Sunday, April 17, 2011

Yay or Nay? Lovisa Ulrika

The maternity-wear of Natalia Alexeievna set many people's sentimental hearts a-flutter.  The tartly and short-lived princess earned herself a Yay for the effort.  Well, I don't know about you but I can't help but be buzzing about a certain wedding this week.  You should all know how very difficult it is to find an era-appropriate portrait of a woman in her wedding gown!


Antoine Pesne's followers recreate the artist's 1744 painting of Lovisa Ulrika in what is thought to be her ivory wedding gown.  Yay or Nay?

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25 comments:

  1. Svea LoveApril 17, 2011 at 12:22 AM

    Yay, Yay, and Yay... did I mention Yay?

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  2. Nancy KelleyApril 17, 2011 at 12:57 AM

    Oh, definitely Yay! I love... well, I love the whole thing! What a gorgeous wedding dress.

    I'll bet the bridesmaid gowns were horrible though. ;)

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  3. RebeccaApril 17, 2011 at 1:12 AM

    Yay! it's a lovely gown. although, i'm not too sure about the royal blue blanket thing with the ivory dress. I think it clashes a little.

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  4. AdelaideApril 17, 2011 at 5:46 AM

    Beautiful,beautiful gown,beautiful hair,i would love to see some more liveliness thought.A yay from me:)

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  5. Anne BoleynApril 17, 2011 at 6:21 AM

    Oh, yay! I especially love the contrast of the blue.

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  6. janicebApril 17, 2011 at 6:59 AM

    Very, very, very yay!

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  7. KatApril 17, 2011 at 8:07 AM

    Wow, this is elegant! Yay!

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  8. PlumApril 17, 2011 at 10:14 AM

    very elegant, though i think i would have accessorized more! >:D

    big yay

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  9. AnonymousApril 17, 2011 at 1:52 PM

    Yay, ofcourse!

    I've seen other portraits of Lovisa Ulrika in this dress...

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  10. CarameaApril 17, 2011 at 3:02 PM

    YAY!

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  11. nightsmusicApril 17, 2011 at 3:27 PM

    Yay, because it's gorgeous and rich looking and just exactly something befitting a royal wedding gown.

    I think I might have finally figured out what bothers me about so many of these types of paintings though. Did none of these women have any decolletage? Or was it a huge no-no to paint? I mean, they all look like they have no boobs! Like the body area between their neck and the neckline of the gown is overly flat and uncomplimentary. Maybe it's me, but I really think that's one of the things that has so bothered me about all of these.

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  12. CherylynnApril 17, 2011 at 3:41 PM

    Awesome dress! That said, it could do with some accessories like a choker and perhaps some cleavage? A big yay if I assume we caught her in the midst of getting ready.

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  13. KtbeelApril 17, 2011 at 10:24 PM

    Yay, although she could definitely use some jewelry. Her neck and upper chest are way too bare. I also generally don't care for bodices that are too conical in shape, but the dress itself is lovely, so yay.

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  14. Miss HonetteApril 17, 2011 at 10:28 PM

    I'm loving the beautiful pearl color and it's elegant simplicity.
    A thousand times YAY!!

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  15. HeidenkindApril 18, 2011 at 12:16 AM

    Well, her expression is kind of odd, and I'm not sure about the tassel on her waist (what is up with that? why would that ever be a good idea?), but I do like the blue cloak. I think as a wedding it's kind of romantic, so yay.

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  16. IsisApril 18, 2011 at 1:17 PM

    There are very similar portraits were she has more jewelry, like this (rather bad copy):

    http://carlotta.gotlib.goteborg.se/zoom/532/GM_19405_bild1.jpg

    The groom wore a rather lovely suit in silver fabric.

    I think the tassel is part of how the very long train was attached to the gown.

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  17. Heather CarrollApril 18, 2011 at 5:16 PM

    I hadn't seen that one, thank you!

    Originally I wanted to use this version http://tinyurl.com/4xlzsya but it looks so awful it would not be fair to judge. But yes, she wears jewelery in that more original version! I love the choker in it!

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  18. Margravine LouisaApril 18, 2011 at 7:04 PM

    yay (and not just because my name is Lovisa in German)

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  19. AileenApril 18, 2011 at 9:42 PM

    Yay, but I wish someone had adorned that wide expanse of creamy neck and bosom with a strand of pearls or the like.

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  20. CarrotsApril 19, 2011 at 12:06 AM

    Absolutely, for sure, no question about it, YAY YAY YAY!! This is the most I've like one in a long time. Beautiful!

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  21. UnknownApril 19, 2011 at 2:06 PM

    Definite yay. I'm not even sure why I like it so much, but something about it just makes her look so classy and so pretty. It's just a great, 18th century wedding dress.

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  22. HesterApril 19, 2011 at 3:11 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  23. HesterApril 19, 2011 at 3:12 PM

    I love those pearls she wears in her hair. Certainly a big Yay!

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  24. EllaApril 20, 2011 at 12:56 PM

    Yay, the dress is beautiful!

    I agree with night music, that's been bothering me too.

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  25. AnonymousApril 22, 2011 at 12:33 PM

    I know of more paintings showing Lovisa Ulrika in - "what is thought to be" - her wedding gown. Since Isis linked one more version, let me do the same...

    1. Miniature painting, by unknown, Nationalmuseum: http://webart.nationalmuseum.se/work/imageresize.aspx?id=28535&size=0

    2.Oil on canvas, by Antoine Pesne, Nationalmuseum: http://webart.nationalmuseum.se/work/imageresize.aspx?id=39362&size=0

    3. Oil on canvas, by Antoine Pesne - his atelier, Nationalmuseum: http://webart.nationalmuseum.se/work/imageresize.aspx?id=14985&size=0

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