Lust,Desire,Envy

The Beloved and I spent a lovely rainy Sunday afternoon exploring the new Resnick Pavilion (not terribly new,as it opened in the Autumn of 2010), part of the seemingly ever expanding Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA).Ostensibly the purpose of my visit was to gather images of gowns for my niece Grace, an aspiring fashion plate; LACMA has a current  exhibition Fashioning Fashion:European Dress in Detail, 1700-1915 that has proven to be a marvelous resource of frills,corsets, and frippery.

But amongst the gloomy Olmec Colossi , was an exhibition, Eye for the Sensual:Selections from the Resnick Collection which regrettably was closing that day. A treasure house of beautiful objects, exquisitely crafted  for what seems to be the sole purpose of tickling our covetous instincts. I confess to having trespassed several Commandments, most especially the 10th, multiple times.

I open with a detail of the most exquisite bit of porn Les Sirènes appelant Ulysse

The Sirens Luring Ulysses

detail

1847

Henri Lehmann

As I said both the Fashioning Fashion and the Eye For The Sensual were quite exciting, I will be integrating images from both shows, obviously if it is a pretty bit of embroidery it is from the fashion exhibition.

Sacrifice to Pan

1790

Dirk van der Aa

detail

A Satyr Embracing a Bacchante

1779

Pierre Duval

Sacrifice to Diana

detail

1790

Dirk van der Aa

detail

I am crazy for the hound.

African Venus

1841

Charles Cordier

There is a male companion to the Venus but he lacked her strength and powerful grace; she is quite a marvel.

dress and train

1845

Portugal

detail

This show-stopper is intended for my niece Grace, it is a crowd pleaser.

Gotta love black and gilt embroidery!

corset

1900

English

This is NOT intended for Gracie, nor the Belgium fetish bots (1900) in the background.

Grown up pleasures.

From courtesan to courtesan…

Queen Dido Receiving Aeneas on His Arrival at Carthage

detail

1740

Giambattista Crosato

suit

1780-85

French

Wild about the yallerish green with candy colored sparkle.

Man’s At- home Cap

1700-1750

Europe

If there was one object that I positively needed, it is this cap.

I am quite convinced my paintings would improve if this was part of my studio garb.

The Chinese Ambassador

1748

Jean Barbault

detail

Robe à la française

1740-60

Amsterdam

Turban

1911

Paul Poiret

This turban was worn by Poiret’s wife Denise for his legendary party of a century ago, The Thousand and Second Night. The hostess was dressed appropriately as the Queen of the Harem, from the looks of this beauty, Poiret’s fete trumped Capote’s Black & White handily.

Suit

1800

Europe

Somehow Ingres was to give even  the Blessed Virgin  a covetous appearance, here she is perusing the sacred vessels of the Holy Mass as if she were at the Neiman Marcus jewelry counter.

The Virgin with the Host

1860

Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres

Perhaps no other woman is more  often accused of breaking the 10th commandment then dear Marie, most famously (and incorrectly) said to desire  this bauble,

source

I was able to pay homage.

The author in the company of Vigée Le Brun’s portrait of the Queen.

I wish I had this vest when visiting the Queen, she would have enjoyed the pastoral theme.

detail

Vest

1785

French

In the end I am forced to cast aside wordly vanity and desire it produces; I must return to my far humbler studio, and like the Magdalen I hope to be the better person.

At least that is how I justify my situation.

The Magdalen Renouncing Her Worldly Goods

1650

attributed to Carlo Maratta

Wishing you a week rich in visual beauty.

Respectfully submitted,

Babylon Baroque

 

Marie Antoinette la Reine Martyre

Before we begin the frivolities of the weekend, I thought it important to remember that tomorrow, October 16th , at 12:15 p.m. marks the 217th anniversary of this great woman’s murder.

Recquiscat in Pace

Queen Marie Antoinette of France

b. 2nd November 1755

d. 16th October 1793, 12:15 pm

Daughter of Empress Maria Theresia of Austria and  Holy Roman Emperor Franz I. Stephan of Austria

ca. 1786

Elizabeth Vigée Le Brun

Art Institute, Detroit

(of all places)

There are two anniversaries on the annual calendar that  upon my ritual reading of the events causes my heart to ache. The first being the reading of the Passion , the second being the cruelties inflicted upon Marie Antoinette that October morning 1793. Faith and politics aside, both illustrate man’s ability to disregard humanity , particularly shocking when faced with another who has been reduced to abject wretchedness. My great hope is that I would rise above such base behavior, but even Peter found strength elusive.

