All posts filed under: 18th Century

Does anyone know the subject/date/artist of this painting?

It’s turned up a couple of times on the icanhascheezburger network, but of course, they don’t provide any background information on the artwork. It’s clearly mid-late 18th century, and she is clearly an important royal, but other than that I’m at a loss. I feel I have seen it before, but I can’t quite place where. The outfit is fascinating and I’d love to be able to research it a bit further. The elaborately decorated skirt (is it painted or embroidered?), the portrait on her wrist, the fichu at the neckline – so many pretty details begging to be seen and examined! Any information is much appreciated!

A sweet Mother-in-law story

Published by The Dreamstress

While posting about French Queens and the fleur de lys I came across this lovely story about the relationship between Maria LeszczyÅ„ska, and her daughter in law, the Dauphine Maria Josepha of Saxony. Maria L was very close to the first wife of the Dauphin, Marie TherÃ¨se RaphaÃ«lle, and was distraught when she died. This did not bode well for potential MIL-DIL relationships during the Dauphin’s second marriage To Maria Josepha (after all, who wants to be compared to the beautiful, sweet, pious, beloved first wife all the time!), and circumstances conspired to make Maria Josepha’s position even less promising. First, the marriage had been strongly supported by Louis XV’s mistress, Madame de Pompadour, and the catty Versaille courtiers took every opportunity to remind Maria L how humiliating it was that her eldest son’s marriage was arranged by her husband’s powerful mistress. To make matters worse, Maria Josepha was the granddaughter of Augustus II of Saxony, who had dethroned Maria L’s father, StanisÅ‚aw LeszczyÅ„ski, from the throne of Poland, causing Maria L a very stressful, …

French queens and the fleur de lys — part 3

Published by The Dreamstress

I left you a few days ago with Marie LeszczyÅ„ska and her many, many portraits featuring the fleur de lys. Maria may not be remembered as a trendsetter in the same way that her husbands most famous mistress, Madame de Pompadour is, but she had an effect of her own. Her infatuation with the fleur de lys robes was such that her daughter, Elisabeth of France, was also portrayed in them in two occasions. Marie LeszczyÅ„ska was close with all her children, and was lucky enough to have loving relationships with both of the wives of the Dauphine Louis. Before her tragic early death, Louis first wife, the Infanta Maria Teresa Rafaela of Spain was painted in the fleur de lys robes: After Maria Teresa’s death, Louis married Maria Josepha of Saxony. One would think this would have resulted in a disastrous daughter in law-mother in law relationship, as Maria J’s father had dethroned Marie L’s father, causing Marie L a very stressful childhood. In fact, the French court viewed the marriage (partly arranged by …