 with her rendition of Pygmalion, marking her as the first female choreographer to also dance in a piece she created. 

Portrait detail from La Camargo Dancing by Nicholas Lancret, circa 1730.

Marie-Anne de Cupis de Camargo (1710-1770) was one of the most distinct French ballerinas of her era; after her debut at the Paris Opera in 1726, she became the first female ballerina to ever execute a  entrechat quatre. She also championed changes in ballerina's costumes, foregoing the typical heavy full gowns and replacing them with lighter fabrics and shorter lengths; she also popularized the use of satin slippers over heeled shoes. Camargo's popularity inspired jealousy in her teacher, and Prévost demoted her to corps de ballet--a demotion which was overturned shortly after when Camargo stepped in for a missing male dancer and saved the performance with an improvised solo. Camargo appeared in a total of 78 operas during her lifetime; she finally retired fully from the stage in 1751.

A colored engraving of Mademoiselle Parisot after Arthur William Devis, circa 1797.

Mademoiselle Parisot (c.1775-after 1837) was a French ballerina who became well known for her scandalous costumes and dances which inspired criticism--and acclaim--in Britain.. Her given name and family is not exactly known, as she was known only as Mademoiselle Parisot after the launch of her London career. She made her debut, aged 14, at the Theatre de Monsieur in December 1789; her father (believed by the V&A museum to be journalist Pierre-Germain Pariseau, who was guillotined) died in 1794, and afterward Parisot moved to London. Her debut was reviewed favorably bycritics, who noted her balance technique was "positively magical, for her person was almost horizontal while turning as a pivot on her toe." Parisot became well known for her leg-accentuating costumes, sometimes even implementing neoclassical costumes which exposed or nearly exposed one breast. The response of the British House of Lords to Parisot's performances did not reflect the audience's warm applause and critical praise: in 1798, the Bishop of London criticized the rise of "female dancers who, by the allurement of the most indecent attitudes and most wanton theatrical exhibitions succeeded ... in loosening and corrupting the moral feelings of people." After this, dancers were required to stop wearing flesh-toned dresses and ballet performances were no longer allowed to go on past midnight. In 1805, one of Parisot's performances caused a riot--not because of its risque content, but because the theater manager drew the curtain before her dance was completed, in order to comply with the midnight curfew. Furious audience members "threw all the chairs out of the boxes into the pit, tore up the benches, destroyed the chandeliers, jumped into the orchestra, smashed the piano forte and broke all the instruments of the poor unoffending performers." Parisot retired from the stage in 1807.

Film Friday: A colorized still from Marie Antoinette (1938)

Film Friday: a day for sharing movie stills, production art, film analysis and anything film related!

Whenever I can manage it, I like to make time to colorize screenshots from Marie Antoinette (1938) including this screenshot from one of the film's most emotional scenes.

 image: my colorization/originally posted on Tumblr

 

Women's History Month: Sonnet to the Strawberry by Helen Maria Williams

Women's History Month: A month celebrating women of history! I will be posting media and book recommendations, highlighting women from (mostly) the 18th century, and otherwise sharing content with an emphasis on women in history.

[image: NYPL]

Helen Maria Williams (1759-1827) was a British author and translator whose first works, published under the simple title 'Poems' in 1786, reflected her support of ideals such as the abolition of slavery and world peace. In 1789, Williams embraced the ideals of the French Revolution and began frequently staying in France, returning only to London briefly in 1791 before going back to Paris. In addition to regularly translating French works for English-speaking readers, during the revolution she hosted prominent salons frequented by the likes of Thomas Paine and Mary Wollstoneecraft. 

During the Reign of Terror, she and her family were imprisoned; during this period, she continued to work on her English translations, including a translation of Paul et Virginie by Bernandin St. Pierre. In a later edition of this translation, Williams noted, "... I gave myself the task of employing a few hours every day in translating the charming little novel ... and I found the most soothing relief in wandering from my own gloomy reflections to those enchanted scenes[.]" Williams also wrote her 'prison sonnets' during this period, although as she notes in her later edition, some of them were lost when her papers were sent to French officials be examined before she was allowed to send them.

Sonnet to the Strawberry was one of these 'prison sonnets,' which she included interspersed with her translation of the novel. After her release from prison, Williams continued writing; her extensive Letters on France and later essays on French politics and society would dub one critic to remark that "because Miss Williams has written well and successfully upon that subject, none but a lady could write on the French Revolution."