I love this image of the Queen by Alexandre Kucharski (ca. 1791).

It expresses a great humanity, unlike so many of the “glamour” shoots which we are most familiar with.

The softness of her coloring, the luminous quality of her skin prompting Vigée Le Brun to comment that the Queen’s skin “so transparent that it allowed no shadow,”.

Source: Antonia Fraser

As much as I may admire the subtle humanity captured by Kucharsky, we have all fallen for her  royal public image.

Be it a formal court painting, inspiring reverence and awe,

or a fashion spread, few have been able to ignore her charms ; save for humorless republicans and godless anarchists.

To our very day, folks who share a love of glamour, romance, and style find inspiration in the Martyr Marie.

My dear friend Patrick Ediger of the design house French American has wittily designed a new fabric due out this winter.

It has been dubbed Queen of Pop, I am particularly attracted to the “chandelier” head dress.

Queen of Pop

French American

Winter 2010

click for detail.

As an aspiring artist I am particularly touched by Vigée Le Brun’s remembrance of an awkward moment before the Queen. After having cancelled a sitting with the Queen due to illness, Le Brun went to apologize the next day ;the Queen graciously cancelled her  own scheduled plans for an impromptu sitting. The Queen’s kindness caused Le Brun to fumble .

” I remember that, in my confusion and my eagerness to make a fitting response to her kind words,I opened my paint-box so excited that I spilled my brushes on the floor. I stooped down to pick them up. “Never mind, never mind,” said the Queen, and for aught I could say, she insisted on picking them all up herself…”. source

Le Brun, a favored and ridiculously prolific court painter, remained true to the memory of Her Majesty. Her allegiance complicated matters when the upstart Napoleon sat upon the republican throne.

Elizabeth Vigée Le Brun

b. 16th March 1755

d. 30th March 1842

If interested her fascinating memoir is easily downloaded.

In the early hours of October 16th 1793, Marie Antoinette demonstrated her courage and faith in a final letter to her sister-in law, Madame Elizabeth:

“October 16. 4:40 in the morning

I have just been condemned to death, not to a shameful death, that can only be for criminals, but in order to rejoin your brother. Innocent like him, I hope to demonstrate the same firmness as he did at the end. I am calm, as people are whose conscience is clear. My deepest regret is at having to abandon our poor children; you know that I only lived on for them and for you, my good and tender sister.”

source: Marie Antoinette, the Journey, Antonia Frazer, pg. 436

Denying the Queen the dignity of Widows Weeds, “Antoinette Capet”was forced to wear a common white dress. The trip to the guillotine was designed to be a trail of humiliation.

The Queen would defy their base intentions.

The hateful David took pleasure in depicting the Queen in her final humiliating moments. Her critics saw imperial Hapsburg haughtiness, justification for their cruel perversions; I see a woman of great breeding, brutally shorn of hair, a sad cap with a few black ribbons of morning, a body and spirit broken, forced to sit in a donkey cart. Willful hatefulness only elicited dignity from this great Queen.

Final sketch by the odious David.

Her breeding and innate kindness apparent even as she approached the blade. Having stepped upon her executioner’s foot, she instinctively apologized, ” I did not do it on purpose”.

For all of her perceived  “sins” that is perhaps a fitting response.

True to the Catholic faith , she chided the false priest Abbé Girard when he suggested she gather her courage.

This great Queen , daughter of the great Empress Maria Theresia did not require this traitor’s words of encouragement.

“Courage! The moment when my ills are going to end is not the moment when courage is going to fail me.”

Well put dear Queen.

Much of her reputation has been restored, aside from the tiresome”cake” references, many folks hold a tender place in their hearts for this unfortunate woman.

Her final resting spot, the Basilica of Saint-Denis.

source

So tomorrow, no matter what your time zone, a t 12:15 pm give a “shout-out ” to dear Marie Antoinette.

Viva la Reine!

Viva la Reine!

Viva la Reine!

Have a great weekend.

Respectfully submitted,

BabylonBaroque

image sources