The Ornamented Being
Ornamented: -verb: Adorn; beautify. Be·ing: -noun: Fulfillment of possibilities; essential completeness.
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After much debate I am pleased to announce that I will be attending the Regency Ball held during the Jane Austen festival in Bath on the 23rd of September.
I have started a mood board of ideas but they mostly revolve around gold and ivory. These are just a few of my favorite inspiration pieces.
The first is a detail of the Napoleon cameo in a portrait of Josephine. The next photo is the entire painting of Josephine by Andrea Appiani.
I am very inspired by the gown worn in the portrait of Elisabeth Alexeievna by Jean-Laurent Mosnier, 1802 Russia and by Catharina of Württemberg, 1807.
What are your favorite paintings from this period?
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Empress Josephine’s bedroom at Malmaison
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“I wake filled with thoughts of you. Your portrait and the intoxicating evening which we spent yesterday have left my senses in turmoil. Sweet, incomparable Josephine, what a strange effect you have on my heart!” he writes to Josephine in 1795.
“Until then, mio dolce amor, a thousand kisses. But give me none in return, for they set my blood on fire,” the conqueror of Europe ends his letter, conceding defeat in the face of passion.
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” … and even her white satin slippers had a golden bee embroidered on each toe, surmounted by a cluster of gilt bobbin lace.”“
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“Désirée was a romantic figure involved with two opposite characters: one as Emperor of France with an eternal search for wars and glory, and a king, uncertain sometimes about his capacities, with the necessity of a beloved queen besides him…”
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Empress Josephine Tiara
“This diamond tiara was created by Fabergé c. 1890. The stunning briolette diamonds were a gift from Tsar Alexander I given to the Empress Josephine after she was divorced from Napoleon Bonaparte. This piece is one of only a few tiaras ever made by Fabergé.”
Here is another article with the price it sold for: ”A diamond tiara, made by Fabergé in 1895, went for £1.05 million to an anonymous buyer at Christie’s in London. It was among £1.7 million of jewellery sold by Princess Maria Gabriella of Savoy, 67, the daughter of the last King of Italy, Umberto II. The centrepiece was the tiara known as the Empress Josephine tiara because it contains pear-shaped or teardrop diamonds given by Tsar Alexander I to the Empress Josephine. It was estimated to fetch £390,000.”
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Oh dear… it looks like another one escaped the queue!
The Diadem of Empress Josephine (1804)
“Made for the coronation of Empress Josephine in December 1804, this magnificent piece is fully set with diamonds and is reputed to have been one of her favourite pieces of jewellery. In 1887 the French Republic decided to hold a major sale of its treasures and this tiara was purchased by the New York firm of Van Cleef and Aspels, in whose possession it remains today.At the coronation ceremony in Notre Dame Cathedral Napoleon took on a throne at the right of the altar , with Josephine on a smaller throne five steps below.* After crowning himself, Napoleon returned to the altar and took up the crown for Josephine. As he held this over his own head he stated that he was crowning Josephine as his wife, not by her own right.** This is the moment illustrated in David’s famous painting of the coronation.”
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Another Musée Châteaux Malmaison dress that belonged to Josephine.
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This is an example of Empire chemise chemise worn by Empress Joséphine with scoop neckline and lace-fringed hem.
Josephine’s chemise, cambric embroidery, lace (Châteaux de Malmaison et Bois-Préau, Malmaison France)
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These are the kinds of shoes Joséphine and other Ladies wore for their formal portraits like this one.
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Slippers possibly worn by the Empress Josephine at her coronation, December 2,1804. - Musee de la mode et du textile, Paris
Look at the bumblebees embroidered on the tip of the slippers!
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Court dress belonging to the Empress Josephine. After 1810, Musee de Malmaison
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Empress Josephine’s Emerald and diamond tiara
