Re: François Boucher (1703-1770), Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson, Marquise de Pompadour at Her Toilette, 1758, oil on canvas, Fogg Art Museum, Cambridge Mass. Throughout history, cosmetics have not just played an important role in customary beauty standards. Cosmetics have also been used as a communicable tool to assert power, class, and prestige. The practice of making up the body and face with cosmetics, has historically played a role in the caliber of one’s political and social standing in society. Studying art history, the understanding of such practices can be examined through the furnishing, décor, and paintings of a given time period. During the eighteenth century in France for example, “the use of cosmetics, marked the matter as one of considerable portent, for at the court of King Louis XV, to paint or ‘illuminate’ the face was much more than a beautifying ritual: it was a symbolic practice; intimately bound up with court politics (1).” François Boucher’s portrait of Madame de Pompadour is a quintessential representation of the use of cosmetics during eighteenth century France. François Boucher (1703-1770), Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson, Marquise de Pompadour at Her Toilette, 1758, oil on canvas, Fogg Art Museum, Cambridge Mass. This entire painting captures the essence of the Rococo style during eighteenth century France, which was the idea that painting and making of art was a form of makeup itself. A viewer of this painting is able to experience the ritual of the toilette, with one of the most well-known women of 18th century France, The Marquise de Pompadour. In this painting, François Boucher is able to capture the self-indulgent spectacle of making up oneself with exquisite detail. Starting with the immaculate and carefully pinned hair curls that are effortlessly placed and adorned with a delicate bushel of blue flowers. The softness on the hair transcends down to the soft, matte, porcelain like complexion of Madame de Pompadour. Her milky white face is interrupted by a vibrant pink powder, which carve her cheeks in to perfect roundels. She faces opposite a mirror, "One hand holds an open box of rouge, the other daintily clasps a cosmetic brush, loaded with color and poised for application to her cheeks.” The entire painting oozes with lush frivolity. “The portrait of Pompadour in the act of performing her toilette is more than a traditional homage to her beauty (2).” While Madame de Pompadour may portray ideal beauty of the time in this portrait, she is also declaring her social and political importance through the ritual of the toilette. The following video made by Khan Academy (3), provides further insight into this portrait of Madame de Pompadour. It also includes segmented details of the painting allowing close observation. Madame de Pompadour, “played an important political role, first as a royal mistress, then friend and advisor to King Louis XV (4).” The Marquise de Pompadour was much more than her official title as the King’s mistress. She had great admiration for the decorative arts, and her standing in the king’s court allowed her to become a dominating influence on the aristocratic Rococo style. The Marquise also became a crucial patron of the arts and literature (5) of eighteenth century France. Perhaps her most important patronage was to François Boucher, “the archetypal painter of the French Rococo style (6).” Unlike a typical portrait, the objective of this portrait of Madame de Pompadour is not to capture the essence of her personality or the expression on her face, but to capture the way in which she wanted to portray herself to members of the aristocracy and bourgeois. Starting with the setting of the painting, the choice to portray herself at her toilette indicates that Madame de Pompadour wanted to show that she was a woman of importance. Historically, “The toilette, was a daily ceremony in which important persons were dressed (including hair styled and cosmetics applied) before a select audience (7).” The ritual of the toilette, was created by King Louis XIV and is associated with royalty, and the aristocracy. The choice to have herself depicted at her toilette indicates the desire Madame de Pompadour had to declare her social and political importance, within the aristocracy. The cosmetics that are seen in this painting are specific to the aristocracy at the time. The makeup that Madame de Pompadour can be seen wearing was not intended to look natural. During the eighteenth-century makeup was usually referred to as paint. The heavily made up face was used, “to represent one’s aristocratic identity as declaratively as possible through cosmetic artifice (8).” Members of the aristocracy showed their respectability and class through porcelain white skin and the heavy application of rouge. This heavy application of makeup or ‘paint’ was considered more respectable than naturally light skin. Madame de Pompadour is not only depicted with this symbolic artifice, but perhaps is claiming an even higher social ranking by having herself painted with a makeup brush and box of rouge in her hands. Seeing this as a viewer, we question whether she has just applied the desired amount of rouge to her face, or we wonder whether or not she is making a bolder claim and is about to apply even more rouge to her face. Both Pompadour and Boucher were able to work together to create an image of the Marquise that would represent and announce her important role in the eighteenth-century French aristocracy. The unequivocal choices made