INDEX	MEDIEVAL & RENAISSANCE	1600s	1700s	1800s	1900s	CROSS-ERA	ETHNO
	MISCELLANY				EARLY MUSIC	CONTACT	SEARCH

Geneviéve-Sophie le Coulteux du Molay, 1788

by Elisabeth Vigée-Lebrun

The lady illustrates a style typical of the last few years before the French Revolution: A certain style of manteau, derived from the robe à l'anglaise, indicative of a turn towards bourgeois ideals of simplicity and naturalness.

The hair, although still powdered, has a deceptively mussed-up look. The striped dress - very en vogue during those years - is bound with a soft ribbon sash that looks as though the lady had found an old scarf in a trunk. A fichu covers the oh so indecent low neckline that the oh so decadent older generation had favoured. The sleeves are long so as to coveras much flesh as possible.

The manteau features a wide collar copied from another "in" garment of the time, the rédingote (french-ised for riding coat) and is gathered back at the waist. The large hat marks a revival of ladies' hats which had not played any role during the whole century.

Content, layout and images of this page 
and any sub-page of the domains marquise.de, contouche.de, 
lumieres.de, manteau.de and costumebase.org are copyright (c) 1997-2007 by A. Bender. All rights
reserved. Reproduction prohibited - exceptions see Copyright Page.