Johann Baptist Lampi paints Elizabeth (1785) in her puffy, pearly, aqua ensemble. Yay or Nay?
[Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna]
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Yay or Nay? Duchess Elisabeth of Württemberg
It was another split down the middle last week, with a final outcome of NAY for the unfortunate Caroline of Brunswick. Interestingly, most of the complaints were do to the "Daisy the Cow" hat (thanks Paul) or just the fact that the outfit was a bit too simple for a princess; and we know how that has gotten Marie Antoinette into trouble! This week we will be judging a royal pupil of the great Herr Mozart. Could some of this court composer's fashion sense rub off on German-born Duchess? Let us see.
Johann Baptist Lampi paints Elizabeth (1785) in her puffy, pearly, aqua ensemble. Yay or Nay?
Johann Baptist Lampi paints Elizabeth (1785) in her puffy, pearly, aqua ensemble. Yay or Nay?
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Yay!
ReplyDeleteThe lady is a pretty triumph in turqouise. Lovely, thanks for posting!
Overall, yay. My only quibble is the sleeves. I would prefer them to be closer-fitting. As they are they're too full and give her arms too much bulk. But I adore the bodice and the color is lovely. And just the right touch of jewelry.
ReplyDeleteA yay overall, but those sleeves are terrible.
ReplyDeleteYay! I love the 18th century take on 17th century Rubenesque fashion. Historicism rocks!
ReplyDeleteAnd that colour is definitely not what I would call aqua!
I find the ruff and the sleeves together a little overdone, but nothing to harm the overall beauty of the outfit. However, the real thing I like about the dress is the color-- bright and unusual but not garish at all. A definate Yay!
ReplyDeletenay, but the fix would be simple.
ReplyDeleteSomehow the short puffy sleeves and the fluffy lace around the top just don't seem to go together. The sleeves might look all right without the collar, or vise versa.
Also, her hair looks lopsided, but that's probably just from the angle of her head.
not too sure about the hairstyle and feathers but an overall yay!
ReplyDeletei can just see her waltzing around the ballroom in that lovely dress, causing the blood of many a young gentleman rise.
Yay!
ReplyDeleteLove the colour, and I'm probably the only person who likes the sleeves.
Oh, well...
Yay! Nice outfit.
ReplyDeleteI agree she should have chosen, though; puffy sleeves and puffy collar at the same time are a little too much.
Interesting....Herr Mozart would undoubtedly want to view the wrists and forearms of the lady as he instructed her in the art of the pianoforte--- was this an unobtrusive act of seduction --- or artistic licence? as for the hair ---- "The Rape of the Lock" was being published around this time - is there a follicular suggestion in that towering mass of hair and feathers? (by the way - I say nay --- far to suggestive - the imagination and suspense are, shall we say, mortal?)
ReplyDeleteYay!!
ReplyDeleteI love the colour and the 'puffiness'.
The hairdo is enough to give one migraine. Mlle. herself, looks as if she would rather be somewhere else, doing something much more interesting than posing in a daft head dress.
ReplyDeleteAnd what's with the cushion, has she got an arm injury or is that little miss has to be depicted with her superior status objectified and signified by a red cushion.
It was a hard life, terribly tiresome all this portrait sitting stuff. Duchess of Dev must be fluttering green eyes at this bit of foreign society.
A 'Nay' for me and looking at the subject, probably for her, too.
I think it's a 'yay'. I have always loved that color, what I call French blue. Overall, like the lines of the dress - and this duchess has a lot of poise.
ReplyDeleteHeather, by the way, I'm at the High Point, NC furniture market right now and there is so much art and accessories that has that 18th Cent. feeling with a fun, modern twist. One I really liked had taken an old looking illustration of a couple walking in formal gardens in front of a grand manor, then blown it up really large, cut and framed it into about 16 small gold frames that were then hung in a grouping to tell the 'story' in a fragmented way. The perspective was high above as in old Japanese garden drawings, so the space between the couple in the lower left foreground and the manor in the upper right background was filled with images of boxwood paths, urns and fountains. So cool. That was just the tip of the iceburg. I know you and Lauren would have a blast here.
ReplyDeletePaul, are you allowed to take pictures?? If so I would love to see them. Maybe you could do a guest post for everyone about your finds!
ReplyDeleteYay! Though I wish she'd made better use of her beautiful turquoise color and added some peacock feather's into the mix! I think it would make a gorgeous addition to her hair :)
ReplyDeleteThough I love the color combination, I have to give it a Nay. The whole thing is too puffy and fussy, however with simpler sleeves and by firing that collar it would be lovely.
ReplyDeleteyay, of course!
ReplyDeleteI love it, everything about it! A big YAY from me. The lady is beautiful and that ensemble compliments her 100% and, as Paul says, she has poise....... however, I think she's just a bit too comfortable. Look at the arrangement of her legs....er, a bit unladylike. But that's the only grouch I've got.... and it's only a little one. :O)
ReplyDeleteYay! I love the ruffs!
ReplyDeleteYay! This is charming, and the sleeves are proportional and right for the overall look.
ReplyDeleteYay! That is a gorgeous dress, colour of it is very beautifull and the whole painting is well-painted of course! I find the sleeves quite funny actually :)
ReplyDeleteThe lace is a bit frivolous, but the color is stunning. YAY!
ReplyDeleteI'm coming to this a bit late, and I'm going to say "yay". I really like the colour.
ReplyDeleteHeather, I'd be honored to do a guest spot. A lot of them wouldn't let me take pictures for proprietary reasons [at market someone might be photographing your new items to knock them off] but I'll have their designer resource pics in just a couple of weeks, which are better photography anyway. Let me know if that'll work. I could make it a collage pic with a chair, lamp, picture that all show that 18th cheek and chic.
ReplyDeleteYay, even without being patriotic... Like the colour, the dress, even the hair...
ReplyDelete@Paul, Sounds good! I'll be looking forward to it (but take as much time as you need). I know I don't need to tell you to feel free to email me if you have any questions :)
ReplyDeleteA 'yay' despite the awful headress thing! Feathers do NOT aid the Mlle's otherwise lovely complexion and outfit. Yes - I like the sleeves. Please don't shoot me! However she doesn't need the cushion, not being injured, so she ought not play the damsel in distress!
ReplyDeleteYay!
ReplyDeleteMy only complaint is the hairstyle and feathers.