Sonnet to the Strawberry

[as transcribed by Eighteenth-Century Poetry Archive]

THE Strawberry blooms upon its lowly bed,
Plant of my native soil! — the Lime may fling
More potent fragrance on the zephyr's wing,
The milky Cocoa richer juices shed,
The white Guava lovelier blossoms spread —
But not, like thee, to fond remembrance bring
The vanished hours of life's enchanting spring;
Short calendar of joys for ever fled!
Thou bid'st the scenes of childhood rise to view,
The wild wood-path which fancy loves to trace;
Where, veil'd in leaves, thy fruit of rosy hue
Lurk'd on its pliant stem with modest grace.
But ah! when thought would later years renew,
Alas, successive sorrows crowd the space!

Portrait Wednesday: Maria Theresa, daughter of Joseph II and Isabella of Parma

Portrait Wednesday: a day for sharing portraits of Marie Antoinette and her contemporaries.

[image: a portrait of Maria Theresa, daughter of Joseph II, by an unknown artist. Circa before 1770. ÖNB/BildarchivAustria]

Maria Theresa of Austria (1762-1770) was the first child and daughter of Joseph II and Isabella of Parma; born with the lofty name Maria Theresia Elisabeth Philippine Luise Josepha Johanna, she was also the first grandchild of empress Maria Theresa. Little Theresa would grow up without her mother: Isabella of Parma died in childbirth when Theresa was barely one year old; her sister, Marie Christine, died only a few minutes after being born.

After his wife's death, Joseph II took great solace in his daughter, whom he dubbed his "second self." Her life was cut short shortly before her 8th birthday when she became ill with pleurisy; she never recovered and died on January 23rd, 1770.

Joseph II wrote these moving words to Theresa's governess just a few hours after her death:

"If decency permitted, it would be with you alone that I would be pouring out the sorrow which... pierces my soul. I have ceased to be a father: it is more than I can bear. Despite being resigned to it, I cannot stop myself thinking and saying every moment: 'O my God, restore to me my daughter, restore her to me.' I hear her voice, I see her. I was dazed when the terrible blow fell. Only after I had got back to my room did I feel the full horror of it, and I shall go on feeling it all the rest of my life, since I shall miss her in everything ..."

Women's History Month: A Midwife Manual from Madame du Coudray

Women's History Month: A month celebrating women of history! I will be posting media and book recommendations, highlighting women from (mostly) the 18th century, and otherwise sharing content with an emphasis on women in history. 

Madame du Coudray was a leading midwife active in 18th century France, who was famously commissioned by Louis XV to travel throughout rural France to help decrease birth complications and deaths by educating rural midwives. During her decades-long career, she helped train thousands of midwives, as well as male physicians and surgeons. Her work was one of the leading influences behind the shrinking mortality rate for pregnant women and newborns in France; after retirement, she received an extensive pension that was nearly an equivalent to the salary of a high-ranking general.

Madame du Coudray compiled her teachings in a manual (Abrégé de l’art accouchements) which was designed to be published and purchased cheaply for her rural pupils. Some later editions, such as this 1777 edition, came with color illustrations. The illustrations featured in the 1777 edition were done by J. Robert.

You can read Abrégé de l’art accouchements here at Archive.org

L'Après-Midi au Petit Trianon by Emile Charles Dameron (1848-1908)

Just a lovely painting to share today--but be sure to keep an eye out for an analysis on the depiction of the Queen's hamlet in 19th century art in a week or so!

Image: L'Après-Midi au Petit Trianon (Also known as 'Le Hameau de Trianon') by Emile Charles Dameron (1848-1908).

Women's History Month: Meet Messier 110, A Galaxy Independently Discovered by Caroline Herschel in 1783

Women's History Month: A month celebrating women of history! I will be posting media and book recommendations, highlighting women from (mostly) the 18th century, and otherwise sharing content with an emphasis on women in history. 

[image: A portrait of Caroline Herschel in 1828, aged 78]

On August 27th 1783, astronomer Caroline Herschel made an independent discovery of (to quote her brother William) a "very considerable, broad, pretty faint, small nebula" that would later become known as Messier 110 or M110. Today, M110 is classified as a dwarf elliptical galaxy that is recognizable for the dark, atypical dust clouds near the center of the galaxy. Thanks to the work of later astronomers, we also know today that most of the stars within M110 are about 500 million years old, though there are some young stars aged around 10-20 million years old towards the center of the galaxy.

Herschel was not actually the first astronomer to see M110; the first known observation was witnessed by Charles Messier, who observed it in August, 1773 but did not record it as an independent object. He would add it to his personal notes only in 1801, and eventually the object was assigned a Messier number (hence the name!) in the 1960s.

