History’s Runway: The Flowers of the Fields of France Gown, 1957

The Flowers of the Fields of France Gown
Norman Hartnell, 1957
This and all related images:
The Victoria and Albert Museum

Queen Elizabeth II is not the first name that comes to mind when you think of a fashion style-setter. But, iyou go back and look at Her Majesty’s collection of gorgeous gowns, you will notice that they are quite extraordinary, and some of them, rather cutting-edge. For many years, Norman Hartnell was the Queen’s personal designer. Here, we see a creation by Hartnell which is anything but dull.


This full-skirted, full length evening gown in ivory silk satin with a princess-seamed bodice and draped fold at hips, extends into a large self-fabric bow positioned at 7/8ths length down the skirt. It is carefully embroidered with miniature bees, grasses, wheat and wild flowers worked in relief in faceted glass stones, gold beads, “brilliants” and variously shaped pearls, with flowers of mother-of-pearl and gold petals. The gown was designed for the Queen's state visit to Paris, April 8-11th, 1957 and, fittingly, refers to French motifs, including the "Flowers of the Fields of France" (traditionally, poppies, daisies and crossed wheat sheaves) and Napoleonic bees. These diplomatic motifs are worked in relief. And, here’s where the Queen is clever. The dress was intended to both compliment the French nation and draw attention to the Queen. Knowing that she was going to one of the fashion centers of the world, she knew she had to dazzle them. And, she certainly did.

“The Flowers of the Fields of France Gown” was worn to the state dinner on the first night pf the visit. The dinner hosted by President René Coty at the Elysée Palace, and was followed by a visit to the Opéra to see a ballet by Lifar from The Diaries of Cynthia Jebb.

When the dress was displayed at Kensington Palace in 2006-7. Maureen Markham, one of the embroiderers who worked on the dress, recalled that she and her team worked with blacked-out windows to avoid the peering-eyes of the press and that she hoped that the Queen would have “nice plush cushions to sit on so as not to crush the embroidery.”

This is just one bit of Norman Hartnell’s brilliance. He had been court dressmaker since 1938, working the Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother and continued to work with the Royal Family until his death in 1979. 

Fashion Sense: The Lady Alexandra Gown, 1948

The Victoria & Albert Museum

As you decide what to wear on Thursday for Thanksgiving with friends and family, well, this won’t be among your choices. But, ladies, don’t you wish it could be? Here, we see an evening dress in cream slipper satin with a close fitting bodice, and a high round neck adorned with amber and silver sequins and glass bead embroidery around the neck and down the center of the bodice. Smaller matching designs flank the center panel. A train at the rear is looped up to form a triple fan-shaped bustle at the back waistline. The long, tight-fitting sleeves are held close to the arm with three darts at the elbow and close with a zipper at the wrist.


This gown was made in 1948 for Lady Alexandra Howard-Johnston (1907-97) who was the wife of the Naval Attaché to Paris at the end of the 1940s. Due to her husband’s position, Lady Alexandra was required to attend a vast number of formal events and, therefore, needed an extensive wardrobe. Lady Alexandra dressed exclusively at the house of Jacques Fath (1912-54).

Fath was known to lend evening and day dresses each season to Lady Alexandra, knowing that he would receive a lot of publicity from Alexandra’s appearances. Lady Alexandra recalled “If there was a dress I wanted to keep, I could pay sale price at the end of the season. I was not allowed to go to any other couturier, but I did not want to – Fath was perfection.”

This particular gown was designed by Fath for Lady Alexandra to wear for the official visit of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip to Paris in May 1948. Lady Alexandra later recalled that when she and her husband made their enterance at the Théâtre de l’Opéra, the Garde Nationale suddenly sprang to attention. She said, “I realised they had mistaken us for the Princess and Duke. That was the effect made by my splendid Fath.”

Not bad.

Print of the Day: Royal visit to Napoleon III: Queen Victoria's Entry into Paris, 18 August 1855.

Click image for larger size.
Queen Victoria's Royal Visit to Napoleon III
Goorgen, 1855
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Signed simply, “Goorgen,” this print from 1855 depicts the arrival of Queen Victoria in Paris on August 18. The Royal party drives through the triumphal arch which had been raised by the “artistes” of the Paris Opéra on the Rue Le Peletier. This image serves to demonstrate the grand fuss which had been made in conjunction with the arrival of the Queen and Prince Albert.