in this portrait demonstrate the way in which cosmetics were observed and practiced, and how that was representative of the person’s level of class, as well as their political and social significance within the aristocracy. The use of cosmetics as a tool to represent ones’ political and social importance, can been see in several other portraits. There are more depictions of Madame de Pompadour (slide one) decorated with this type of makeup, as well as portraits of other historically significant women including: Marie Antoinette (slide two) and Sophie de France (slide three). The use of makeup as a political and social tool has continued throughout beauty trends and standards up until 2017. The use of makeup today, is often used to establish one’s wealth, sophistication, or power within society. The use of cosmetics is available now to more than just the top of the social hierarchy. Today the production and consumption of cosmetics has created a billion-dollar industry. The ritual of the toilette is also something that has carried on to present day beauty trends. It’s common practice to have notable people, like celebrities have a team of people to assist them in their hair and makeup. The use of makeup as a tool to assert sophistication and power can be seen in the image of former First Lady of the United States of America, Michelle Obama. Many modern-day celebrities employ their own ‘glam teams’ which is the modern-day example of the toilette ritual. The second image shows celebrity Kim Kardashian with a team of people doing her hair and makeup. Throughout history, cosmetics have also been used to assist in the idealization of the face in efforts to meet desired standards of beauty. In eighteenth-century France, cosmetics were not only used to declare class affiliation, but to achieve idealized beauty. In France, “whiteness, softness, and smoothness of the skin were crucial factors in the creation of beauty (9).” “In an age when smallpox and other diseases often left disfiguring marks on the face, a good complexion was highly prized (10).” Even though the application of makeup during this time appeared unnatural, the makeup used during this time was used in attempt to make one appear healthy. The highly pigmented white powder and rouge were used to make, “rough skin smooth, remove freckles, warts, and scars, and whiten the skin.” It was important for members of the French aristocracy to appear idealized. The use of cosmetics was so valued within the members of the aristocracy because it not only proved their social and political success, but showed an idealized version of themselves by covering any scars or blemishes from disease. At the time of Boucher’s portrait of Madame de Pompadour she had several health issues as well that caused her skin to appear damaged and worn. Pompadour choice to have herself portrayed with such heavy makeup to conceal the fact that she was ill. The idea of using makeup to conceal ones’ blemishes to appear well kept and healthy is an idea that has been consistent throughout the use and application of makeup. In 2017, cosmetics play a pivotal role in the way in which we conceptualize and understand beauty. The attraction and desire for flawless, smooth skin is something that is still idealized today. In contrast to white powder and rouge, today a common beauty practice is to use makeup in a way that contours and highlights the skin, in efforts to achieve a ‘healthy, sun-kissed glow.’ Examples of this modern-day beauty trend can be seen on singer Jennifer Lopez and the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, who both have contoured and highlighted faces, making their skin appear healthy and glowing. The video below shows makeup artist Wendy Rowe of Vogue Magazine giving a makeup tutorial on how to achieve a sun-kissed glow without going outdoors. The popularity of cosmetics would not be what it is today if cosmetics were not used and endorsed by people of high social status and influence. From Madame de Pompadour and eighteenth century rouge, to Kim Kardashian and twenty-first century contour kits, the use of cosmetics has continuously been used as a tool to signify beauty, class, sophistication, and power.
--- (1) Melissa Hyde. Page 453. “The ‘Makeup’ of the Marquise: Boucher’s portrait of Pompadour at Her Toilette” The Art Bulletin 82, no. 3 (2000) (2) Imbid,. 453. (3)"Boucher, Madame De Pompadour." Khan Academy. Accessed May 09, 2017. https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/monarchy-enlightenment/rococo/v/boucher-madame-de-pompadour-1750. (4) "Official Website." Palace of Versailles. May 02, 2017. Accessed May 09, 2017. http://en.chateauversailles.fr/. (5) Madame De Pompadour. Accessed May 09, 2017. http://departments.kings.edu/womens_history/pompadou.html. (6) Jones, Jonathan. "Madame De Pompadour, François Boucher (1759)." The Guardian. September 08, 2001. Accessed May 09, 2017. https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2001/sep/08/art. (7) "Women’s Hairstyles & Cosmetics of the 18th Century: France & England, 1750-1790." Démodé. Accessed May 09, 2017. http://demodecouture.com/hairstyles-cosmetics-18th-century/. (8) Melissa Hyde. Page 458. “The ‘Makeup’ of the Marquise: Boucher’s portrait of Pompadour at Her Toilette” The Art Bulletin 82, no. 3 (2000) [1] Caroline Palmer. Page 204. “Brazen Cheek: Face-Painters (9) Caroline Palmer. Page 204. “Brazen Cheek: Face-Painters in Late Eighteenth-Century England” Oxford Art Journal, Vol. 31, No. 2 (2008) (10) Imbid., 204.
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