Herschel, however, was the first astronomer to make an independent documented discovery of M110, which added to her growing catalog of nebulae and other astronomical objects she discovered and cataloged during her decades-long work.

SDSS Image of M110 [credit: Donald Pelletier /CC BY-SA 4.0, no changes]

What They Said Saturday: "I have a presentiment that all will turn out ill."

'What They Said' Saturday: a day for quotations of all kinds, including excerpts from letters written by Marie Antoinette and her contemporaries, memoirs, non-fiction, novels and everything in between.

image: Detail from a portrait of Elisabeth de France by Adélaïde Labille-Guiard, circa 1787

"I have a presentiment that all will turn out ill." Elisabeth de France, the younger sister of Louis XVI, wrote this sentence amidst the first weeks of the 1787 Assembly of Notables, a consultative assembly called by Louis XVI in a calculated effort to pressure the French parlements into approving varied but significant--and much-needed--tax reforms. The last Assembly of Notables had been called more than 100 years previously by Louis XIII, and the decision to once again call upon the Notables was not without its controversies, especially among certain factions of court.

Elisabeth, for her part, doubted that calling the Assembly of Notables would do much good; she aligned herself with the thoughts of those in court who believed that calling the Notables was an admittance of weakness, though she believed her brother called them with completely sincerity in "asking their advice." The Assembly of 1787 was instrumental in the chain of events that would result in the calling of the Estates General of 1789, for better or worse. Yet despite the dismissal of Calonne in April, just a under month before the 1787 Assembly was dissolved, Elisabeth wrote with a reserved optimism:"The Notables talk with more freedom (though they have never cramped themselves in that), and I hope good may come of it. "

The full letter from Madame Elisabeth to the marquise de Bombelles, as translated in Life and Letters of Madame Elisabeth de France:

You ask me, my friend, how I pass my time; I shall answer: Rather sadly, because I see many things that grieve me. The famous Assembly of Notables has met. What will it do? Nothing, except make known to the people the critical situation in which we are. The king is sincere in asking their advice. Will they be the same in giving it? I think not. I have little experience, and the tender interest I take in my brother alone induces me to concern myself with these subjects, much too serious for my nature. I do not know, but it seems to me they are taking a course directly the opposite of that they ought to take . . . . I have a presentiment that all will turn out ill. As for me, if it were not for my attachment to the king I would retire to Saint-Cyr. Intrigues fatigue me; they are not in accordance with my nature. I like peace and repose; but it is not at the moment when my brother is unfortunate that I will separate from him.

The queen is very pensive. Sometimes we are hours together alone without her saying a word. She seems to fear me. Ah! who can take a keener interest than I in my brother's happiness?    

Of particular note is Elisabeth's mention of the queen's pensiveness and distance during what was a highly critical moment for Louis XVI and ultimately, the monarchy. Elisabeth and Antoinette did not always agree--more often than not as the revolution continued, they found themselves on opposite sides of the ideological coin, resulting in coldness or even arguments between them. Yet this particular distance was not to last--a few short months later, in June, the queen's infant daughter Sophie died and she called Elisabeth to come with her and mourn. Elisabeth wrote that "... there was no attention she did not show me. She prepared for me one of those surprises in which she excels; but what we did most was to weep over the death of my poor little niece."

Women's History Month: 6 Historical Films Inspired by Real Life 18th-Century Women

Women's History Month: A month celebrating women of history! I will be posting media and book recommendations, highlighting women from (mostly) the 18th century, and otherwise sharing content with an emphasis on women in history. 

6 Historical Films Inspired by Real-Life 18th-Century Women

There is no end to the real-life events, stories and people that may inspire writers, directors and film producers. Historical genre films have been a staple of the film industry since its inception, and if the success of many period films is any indication, it's not a genre that will disappear anytime soon. I've compiled a list of some of my favorite historical films inspired by real-life 18th century women and their stories. Pop some popcorn, turn down the lights, and enjoy!

 L'Anglaise et le duc (2001)

L'Anglaise et le duc (English title: The Lady and the Duke) is inspired by the experiences of Gracie Elliot, a Scottish woman who became the mistress of the duc de Orleans in the years leading up to the French Revolution; her actions and eventual arrest during the French Revolution form the basis of her posthumously published (and highly colorful) memoir, "Journal of My Life During the French Revolution." This film focuses on Elliot's experiences during the Reign of Terror and features an intriguing aesthetic inspired by contemporary paintings which gives the film a memorable and distinct look.