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: A Gala Performance at the Paris Opera, 1855

A Gala Performance at the Paris Opera
Dieterle and Lami, 1855
Commissioned by Napoleon III
Presented to Queen Victoria, Christmas, 1855
The Royal Collection

In 1855, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert traveled to Paris for an official State Visit and were greeted by the French people and Emperor Napoleon III with warmth and opulence. In their honor, a special evening was planned at the Paris Opera which included a sampling of what Napoleon considered the finest of France’s operatic and ballet stars. While Queen Victoria very much enjoyed the architecture of the opera house and was enchanted by their luxurious box, she was less than impressed by the performance itself finding it too long and rather dull.


As a gift for the Christmas of 1855, Napoleon III presented Queen Victoria with an album of paintings which he had commissioned to chronicle their visit to Paris. Among them was this watercolor of their evening at the Paris Opera. The Queen and Prince Albert can be seen entering their box on the right. The architectural portions of this watercolor were painted by the Paris Opera’s scenic designer known as Dieterle. The figures were painted by celebrated French society painter, Eugene Lami.

Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

CLICK IMAGE ABOVE FOR HIGH RESOLUTION VIEW

Building of the Week: Villa Mantin, Moulins, France

BBC News

When wealthy art collector and gentleman of leisure Louis Mantin passed away in 1905, his last will and testament stated his desire to leave his elegantly appointed mansion to the City of Moulins so that the public could be admitted to view his impressive and unusual collection of artifacts and art. The only stipulation, it seemed, was that the spacious townhouse would have to remain sealed and untouched for one hundred years. In reality, there was some misinterpretation of the terms of his will. He had stated only that after one hundred years, the house was to become a museum. He didn’t specifically state what should happen in the interim. At the time, officials believed his desire was that the house should remain unopened. And, so it was. Largely forgotten and unnoticed for a century, when city officials entered the house, they were unsure of what to do with it. Soon, the spirit of the place overtook them, and the answer was clear. Mantin’s wishes had to be carried out.

BBC News

Mantin spent most of his adult life working in civil service. He never married, and preferred to keep to himself. In his forty-second year, he inherited a substantial fortune which he immediately put to good use. Purchasing a sizeable plot of land in the center of Moulins—land upon which a palace of the Dukes of Bourbon once stood—Matin set about having a beautiful mansion constructed. From that moment onward, Matin’s life was devoted to his passions—the pursuit of pleasure, supporting the arts and his keen interest in science.

BBC News

The townhouse was a marvel of turrets and stained glass. Filled with the finest fabrics, tapestries, paintings and sculptures, the house was not just a museum. It was also a technological masterpiece which represented the triumphs of the day—electricity, hot and cold running water and even a towel warmer. Magnificent crystal chandeliers glittered in the reception rooms and shone brilliantly against the ornate woodwork, carvings and antiquities from the around the world.

An unsullied treasure chest filled with art and glorious architecture, the house sat abandoned in the center of Moulins for a century. People walked by it and didn’t think much of it. It had always been there. It had always been untouched. After seeing it every day, it just began to blend into the scenery. Meanwhile, the structure was beginning to crumble. Who would know? It’s not as if anyone was really keeping an eye on it.

BBC News

Well, sort of. One person was paying attention-- Isabelle de Chavagnac, Mantin’s last remaining descendant. Technically, the house and its contents would have legally reverted to her after the passage of one hundred years. However, she was not tempted by the possibility of inheriting the mansion and its priceless inventory. Instead, she wanted to see that her ancestor’s last wishes were carried out. De Chavagnac pressed the city of Moulins to take action. Soon, money was raised to restore the mansion which had long since fallen into disrepair. The restoration of the property took five years. However, thanks to Matin’s detailed notes and careful lists of the placement of each item, the house was reassembled to the condition it was in when Matin died in 1905. Opening its doors in 2010 (five years later than Matin would have liked), the Villa Matin is, indeed, the museum that its owner had envisioned. A veritable time capsule in the middle of the city, Villa Matin will enchant visitors for centuries to come.

The Art of Play: A Doll’s Fan with Blue Birds, 1938

Dolls Fan with Blue Birds
Duvelleroy, France, 1938
Painted by Marie Laurencin
Part of a suite presented to Princesses Elizabeth
and Margaret
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

In 1938, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother) took their first official State visit since the coronation in 1937 by visiting France. To commemorate their visit to Paris, a group of French couturiers and fashion designers banded together to create two magnificent dolls for Princesses Elizabeth (now Queen Elizabeth II) and Margaret Rose. The dolls, called France and Marianne, came with elaborate wardrobes complete with highly-detailed miniature accessories and jewels. Among the collection were four hand fans—two of silk and two of ostrich feathers. This is one of the silk fans.


