DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.22262#0045
SANDRA L. ROSENBAUM
Los Angeles County Museum of Art
IMAGES OF FASHION: AN IMAGE OF FRANCE
IN THE LATE SEYENTEENTH CENTURY
This paper developed from a statement in the introduction to the catalogue for the
exhibition Leonardo Da Vinci and the Splendours ofPoland where it was noted that
King John III Sobieski built a spectacular palące at Wilanów (1677-1696) intended
to rival Louis XIV's palące at Yersailles1. This is an example of the commonly ac-
cepted fact that in the second half of the seventeenth century, almost every court
in the western world measured itself against the standard set by the court of Louis
XIV. That dominance of the French style is reinforced by Antoine Furetiere who
wrote in The Unwersal Dictionary, 1690: 'Under the reign of Louis XIV, fashion, in
particular the manner of dress, foliows the court. The French change style every day.
Foreigners follow French fashion with the exception of the Spanish, who never
change their style.'
What was this French standard, and how did it become so influential? These ques-
tions will be explored using a new acąuisition at the Los Angeles County Museum
of Art as the primary focal point, a folio of 190 French engravings, dating between
1678 and 1693, bound in 1703, and illustrating fashionable dress during the period
when Louis XIV was at the height of his influence (and Wilanów was being built).
The engravings were issued under the auspices of the king by several of the well-
known engraver-publishers of the period, such as: the family Bonnart, Nicolas
Arnoult, Jean Dieu de St. Jean, Jean Berain, and Jacąues Le Pautre.2
Since the prints were originally issued as single sheets, each collection that exists is
uniąue. A cross section of contents of this specific collection shows that it represents
1 Winters, L. (ed.), Leonardo Da Vinci and the Splendours ofPoland: A History of Collect-
ing and Patronage. New Haven and London 2002, p.19.
2 Henri Bonnart, father (France, 1642-1682); Nicolas Bonnart (France, 1627-1717);
Henri Bonnart (France, 1642-1711); Robert Bonnart (France, 1652-unknown); Jean
Baptiste Bonnart (France, 1654-1726); Nicolas Arnoult (France, 1671-1700); Jean Dieu
de Saint-Jean (France, 1675-1695); Jean Berain (France, 1637/40-1711); Jacąues Le
Pautre (France, 1618-1682).
43
Los Angeles County Museum of Art
IMAGES OF FASHION: AN IMAGE OF FRANCE
IN THE LATE SEYENTEENTH CENTURY
This paper developed from a statement in the introduction to the catalogue for the
exhibition Leonardo Da Vinci and the Splendours ofPoland where it was noted that
King John III Sobieski built a spectacular palące at Wilanów (1677-1696) intended
to rival Louis XIV's palące at Yersailles1. This is an example of the commonly ac-
cepted fact that in the second half of the seventeenth century, almost every court
in the western world measured itself against the standard set by the court of Louis
XIV. That dominance of the French style is reinforced by Antoine Furetiere who
wrote in The Unwersal Dictionary, 1690: 'Under the reign of Louis XIV, fashion, in
particular the manner of dress, foliows the court. The French change style every day.
Foreigners follow French fashion with the exception of the Spanish, who never
change their style.'
What was this French standard, and how did it become so influential? These ques-
tions will be explored using a new acąuisition at the Los Angeles County Museum
of Art as the primary focal point, a folio of 190 French engravings, dating between
1678 and 1693, bound in 1703, and illustrating fashionable dress during the period
when Louis XIV was at the height of his influence (and Wilanów was being built).
The engravings were issued under the auspices of the king by several of the well-
known engraver-publishers of the period, such as: the family Bonnart, Nicolas
Arnoult, Jean Dieu de St. Jean, Jean Berain, and Jacąues Le Pautre.2
Since the prints were originally issued as single sheets, each collection that exists is
uniąue. A cross section of contents of this specific collection shows that it represents
1 Winters, L. (ed.), Leonardo Da Vinci and the Splendours ofPoland: A History of Collect-
ing and Patronage. New Haven and London 2002, p.19.
2 Henri Bonnart, father (France, 1642-1682); Nicolas Bonnart (France, 1627-1717);
Henri Bonnart (France, 1642-1711); Robert Bonnart (France, 1652-unknown); Jean
Baptiste Bonnart (France, 1654-1726); Nicolas Arnoult (France, 1671-1700); Jean Dieu
de Saint-Jean (France, 1675-1695); Jean Berain (France, 1637/40-1711); Jacąues Le
Pautre (France, 1618-1682).
43