Belle (2013)

Belle is inspired by the real life of Dido Elizabeth Belle, who was born the daughter of an enslaved African woman and a British naval officer. Belle was taken by her father to England when she was only 4 years old and left in the care of his uncle and aunt, who raised her as a free woman in their aristocratic household. The film interprets Belle's coming-of-age through the an emphasis on the infamous Zong Massacre ruling, over which her uncle presided; the film does play rather fast and loose with the historical timeline, it features some excellent performances, beautiful visuals, and a look at an often-ignored element of British history.

The Duchess (2008)

The Duchess is inspired by the life of Georgiana Cavendish, the Duchess of Devonshire, one of the most well-known English socialites and icons of her era. The duchess of Devonshire's strained marriage, her affair with Charles Grey and the dynamics between the duchess, her husband and Elizabeth Foster form the basis of the film's dramatically driven story. A particularly emotional performance from Keira Knightley is the highlight of the film, although the gorgeous costumes are certainly something you won't want to miss, either.

Mozart's Sister (2010)

Nannerl, la sœur de Mozart (English Title: Mozart's Sister) is inspired by the life of Maria Anna Mozart, the elder sister to Amadeus Mozart. "Loosely inspired" is definitely key here, for the premise of the film focuses on an invented relationship between Maria Anna (nicknamed Nannerl) and Louise de France, the lonely13-year old daughter of Louis XV. Through this friendship, Nannerl connects with the Dauphin of France, who encourages her interest in music (and perhaps, something more) even as her father forbids her to carry her career further than singing and harpsichord playing to bring in income for her family. If you're looking for an accurate depiction of Maria Anna's life, this isn't it--like Belle, it plays with historical facts and timelines to present a constructive look at the place of women in 18th-century society. The end result is a satisfying--if loosely accurate--film.

Marie Antoinette (2006)

Does Marie Antoinette really need an introduction here? Well, just in case: It's a highly stylized, modernized take on the life of Marie Antoinette from her earliest days at Versailles until the fateful October Days of 1789 that resulted in the royal family's forcible removal to Paris, marking the end of the absolute monarchy in France forever. Sofia Coppola's aesthetic and story choices present the life of Marie Antoinette through an intimate, personal lens designed to allow viewers an modern impression of Marie Antoinette; macarons, Converse, and all. Love it, hate it--but it's defined Marie Antoinette's modern place in pop culture in more ways than one.

The Favourite (2018)

The Favourite is inspired by the intriguing dynamic between Queen Anne of England and her two prominent favorites, Sarah Churchill and Abigail Masham. The two women's battle for Queen Anne's affection and status at court comprises most of the film's storyline, which is a darkly comedic blend of history and modern anachronisms that make for a snappy, satirical and highly enjoyable film. Of particular note is Olivia Colman's performance as Queen Anne, which earned her an Academy Award.

Madame Alexander Heads to the 18th-Century (Part 2: Pompadour Edition)

In Part 1 of this Madame Alexander series, we looked at some of the varied 18th-century inspired dolls that the company has produced over the years. In Part 2, we'll be looking at a specific series that was inspired by none other than the famous Madame Pompadour, longtime mistress of Louis XV.

The original 'Pompadour' series was released from 2001 to 2003.These dolls are some of the most sought after of the 21st century Madame Alexander releases due to the high level of details and quality in the original gowns. It's not unheard of for the original "Winter" to fetch over $1,000 when it shows up at auction! A few years later, the company released "Shadow" versions, or re-releases, due to the immense popularity of the line. The "Shadow" versions go for slightly less secondhand and had higher edition sizes.

Madame Pompadour: "Spring"

Madame Pompadour: "Summer"

Madame Pompadour: "Fall"

Madame Pompadour: "Winter"

Women's History Month: 18th-Century Women and their Gardens (Book Recommendations)

Women's History Month: A month celebrating women of history! I will be posting media and book recommendations, highlighting women from (mostly) the 18th century, and otherwise sharing content with an emphasis on women in history. 

[image: detail from The Fair Florist by J.R. Smith, 1780]

 Gardening became a contradictory sphere in the 18th century; a sphere which was dominated by formalized male landscape designers yet was inhabited more and more frequently by women who employed them or who dared to step beyond mere flower gardens to more expansive and typically masculine landscapes. These gardens could be pleasure retreats, expressions of their royal body, and sometimes even punishments for women sent into--literal and otherwise--retirement. The following are a selection of books that will help you learn more about the role of women in the landscape gardening sphere of the 18th century; enjoy and happy reading!