This fan—as with the other three—still retains its original presentation box which is marked with the name of its maker—Duvelleroy. The fan was hand-painted by Marie Laurencin with a pattern of blue birds.

The princesses didn’t get to play with the dolls right away. They were put on display in St. James Palace and admission was charged to see them. Proceeds went to aid of The Princess Elizabeth of York Hospital for Children and a French charity. Today, France and Marianne are part of the permanent exhibit at Windsor Castle where they overlook Queen Mary’s dolls’ house.

Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Via the Royal Collection Trust
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE

Building of the Week: Château de Dampierre

French Baroque architecture reached a critical apex with the designs of architect Jules Hardouin Mansart. Mansart, one of the most notable architects of the Seventeenth Century, became closely associated with the grandeur and opulence which rose in prominence during the reign of Louis XIV. One of the hallmarks of Mansart’s designs was his use of the roofline which we now refer to as “Mansard”—named for the architect’s great-uncle, François Mansart. Also alled a “French Roof,” the Mansard roof is a four-sided hip roof in a gambrel style which is characterized by two slopes on each of its sides. The lower slope slants at a steeper angle than the upper and the whole of it is interrupted by dormer windows which afford additional useable space.

An excellent example of the Mansard roof can be found at the Château de Dampierre in Dampierre-en-Yvelines, in theVallée de Chevreuse, France. The Château, designed by Mansart, stands proudly behind ornate wrought iron gates. With its Mansard roof, balustrades, archways and heavy ornamentation, it is the height of French Baroque architecture.

The castle was built for the duc de Chevreuse between 1676 and 1683 and features a formal garden designed by André Le Nôtre who included an elegant water feature. The Château itself boasts lavish staterooms and interiors.

The interiors of the castle have been altered over time. The most notable alteration came with the refurbishing of the grande gallerie so that archaeologist and collector, Honoré Théodore Paul Joseph d'Albert, duc de Luynes, might better showcase his magnificent collection of artifacts. For this purpose, Hellenistic-style friezes and bas reliefs wee added by sculptor Pierre-Charles Simart and a fresco entitled “The Golden Age” is the only remaining evidence of an attempt to adorn the gallery in frescoes by the celebrated painter Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres.

The Château de Dampierre is open to the public for tours. For more information, visit their official Web site, but be forewarned that it’s in French, as one might expect. 

Building of the Week: The Palais Garnier, Paris

The Palais Garnier as it is today

From its founding in 1669 by King Louis XIV, The Paris Opéra has called several different venues its home. Prior to 1821, three of the ten opera houses in which The Paris Opéra found a home had been destroyed by fire. In 1821, the Opéra opened a new opera house called Salle Le Peletier which remained in operation until 1873. The Salle Le Peletier had seen innumerable artistic triumphs as well as a host of important visitors including Queen Victoria in 1855. However, by 1858, Emperor Napoleon III—as part of his Second Empire reconstruction of Paris—had seen the need to build a larger home for the Opéra. Napoleon III envisioned a grander version of the Salle Le Peletier with soaring domes and magnificent architecture.

The Grand Foyer

The emperor enlisted the Baron Haussmann to oversee the construction. A contest was open to architects who wished to submit their designs for the new opera house. In 1861, the competition was won by architect Charles Garnier for whom the building is now named.

Construction was slated to begin in 1862. The Empress Eugénie is rumored to have asked Garnier if he considered his creation to be in Greek or Roman style. His response was, “It is in the Napoleon III style, Madame!” And, so it was. Napoleon selected the land upon which the Opéra was to be built—a section in the 9th arrondissement of Paris. The land, however, was not terribly cooperative owing to its swampiness and the presence of a subterranean lake. Water was pumped from the location for eight months, but the lake would not abate. Garnier was forced to amend the designs for the foundation to be built over the lake. And, so it remains today.

