In the footsteps of Gabrielle: the Queen's Bedchamber
The prior post in this series had my heroine presented to Marie-Antoinette. Gabrielle is now part of the Court, though she has not been offered any official position there (yet.)
As a presented lady, Gabrielle is admitted to the Queen's Bedchamber. This room, like the Salon of the Nobles, looks very much as it did in Marie-Antoinette's time. You can see, against the back wall, the monumental jewelry case she ordered. On the mantel, a bust of the Queen. Above the mirror, a portrait of Joseph II, her brother. Portraits of Louis XVI and Empress Maria Theresa (not visible here) also decorate the room.
The hangings and drapes in this picture were also ordered by Marie-Antoinette for the summer decoration of her bedchamber. They would have been replaced by another set, in a different pattern, in winter.
Now for Gabrielle's remembrances:
During the spring and summer of
1787, the Duchess and I returned to Versailles on a few Sundays. Neither of us
found much pleasure in those outings, and I in particular could not go there
without mortifying memories intruding upon my mind. We avoided the Queen’s
gaming salon and never stayed overnight. The Duchess nevertheless pointed out
that, in my situation, I needed to meet as many people as possible and would be
unwise to shun the Court altogether.
We would wait amongst a crowd of other ladies in the Salon of the Nobles, the green room where I had been presented. At noon, the doors to the Queen’s Bedchamber flew open. As in the King’s apartment, a balustrade divided the room into two areas, one for the giant gilded bed, draped in heavy silks embroidered with flowers, peacock feathers and lilac branches, and the other for the Queen to greet her visitors. We seldom stayed more than a few moments, for many other ladies, their huge paniers pressing against our own, awaited their chance to be noticed by the Queen. We soon retreated to the Salon of the Nobles.
Categories: historical fiction,Gabrielle de Montserrat,Versailles,Marie Antoinette,18th century life,Mistress of the Revolution
Tags: Mistress of the Revolution historical fiction Versailles Gabrielle de Montserrat 18th century life Marie Antoinette
ma chere Catherine,
did she really sleep in this room? i just can't imagine it. it looks more like a living room or a place to entertain but to relax or to have privacy etc, i just can't imagine it. but then i was raised in simplicity.
it is so different but then she was royalty.
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Ma Chere Penny - Yes, Marie-Antoinette did sleep in this room most of the time, though she preferred her delightful bedroom at Trianon.
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Dear Miss Delors
I just found this blog while searching for Marie-Antoinnete dresses picture... I was amazed by her dressing style then I saw this bedchamber and rethink whether those times of France monarchy is so overwhelmed with prestige-- what a marvelous living hood. I just want to order a dress which is having the upper style of her dress (not the bottom for sure since it doesn't suit me at this epoch haha (^_^)--) but hopefully the beauty of the queen still remains. I'm just lil bit obsessed to her lately.. thx for sharing those stuff with us--by the way, I hardly can find your book here in my town (Bandung, west Java)
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Dear Sherly - You are my first would-be reader from West Java, at least the first one I know of!
Please come back to the blog next week. I am working on a post dedicated to court dresses in the 18th century, with many pictures. This should give you ideas for the bodice.
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I just want to order a dress which is having the upper style of her dress (not the bottom for sure since it doesn't suit me at this epoch haha (^_^)--) but hopefully the beauty of the queen still remains. I'm just lil bit obsessed to her lately.. nice post thank you.
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Oh! I would like to be in that crowd of ladies in the queen's bedroom, even as her maid
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great photograph
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ma chere Catherine,
I'm confused, I am reading Evelyne Lever's book on Pompadour and she talks about Louis XV having another bedroom he actually slept in after the public saw him get into a bed. so if M-A was uncomfortable going through this public private thing, could she have left the bedroom to go into private one for herself? How strict was Louis XVI on court etiquette?
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Louis XVI was not strict, the etiquette was. Whether or not MA resented the ritual of dressing and undressing in public. Whether she slept in another room or not didn't change anything to her plight. As a matter of fact she often slept at Trianon.
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Louis XVI was not strict, the etiquette was. Whether or not MA resented the ritual of dressing and undressing in public. Whether she slept in another room or not didn't change anything to her plight. As a matter of fact she often slept at Trianon.
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