 

Green Retreats: Women, Gardens and Eighteenth-Century Culture by Stephen Bending  

In 'Green Retreats,' Stephen Bending explores the role of women in 18th-century gardens by laying out the broader context of women's involvement in gardens during the greater part of the 1700s; including popular artistic and literary depictions of women in gardens, the emergence of pastoral themes in women's gardening, and the words of women themselves to uncover how women chose to explore, understand, and sometimes even cross the boundaries of their status in society through gardens. This book is an intriguing exploration of an often-ignored subject, and Bending's work to restore the importance of women's roles in the sphere of 18th-century gardening is not to be missed.

From Marie-Antoinette's Garden: An Eighteenth-Century Horticultural Album by Elisabeth de Feydeau

'From Marie-Antoinette's Garden' is a highly illustrated look at one of the most extensive and well-known gardens in 18th century France: that of queen Marie Antoinette, who cultivated a garden filled with specific blooms designed to evoke a very personal aesthetic. This book features plenty of illustrations of the specific flowers featured in her garden while providing historical information about the background of the various blooms, how they were imported, and their context in Marie Antoinette's garden as a hole. This book is a definite must-have for garden lovers--or anyone who wants to take a stab at introducing some historically inspired blossoms into their own garden next spring.

Dairy Queens: The Politics of Pastoral Architecture from Catherine de Medici to Marie-Antoinette by Meredith Martin 

 'Dairy Queens' is a study in very particular feature found in a number of aristocratic garden estates: the pleasure dairy. Martin's book challenges the notion that pleasure dairies were simple follies and instead explores the political, social and personal statements made through their construction and utilization by royal and aristocratic women who commissioned and sometimes designed them. This book is an absolute must for anyone interested in a contextual view of Marie Antoinette's infamous hamlet and the notion of pleasure dairies in the 16th-18th centuries as a whole.

Inspired Tuesday: Papo "Marie Antoinette" figurine

Inspired Tuesday: a day to share anything and everything inspired by Marie Antoinette and her world.

[image: via Amazon]

Papo is a toy company that has been offering children's toys for almost 3 decades. Their product range is extensive and includes everything from kits to board games and just about anything you could imagine in between. Their figurines are a particularly popular item, and for several years they have been releasing figurines based on a variety of historical figures. Their historical figurines are a particularly popular item to stock at museum and historical building gift shops, but they can be found online as well.

One of Papo's mainstay figurines in their historical series is this figurine of Marie Antoinette; she wears a light blue gown similar to those found in portraits of upper class and royal women in her age, complete with gold details and an iconic rose in her hand.  She would look great on a shelf--or wrapped up as a Christmas gift for a younger relative!

Are there any special historical people you wish Papo would represent in their figurine series?

Women's History Month: 'The Power of Beauty' by Mary Leapor (1722-1746)

Women's History Month: A month celebrating women of history! I will be posting media and book recommendations, highlighting women from (mostly) the 18th century, and otherwise sharing content with an emphasis on women in history. 
 
Mary Leapor (1722-1746) was one of a select few labor-class women writers to produce written poetry during the 18th century. She was only 24 years old when she died from measles but during her short lifetime, she cultivated a love for literature and poetry, frequently carving out time during her tireless work as a kitchen maid to take up a pen or tuck into a book. Her relatively extensive body of work was published after her death due to the efforts of her friend Bridget Freemantle, which saw two volumes of Leapor's work published in 1748 and 1751. Leapor was subsequently praised by contemporaries as "one of the most interesting of the natural poets" and today is recognized as one of the most intriguing (if understudied) poets of her era.

Leapor's poetry is notable for its frequent social commentary, with a particular emphasis on the struggles and experiences of being a woman in that period. Throughout many of her poems, Leapor criticized society's treatment of women; one common theme is criticism of the view of women as valuable only when they are beautiful. Leapor laments the fate of beautiful women who grow older and lose their sense of self worth; women who, despite being educated or witty or compassion, are ignored for their lack of outward beauty. She also calls out the hypocrisy of men who value women only for their beauty yet at the same time, criticize women for taking the means to meet those beauty standards through cosmetics, corsets and fashion. 'The Power of Beauty' is one such poem which I think perfectly encapsulates Leapor's view, ending with the telling sentence: "If you wou'd have your Daughters wise/Take care to mend your Sons."

The Power of Beauty by Mary Leapor

(as transcribed by the Eighteenth-Century Poetry Archive.)

 The POWER of BEAUTY.
O GODDESS of eternal Smiles,
Bright Cythera the fair,
Who taught Sabina's pleasing Wiles,
By which she won Bellair.
Bellair, the witty and the vain,
Who laugh'd at Beauty's Pow'r;
But now the conquer'd humble Swain
Adores a painted Flow'r.