The Grand Staircase

The presence of the lake under the Opéra was one of the chief inspirations for the 1910 novel, The Phantom of the Opera, by Gaston Leroux. The other was the famous failing of a chandelier’s counterweight which caused the fixture to plummet to the floor, crushing one person to death. Of course, this figures prominently into Leroux’s story, and perhaps, more famously, into the musical version of the same name by Andrew Lloyd-Webber

But, before chandeliers could crush anyone, or, even, before a singer could belt out a note, the Opéra had to be finished. The construction was stalled by numerous setbacks—not the least of which was the Franco-Prussian War and the resulting collapse of The Second Empire. For awhile, the Opéra feared that the skeleton of their new home would have to be demolished due to lack of funds and a distinct political disinterest in finishing the building.

In 1873, circumstance forced the completion of the new opera house when a fire rampaged through the Salle Le Peletier—raging for twenty-seven hours and completely destroying the home of the Paris Opéra. The Palais Garnier was completed in 1874, giving the Opéra a permanent new home and the people of France a reason to celebrate.

The Theater

A rich confection in the Beaux Arts style, the Palais Garnier is a magnificent combination of multi-colored marble, bronze, gilding, glass, columns and statuary. With its majestic central staircase, magnificently frescoed vaults and color scheme of red and gold, it truly is a palace of the arts. The centerpiece of the monumental theater is an enormous crystal chandelier which weighs over six tons—this time, properly weighted and firmly held to the domed ceiling.

The dome of the theater itself was repainted in 1964 by Marc Chagall in a modern style and color palette which proved to be controversial. While some felt that Chagall’s fresco was a fitting addition to a building which was, in essence, a temple to the arts, others believed that Chagall’s work was out of place and inappropriate to the Beaux Arts style and velvety architecture of the Palais Garnier. Forty-seven years later, Chagall’s work remains, and while quite accepted, still raises some eyebrows.

Chagall's Dome

The façade of the Palais Garnier features a variety of sculptures including busts of famous composers, two gilded figural groups of Charles Gumery (of “Harmony” and “Poetry”) and a central sculptural group by Aimé Millet which is called, “Apollo, Poetry and Music.” The architectural rhythm of the façade is repeated in the interior grand foyer—substituting lavish colored marble for the cool exterior stone. Hung with mirrors and chandeliers, the foyer is quite operatic in and of itself.

Aside from Chagall’s painting and some technological changes, the Palais Garnier remains much as it was in 1874 and gives one a sense of the epic scheme that Napoleon III had for Paris. Though the Second Empire did not survive, Garnier’s creation of “Napoleon III style” has remained relatively untouched and has served as a source of inspiration for generations of artists of all media. 

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: A Gala Performance at the Paris Opera, 1855

A Gala Performance at the Paris Opera
Dieterle and Lami, 1855
Commissioned by Napoleon III
Presented to Queen Victoria, Christmas, 1855
The Royal Collection

In 1855, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert traveled to Paris for an official State Visit and were greeted by the French people and Emperor Napoleon III with warmth and opulence. In their honor, a special evening was planned at the Paris Opera which included a sampling of what Napoleon considered the finest of France’s operatic and ballet stars. While Queen Victoria very much enjoyed the architecture of the opera house and was enchanted by their luxurious box, she was less than impressed by the performance itself finding it too long and rather dull.


As a gift for the Christmas of 1855, Napoleon III presented Queen Victoria with an album of paintings which he had commissioned to chronicle their visit to Paris. Among them was this watercolor of their evening at the Paris Opera. The Queen and Prince Albert can be seen entering their box on the right. The architectural portions of this watercolor were painted by the Paris Opera’s scenic designer known as Dieterle. The figures were painted by celebrated French society painter, Eugene Lami.

Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

CLICK IMAGE ABOVE FOR HIGH RESOLUTION VIEW

History's Runway: The Lady Alexandra Gown, 1948

The Victoria & Albert Museum

As you decide what to wear this holiday season with friends and family, well, this won’t be among your choices. But, ladies, don’t you wish it could be? Here, we see an evening dress in cream slipper satin with a close fitting bodice, and a high round neck adorned with amber and silver sequins and glass bead embroidery around the neck and down the center of the bodice. Smaller matching designs flank the center panel. A train at the rear is looped up to form a triple fan-shaped bustle at the back waistline. The long, tight-fitting sleeves are held close to the arm with three darts at the elbow and close with a zipper at the wrist.


This gown was made in 1948 for Lady Alexandra Howard-Johnston (1907-97) who was the wife of the Naval Attaché to Paris at the end of the 1940s. Due to her husband’s position, Lady Alexandra was required to attend a vast number of formal events and, therefore, needed an extensive wardrobe. Lady Alexandra dressed exclusively at the house of Jacques Fath (1912-54).

