Gilbert Stuart paints Matilda Stoughton de Jaudenes (1794) in her very plant-like attire complete with spangles, ruffles, feathers, bangles, sparkles, and feathers. Yay or Nay?
[Metropolitan Museum of Art]
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Yay or Nay? Matilda Stoughton de Jaudenes
Last week we had quite the conundrum of masquerade dress. I thoroughly enjoyed Alisa's comment about how the mixing of too many beautiful themes creates an ugly outcome. It seems as though many felt the same way and Jekaterina Samojłowa was given a Nay, although, to her credit, not an overwhelming one. This week I will deliver you from the poofs which plagued you!
Gilbert Stuart paints Matilda Stoughton de Jaudenes (1794) in her very plant-like attire complete with spangles, ruffles, feathers, bangles, sparkles, and feathers. Yay or Nay?
Gilbert Stuart paints Matilda Stoughton de Jaudenes (1794) in her very plant-like attire complete with spangles, ruffles, feathers, bangles, sparkles, and feathers. Yay or Nay?
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She looks ill at ease and tense, like: "My hat...has my hat moved? No? Good. Are you sure?"
ReplyDeleteI think the lady should have gone all the way with bigger hair. Im serious. It might have bolstered her confidence enough to have pulled off this ensemble.
So- From the neck down: Yea. Its flamboyant, but hey...
From the neck up: Nay. The hat is an insult.
I totally agree with Brigid : it's yay from the neck down and nay from the neck up. This hat is ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteI have a photograph of myself looking EXACTLY like this.
ReplyDeleteYou know how it happened? I was wearing a perfectly nice party dress, and then a group of 5-8 year old girls got ahold of me and decided to 'dress me up'. I ended up with every one of their hairbows in my hair, random sundry necklaces and bracelets draped all over me, and a princess tiara on steroids perched on top of it all.
So...I'm going to say Yay. Just because you can see a gorgeous outfit under the hat and plethora of brooches, and because I have to hugely admire anyone who would get their portrait painted AFTER a dozen little princess ballerinas in training dressed them up.
Also, in it's own weird way, the crown of feathers is AWESOME. I want one for me!
Whoa...that is a busy picture! The hat just sends it over the top! Definite NAY!
ReplyDeleteI'm with the neck up nay, neck down yay crew! The gown is lovely and I particularly like the sash as it reminds me of some Ottoman-inspired outfits I've seen.
ReplyDeletevery charming and genteel indeed so an enormous Yay from me!
ReplyDeleteshe looks divine!
Oooo, that hat is a nay...indeed, she needs to fire her makeup artist, she looks hot, flustered and sick.
ReplyDeleteEverything I want to say has been said. The hat's gotta go, but I love the dress. A tentative Yay...
ReplyDeleteI love the fabric, very tasteful, and the little hint of exoticism. I have to agree with the other ladies: The hat is quite ugly. But the dress wins. Yay!
ReplyDeleteOh and, thanks for the mention. *blush*
ReplyDeleteThat was the picture I meant to compare the last dress to:
http://digitalcollections.library.yale.edu/1000/1794198.jpe
Nay. It's just too much of a mish-mash of stuff, the hat is hideous, and she doesn't look happy!
ReplyDeletethe dress is a Yay because the face and wig is most certainly a Nay.
ReplyDeleteWhat was she thinking? That hat is really bad. The dress isn't even that pretty. I would, still, give it a yes if she wasn't wearing that hat. But she is so it's a huge NAY!
ReplyDeleteShe can't pull off a big hat like G can!
I love it, even the hat. The embroidery is to die for. Yay!
ReplyDeleteI dont neccesarily like the dress but i dont hate it. The front would be my favourite part. But what the heck is on her head??? Nay.
ReplyDeleteI have no qualms with the hat, but I don't like the flowers on her wig. She is over-accessorized to say the least. I give a "Yay" overall, because I would very much like the whole thing if she just dropped some of the baubles.
ReplyDeleteThe hat is a bit much, to say the least, but the dress is exquisite. Beautiful colors and embroidery. Gorgeous. So basically Yay.
ReplyDeleteI like it! Yes, it's stiff, and yes, she does in fact look like she is trying very hard to look natural (and, naturally, failing), but I like it. The colors are restful, and the books show that she is an intellectual (which would explain the ghastly expression - everybody knows smart people can't look happy!). The fabric is nice, and I particularly liked the bracelet with the rather large stone on her wrist. One question though: what on earth is the red thing on the skirt?
ReplyDeleteI'm with Brigid on this one.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Brigid and the others who've joined the "yay to the dress but nay to the hat" team. The busy-ness would be removed if she did so with the hhat
ReplyDeleteI love the dress itself, particularly the fabric and the cut, but the hat is just foolish. A reluctant yay.
ReplyDeleteI'd say yay if it weren't for that hat. I must make a note of it though -- it's exactly the kind of ghastly thing costume shops try to give you with a fake 18th century gown. At last, evidence of truth! Score one, vile costume shops.
ReplyDeleteI'm really sorry I'm writing even some months too late,but when I discoverd first time this portrait I suddenly remembered something like... oh my god,my hair is looking lke a flowerbed... :D
ReplyDelete