With Delia's Art my Song inspire,
Whose Lips of rosy Hue
Can ne'er the partial Audience tire,
Tho' wiser Claudia's do.
Tho' Claudia's Wit and Sense refin'd,
Flows easy from her Tongue;
Her Soul but coarsly is enshrin'd,
So Claudia's in the wrong.
Hark, Delia speaks — that blooming Fair,
See Crowds are gathering round
With open Mouths: and wildly stare
To catch the empty Sound.
See Lelia with a Judgment clear,
With manly Wisdom blest;
Wit, Learning, Prudence, all appear
In that unruffled Breast.

But yet no Beau for Lelia dies,
No Sonnets pave her way;
Say, Muse, from whence these Evils rise,
Why Lelia's Teeth decay.
Then, why do rev'rend Sages rail
At Woman's wanton Pride?
If Wisdom, Wit, and Prudence fail,
Let meaner Arts be try'd.
Those Arts to please are only meant;
But with an angry Frown,
The Queen of Wisdom lately sent
This Proclamation down:
Minerva, with the azure Eyes,
And thus the Statute runs,
If you wou'd have your Daughters wise,
Take care to mend your Sons.

Further Reading about Mary Leapor:

'Mary Leapor: The Female Body and the Body of Her Texts' by Michael Meyer. Available to read online at Academia.Edu.

'Mary Leapor: A Study in Eighteenth-Century Women's Poetry' by Richard Greene

Museum Sunday: A bowl used by Louise de France, the 8th daughter of Louis XV

Museum Sunday: a day for highlighting objects, books, and other items from the collections and lives of Marie Antoinette and her contemporaries.

image: J. Paul Getty Museum

This decorated porcelain bowl was created in 1764 for Louise-Marie de France, the 8th daughter and youngest of Louis XV and Maria Leszczyńska's children. Louise, along with three of her sisters, was sent as a young child to the Abbaye de Fontevraud  to live as a boarder due to the Cardinal de Fleury's efforts in cutting royal expenses. Madame Campan would later recall ;Mesdames' memories of their childhood at the abbey as being particularly frightful and, in terms of education, neglected; Madame Louise, Campan wrote, claimed that she could hardly read at the age of 12 and it was not until she was allowed to return to Versailles at the age of 13 that she learned to effectively read.

Louise's life at Versailles was much grander than at the abbey, and while she and her sisters threw themselves into their studies and the companionship of their brother the then-Dauphin, the yrecived little affection from their father. Louis XV notoriously referred to his children with teasing nicknames--he referred to Louise as "Rubbish."

A courtier later wrote of Louise that she of all the sisters was "passionately fond of every pleasure, was something of a glutton, very fond of dress, incapable of living without every new invention of luxury, had a lively imagination and great leaning to coquetry." This ornate bowl, unusually decorated with both Louise's monogram and the coat of arms for an unmarried French royal princess, would have fit in well with Louise's then-love for worldly pleasures. Louise would have typically sipped bouillon and other light broths from the bowl, either in between meals or on days when she preferred something light.

Coincidentally, the bowl was finished in 1764, a year which marked the beginning of the end of Louise's love for life at Versailles. iIt was in 1764 that Louis XV approved the banishment of Jesuits from France, an act which Louise abhorred. From 1765 to 1768, Louis endured te deaths of close family members, including her beloved brother, his wife, her own mother, and her nephew. In June of 1768, Louise asked the Archbishop of Paris to plead with the king to approve her request to enter into the Carmelites convent at St. Denis.

Happy Birthday Barbie! Here are Four 18th-Century Women I'd Like to See in the Barbie Inspiring Women Series

Four 18th-Century Women I'd Like to See in the Barbie Inspiring Women Series

To quote the official Barbie website, the Barbie Inspiring Women series "pays tribute to incredible heroines of their time; courageous women who took risks, changed rules, and paved the way for generations of girls to dream bigger than ever before."

The first three women in the series, released in 2018, were Frida Kahlo, Amelia Earhart, and Katherine Johnson; in 2019, at least 4 more Inspiring Women will be added to the line-up, including confirmed dolls of Rosa Parks and Sally Ride. And while most of the Inspiring Women so far have been relatively modern, I hope that Barbie will branch out and honor inspiring women from previous centuries as well. So in honor of Barbie's 60th birthday, I've compiled a list of some 18th-century women I think would fit right into this new and exciting Barbie series.

image: Self-portrait in a straw hat by Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun

Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun (1755-1842) 

Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun was one of the most prominent portrait artists of her era. She secured a spot in the almost completely male Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture, rising above the strict professional limitations placed on women artists in France. Her portraiture was both acclaimed and derided, beloved and controversial. Her lifetime spanned the waning years of ancien regime France through multiple revolutions; but her legacy, and her memorable portraits, will continue on.

