Adélaïde Labille-Guiard draws Maximilien Robespierre (1786) in his tailored black getup. Yay or Nay?
[Versailles]
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Yay or Nay? Robespierre
This happy crowd surprises me! Although many seemed on the fence, you also seemed to be in another generous mood and Mrs. Edmund Morton Pleydell was given a pass, or in our case, a Yay! Now before we sharpen our scythes let me preference this Yay or Nay with: remember we're looking at the fashion, keep politics out of it! Or at least just Yay or Nay the fashion, since I know it's impossible to keep politics out of it.
Adélaïde Labille-Guiard draws Maximilien Robespierre (1786) in his tailored black getup. Yay or Nay?
Adélaïde Labille-Guiard draws Maximilien Robespierre (1786) in his tailored black getup. Yay or Nay?
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I love this portrait of Robespierre. The only thing missing is his charming little dog, Brount. Yay.
ReplyDeleteYou're right, it is hard to keep the politics out of this one. Still, I have to say that all-over black is boring. Some variation in texture at least would have been better. The fuzzy hair doesn't help. Nay!
ReplyDeleteOoh this is a very tricky one with its background politics. Nonetheless it's a 'nay' from me because I don't like the heavy blackness of it, as Comtesse Olympe also said, and because his hair gives him a striking resemblance to the Spanish entry for last night's Eurovision (not that many of you would've seen it!)
ReplyDeleteNay. You can either go for all black and severe, or you can accept the fact that you look like a fluffy little lap dog and that nothing you can do is going to change it, and dress the part.
ReplyDeleteAnd frankly, I think he would have been much more effectively scary if he had dressed like a beloved but slightly mad bachelor uncle, or one of the early Doctor Who's stylists rather than trying to look like the man he was, but would never actually look like.
yay. mais oui, c'est formidable!
ReplyDeleteI'm agreeing with Comtesse on this one..it's hard to keep the politics out. I've seen all black done with better style, and I'm not a fan of the hair.
ReplyDeletenay.
Politics aside, Very smart! A big YAY from me.
ReplyDeleteThen again, I love black. Wear it all the time. At least until they come up with a darker color...
Take out the hair, and yay from me.
ReplyDeleteHe is not charming enough to pull the black. Nay
ReplyDeleteNay, and it isn't politics speaking... or perhaps in a way it is. That is to say, I don't like the severity of the look.
ReplyDeleteAnd I imagine if Robespierre wasn't the fellow he is, he wouldn't be dressed so severely.
oh i think he looks rather boring, there is not even a small pin, or broach that would add individuality and since he was so fond of wigs he could have chosen a better one with less fuzzy hair. Its a Nay from me
ReplyDeleteNay, and it IS politics speaking...........
ReplyDeleteNay, dare I say it, his linen looks limp and it looks like he slept in his clothes too. And the hair looks just plain goofy.
ReplyDeleteI have to go with yay. He looks very friendly in this portrait, doesn't he?
ReplyDeleteI would say nay. The thought is kind of there, but I agree with Cherylynn; the clothes would look better if they weren't so crumpled, and the wig is a no-no. It reminds me of Hugh Laurie's Prince Regent wig in Blackadder III!
ReplyDeleteWell the black certainly matches his disposition, that little twerp. But no politics. Is he going to a funeral? Spice it up a bit please. If he wants to go with the dark sophisticated look, I'd opt for a dark navy. NAY! Send it to the guillotine!!!
ReplyDeleteWell, I will try to keep olitics out of it ;)
ReplyDeleteI'm going to have to go with Nay for this one, as another commenter - Comtesse Olympe - said, the all black is rather boring.
Well I actually like everything in the portrait. I love these late style wigs from the period of ca. 1785-1800. He pulls the black on black formidable!
ReplyDeleteIt seems that all you 18th century lovers dream about enormous dresses and extreme wigs, and a kitschy Marie-Antoinette-Versailles with alot of colour and silk etc, whilst disliking the more simple yet elegant and less vulgar dresses towards the end of the century?
ReplyDeleteROBESPIERRE..THE PERFECT EPITOME OF LT. JAN DE BONE'T...SUSAN (VISION).
ReplyDelete