Sunday, June 12, 2011

Yay or Nay? Maria Theresa

Mrs. Turner's midnight blue gown met with a Yay although accessorizing it with the pink and white ruff choker did raise many eyebrows.  This week we will get out of the Colonies and evaluate the fashion decisions of a queen, nay, empress...if we dare.


Martin van Meytens paints Empress Maria Theresa (1744) in pink and lace. Yay or Nay?

[Ghent Town Hall]

20 comments:

  1. AnonymousJune 12, 2011 at 1:15 AM

    Nay, I greatly dislike all that lace upon her person, most especially the capelet. She looks like a cloud.

    ~Lylassandra

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  2. Talia FelixJune 12, 2011 at 3:46 AM

    How to put it nice... I find the dress better looking than I find her, and I think the portrait artist may have agreed hence spending so much time on all that detail. I vote yay for the dress.

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  3. RosemaryJune 12, 2011 at 4:05 AM

    It's borderline but, Nay. The dress has just got too much going on.

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  4. FeliciaJune 12, 2011 at 4:58 AM

    That brocade is just too busy and combined with the little lace cape... Too much. Nay.

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  5. OzorsanJune 12, 2011 at 5:07 AM

    Before I realised it was all lace, I thought she was covered in polystyrene balls. Imagine how easy her dress was to catch/tear on things. I feel very sorry for the maids who had to keep it clean. Nay.

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  6. UnknownJune 12, 2011 at 6:20 AM

    I'm with the majority. Too much lace and, bless her heart, she's just not that pretty, is she? No, but seriously... the dress is just too much. Something about that neckline...

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  7. cherylynnJune 12, 2011 at 9:06 AM

    Don't get me wrong, I LOVE lace but....I suppose if one were just lolling about the throne all day it would be fine...but really, the dress is a bit much. It fascinates me, though so, I'm not too sure what to say....I guess I'll give her a YAY because I can't stop staring at it.

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  8. Retro BlogJune 12, 2011 at 11:51 AM

    A somewhat reluctant Nay as I envision Belgian Lacemakers going blind to build the thing. Again the proportion of the arms seem off, do you suppose that is because the artist rendered the dress first and then had to make the body fit the dress?

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  9. nightsmusicJune 12, 2011 at 3:48 PM

    I'm torn. I do love lace, but this is a bit overdone. Couple that with the fact that except for a few dashes of white, the entire painting is a variation on salmon so once again, it becomes monochromatic, I'm forced to give it a reluctant nay.

    I'm seeing a trend here though. Those artists who used color freely seem to get more YAY's than those who don't.

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  10. Snickers MomJune 12, 2011 at 7:14 PM

    It would get a solid yay if it weren't for the capelet and the choker being made of lace, just too much. So, basically I'm on the fence.

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  11. CarrotsJune 12, 2011 at 7:32 PM

    Maria Theresa in white? Yay. This one, though....Nope. Sorry. To frou-frou. (Sp?)

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  12. LauraJune 12, 2011 at 8:51 PM

    I like it. The dress is beautiful but I don't think that color is very becoming on her.

    Does her left arm look out of proportion (too large) for her body to anyone else?

    Overall I like it, so yay! from me.

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  13. RebeccaJune 12, 2011 at 10:33 PM

    A big YAY! I can sometimes be girly and on this dress i'm just all fangirly. I love it! Just...in my opinion it should really be on a younger woman...

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  14. CareyJune 12, 2011 at 11:50 PM

    Nay, a little too much lace for me and I dont really like the sleeves.

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  15. EllaJune 14, 2011 at 6:21 AM

    Wow is that ever busy! Far too busy, like some unending maze for the eyes & not in a good way. Just because you can have that much lace on a dress doesn't mean you always should, a little less & IMO it would be a much nicer dress. It's a wonder the artist didn't go blind painting it. Nay.

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  16. AnonymousJune 14, 2011 at 3:39 PM

    Yay! This dress looks like a headache from the smaller icon, but when you look at a larger view you can take it all in and it looks beautiful - it would look even better in person (and on a different person, perhaps...)!

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  17. PatriciaJune 15, 2011 at 1:29 AM

    who dare say Nay to an Empress?
    Yay!

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  18. KareneeJune 15, 2011 at 3:17 AM

    Nay. The overall shape is unflattering, making her shoulders look far too broad. The lace is lovely, but good details don't compensate for the overall effect.

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  19. KatieJune 17, 2011 at 1:22 AM

    The Empress has an air about her that can carry off anything. If it were on ANYONE else, I would say, "Nay;" however, because the Empress Maria Theresa is wearing it, I must say, "Yay."

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  20. ...A...June 20, 2011 at 11:43 AM

    I am sincerely shocked... this got nays? Okay the darling did not have the looks of a supermodel but we are talking one of the most powerful women of the 18th century - for being that you got to show some sturdy posture.
    Honestly; I give it a yay. The fabric is good and the gown is well cut. She is really in high fashion of the 1740's, the cape-ish shawl-ish neckline border is perhaps a bit too much. But the way it is attached and the fact that all that lace has the value of three carriages...
    Got to love the pile of crowns on the pillow.
    Because of this I think I'm going to look into her portraits more. Resounding yay from me

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