image: an illustration of Wheatley that accompanied her published poetry volume, 1773

Phillis Wheatley (c.1753-1784)

Phillis Wheatley was the first African slave woman to publish a volume of poetry in America. She was sold into slavery as a child; the Wheatley family who purchased her exceptionally tutored her in reading and writing, as well as various other subjects. She wrote her first poem at the age of 14 and, by the age of 20, had published a full volume of poetry. Sadly, her initial literary success was never repeated and an emancipated Wheatley and her husband struggled in poverty. She died of an unknown illness in 1784. Today, her volume of poetry and later poems published in magazines and newspapers stand as a testament to her incredible place in the history of African-American literature.

image: A portrait of Mary Wollstonecraft by John Opie, circa 1797

Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797)

Mary Wollstonecraft was one a writer, philosopher and supporter of women's rights who is best known for her famous A Vindication of the Rights of Women, published in 1792. Wollstonecraft died in 1797, just 11 days after giving birth to her second daughter, Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin. Little Mary would become a prominent woman in her own right during the 19th century--under her married name, Mary Shelley. Wollstonecraft's treatise on the inherent equality of men and women not only inspired other male and female philosophers and thinkers during her lifetime, but became regarded in the 20th century as one of the foundations of modern feminist philosophy.

image: A portrait of Émilie du Châtelet by Maurice Quentin de La Tour

Émilie du Châtelet (1706-1749)

Émilie du Châtelet was a prominent philosopher, physicist, mathematician and author who is best known for her contributions to Newtonian mechanics and her influence on French philosophy before and after her death at age 42. Châtelet was widely recognized for her intellect, which earned her the collaboration and praise of some of the foremost minds of the 18th century. Today, her translation of Isaac Newton's Principia is still used as the standard French translation, and a renewed interest in her life, works, and achievements has brought her once again to the forefront of public imagination.

Are there any historical women--18th century or otherwise--you'd like to see represented in the Inspiring Women series?

Women's History Month: To All Brave Women

International Women's Day: March 8th, 2019

The dedication from Marie Antoinette: The Tragic Queen by Dorothy Moulton Mayer:

Book Thursday: Let's Read About Elisabeth Vigee-Lebrun!

Book Thursday: a day for anything and everything books; reviews, highlights, and more.

Élisabeth Louise Vigée Lebrun (1755-1842) was one of the most prominent European artists of her era; today, she is recognized and celebrated as one of the most significant portraitists in 18th-century France and one of the most successful women artists of all time. If you've been itching to do some reading about Madame Vigée Lebrun but haven't made it out to the library yet, you're in luck: I've compiled a short list of recommendations on books about Élisabeth Vigée Lebrun that are sure to have you reaching for your late-night reading lamp.

If you want to get up close and personal, check out...

The Memoirs of Madame Vigée Lebrun by Louise-Elisabeth Vigée-Lebrun

What better way to get acquainted with Madame Lebrun than reading her own reflection on her decades-long career and life that took her from the streets of pre-revolutionary Paris to the courts of nearly every monarch in Europe? The edition illustrated above includes a modern introduction, but if you don't want to wait, the original 1903 Lionel Strachey translation of Memoirs is available to read for free online.

If you're into art history or want something more nuanced, check out...

The Exceptional Woman: Elisabeth Vigee-Lebrun and the Cultural Politics of Art by Mary D. D. Sheriff

Sheriff's focused study of Lebrun's career explores Lebrun's work through the lens of social, political, professional and even philosophical debates about women artists and the role o women in 18th-century France. Sheriff's work proposes ways that Lebrun's portraits undermined traditional assumptions regarding women in her era.

If you want an all-in-one illustrated book with historical essays and biographical information, check out...

Vigée Le Brun by Joseph Baillio, Katharaine Baetjer, and Paul Lang

This book was published in 2016 to coincide with an expansive touring exhibition of Lebrun's portraits. The book is illustrated with 85 of her portraits and drawings and includes a biography of her life along with essays from historians and art experts regarding specific portraits, her role as a woman artist, and more.

Women's History Month: Portraits of Five 18th-Century Women Artists

Women's History Month: A month celebrating women of history! I will be posting media and book recommendations, highlighting women from (mostly) the 18th century, and otherwise sharing content with an emphasis on women in history.

Portraits of Five 18th-Century Women Artists

Women artists in the 18th-century faced significant professional discrimination, ranging from an outright ban on women from taking public drawing and painting classes with male students to a strict cap on female membership in the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture, which admitted membership to only 15 women during its 145 year history. Despite the limitations on women artists in the professional artistic sphere, there were many women who were still able to achieve success and critical acclaim from the public and art critics alike. The following are portraits (by other artists) of just 5 of the many women artists who were active in the 18th century.

