Portrait Studies:
Mdm Maisonnet by Liotard – 1755
We always meant to put up some of the images that just capture the attention when we do our research; really study into them and list what’s seen. This particular artist is always cropping up and Jean-Ettiene Liotard had a true ability to capture a certain realness from his sitters.
We’ve only made a quick list, but it’s amazing what can get spotted even from doing something quickly!
Mdm Jean-Louis Maisonnet:
Details:
– Cap with lappet pinned under chin with what looks like white worked decoration.
– Blue ribbon having a hint of being not just decorational but functional in possibly helping hold the cap on.
– Her sack back has double robings which are very wide robings.
– She looks as if she has a laced front but made from the self fabric as the dress and laced in a method of straight lacing. Don’t know what the buttons are – it could be that it’s a slightly deceiving view and that the buttons are in fact CF, or that they are a detail or method of holding down what the lacings look to be doing. Hmm….who knows.
– She wears her neck cloth pulled taut over the top of her bodice and then neatly and flatly tucked in to a lower lacing bar.
– Her sleeves are a lot less wide and baggy than other dresses from a similar period and represent the slow shift to a neater, more fitting sack back gown.
– We know it’s rather obvious but the colour of her gown is a pale blue.
– She also is wearing her hair tied back and natural and is not wearing any noticeable make up. We thought in France they were always in rouge!