A portrait of Anne Vallayer-Coster by Alexander Roslin (1718-1793); 1783.

Portrait of Adélaïde Binart (1777-1832) by Marie-Geneviève Bouliard (1772–1825); 1796.

Portrait of Marie Thérèse Reboul (1728-1805) by Alexander Roslin (1718-1793); circa 1757.

Jeanne Philiberte Ledoux (1767–1840) by Jean-Baptiste Greuze (1725-1805); circa 1790.

Portrait of Marguerite Gérard (1761-1837) by François Dumont (1751-1831); 1793.

Inspired Tuesday: Marie Antoinette and princesse de Lamballe advertise for Petrole Hahn

Inspired Tuesday: a day to share anything and everything inspired by Marie Antoinette and her world.

Petrole Hahn is a French-based company that has been in operation for over 100 years. Their primary claim to fame is hair-based products, including shampoos, conditioners and other rinses. Like many businesses at the time, Petrole Hahn employed postcards and trading cards as part of their outreach advertisement campaign. These two cards depicting the princesse de Lamballe and Marie Antoinette were from a particular collectible set featuring notable French royals, aristocrats, and even revolutionaries.

 [source: my scan/collection]

 

 [source: my scan/collection]

Women's History Month: 4 Biographies About Non-Royal 18th-Century Women

Women's History Month: A month celebrating women of history! I will be posting media and book recommendations, highlighting women from (mostly) the 18th century, and otherwise sharing content with an emphasis on women in history.

4 Biographies You May Have Missed About (Non-Royal) 18th-Century Women 

 

For the reader looking for interesting biographies on historical woman, there is--thankfully--hardly a shortage of books to choose from. But for readers looking to discover more about the lives of 18th century women, it can sometimes be hard to find biographies that aren't about those in the upper reaches of society. I've compiled a list of 4 biographies about 18th-century women who may not have been born queens or duchesses, but whose fascinating and even tragic lives remain a worthwhile subject of study today.

Hanging Ruth Blay: An Eighteenth-Century New Hampshire Tragedy by Carolyn Marvin

On December 30th, 1768, Ruth Blay--a former schoolteacher, aged 31--was hanged to death for the crime of concealing the death of her stillborn illegitimate child. Her trial and executed proved controversial among locals, and though her death has been the source of local lore since her fateful hanging, Marvin's book is the first extensive look at uncovering and understanding the real life and tragic fate of the last woman ever executed by the estate of New Hampshire.

The Diary of Elizabeth Drinker: The Life Cycle of an Eighteenth-Century Woman edited by Elaine Forman Crane

Elizabeth Drinker, a Quaker woman, began her diary in 1758, in the earliest years of her courtship with her soon-to-be husband, and kept regular entries until her death in 1807, in a world that would have been hardly recognizable to the young Elizabeth living in colonial America. In her extensive diary--presented here by Elaine Crane in an abridged edition--Elizabeth Drinker kept a personal record of her thoughts on her duties as a Quaker woman, as a mother, as a woman in a period when engaging and discussing politics entered into the female sphere; and on a host of social and political changes, including the American revolution, the French Revolution, and a changing landscape that altered society in significant and subtle ways

The Many Captivities of Esther Wheelwright by Ann M. Little

Esther Wheelwright began her life as the fourth of eleven children born to strict Puritan parents who operated a well-known garrison in the southern part of Maine; she was only 7 years old when she was captured by group of Wabanaki who attacked the area as part of a coordinated French assault; and in the next few years, she found herself enrolled in an Ursuline boarding school where she became convinced that she had been called to become a nun. By the time of her death in Quebec City in 1780, Esther had transformed into an educated, diplomatic Mother Superior well known for her political and financial savvy. Little's biography of Esther Wheelwright is an in-depth look at a relatively little-known yet fascinating woman.

 

 

 The Ordeal of Elizabeth Marsh: A Woman in World History by Linda Colley

Elizabeth Marsh was a remarkable woman who left behind almost none of the typical traces of her life that biographers hunt for when retelling the lives of past men and women. No portrait, no diaries, no existing letters--though she wrote them constantly; instead, Marsh left behind a vast amount of connections that place her on multiple continents and in some of the most unusual places in the world for a woman in her time. In telling the story of Elizabeth Marsh, Linda Colley tackles more than a reconstruction of one person's life; it is an exploration of the development of the connected world, and how connections--old and new--shaped and changed lives forever.