Fath was known to lend evening and day dresses each season to Lady Alexandra, knowing that he would receive a lot of publicity from Alexandra’s appearances. Lady Alexandra recalled “If there was a dress I wanted to keep, I could pay sale price at the end of the season. I was not allowed to go to any other couturier, but I did not want to – Fath was perfection.”

This particular gown was designed by Fath for Lady Alexandra to wear for the official visit of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip to Paris in May 1948. Lady Alexandra later recalled that when she and her husband made their enterance at the Théâtre de l’Opéra, the Garde Nationale suddenly sprang to attention. She said, “I realised they had mistaken us for the Princess and Duke. That was the effect made by my splendid Fath.”

Not bad.

Mastery of Design: An Annular Brooch, 13th C.

Annular Brooch
Gold, Rubies, Sapphires
Thirteenth Century, France
The British Museum

This late medieval brooch (Thirteenth Century) was made in France. Crafted of gold, ruby and sapphire, the brooch features punched decoration and enameling. It is inscribed:


IO SUI ICI EN LIU DAMI: AMO 
(I am here in the place of the friend I love)

This was the sort of jewelry which was exchanged between lovers in the Thirteenth Century. These jewels—brooches, or rings, mostly—were inscribed with sentimental sayings or “posies.” Brooches, like this one, were annular—in the shape of a ring—to show the eternity of the sentiment. 

This example was bequeathed to the British Museum by Sir Augustus Wollaston Franks in 1897.

Print of the Day: Royal visit to Napoleon III: Queen Victoria's Entry into Paris, 18 August 1855.

Click image for larger size.
Queen Victoria's Royal Visit to Napoleon III
Goorgen, 1855
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Signed simply, “Goorgen,” this print from 1855 depicts the arrival of Queen Victoria in Paris on August 18. The Royal party drives through the triumphal arch which had been raised by the “artistes” of the Paris Opéra on the Rue Le Peletier. This image serves to demonstrate the grand fuss which had been made in conjunction with the arrival of the Queen and Prince Albert.

Mastery of Design: The Dame Joan Evans Pyramid Ring, c. 1660

Gold, enamel and crystal ring.
Italy, 1660
This and all related images from:
The Victoria & Albert Museum

From the substantial jewelry collection of Dame Joan Evans, we have this enameled gold ring which dates to circa 1660. Its pyramidal, triangular bezel is set with a crystal. However, its most interesting feature is the pair of gold hands supporting a central heart of deep red enamel. This attractive and sentimental symbol supports the central stone. Meanwhile scrolls reversed on black enamel adorn the underside and hoop. 

The ring was made in Italy and is a stunning example of Seventeenth Century jewelry. Throughout the centuries, the ring passed from owner to owner—eventually ending up in France where it was given a French import mark in 1893. 

History's Runway: The Lady Alexandra Gown, 1948

The Victoria & Albert Museum

As you decide what to wear on Thursday for Thanksgiving with friends and family, well, this won’t be among your choices. But, ladies, don’t you wish it could be? Here, we see an evening dress in cream slipper satin with a close fitting bodice, and a high round neck adorned with amber and silver sequins and glass bead embroidery around the neck and down the center of the bodice. Smaller matching designs flank the center panel. A train at the rear is looped up to form a triple fan-shaped bustle at the back waistline. The long, tight-fitting sleeves are held close to the arm with three darts at the elbow and close with a zipper at the wrist.


This gown was made in 1948 for Lady Alexandra Howard-Johnston (1907-97) who was the wife of the Naval Attaché to Paris at the end of the 1940s. Due to her husband’s position, Lady Alexandra was required to attend a vast number of formal events and, therefore, needed an extensive wardrobe. Lady Alexandra dressed exclusively at the house of Jacques Fath (1912-54).

Fath was known to lend evening and day dresses each season to Lady Alexandra, knowing that he would receive a lot of publicity from Alexandra’s appearances. Lady Alexandra recalled “If there was a dress I wanted to keep, I could pay sale price at the end of the season. I was not allowed to go to any other couturier, but I did not want to – Fath was perfection.”

This particular gown was designed by Fath for Lady Alexandra to wear for the official visit of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip to Paris in May 1948. Lady Alexandra later recalled that when she and her husband made their enterance at the Théâtre de l’Opéra, the Garde Nationale suddenly sprang to attention. She said, “I realised they had mistaken us for the Princess and Duke. That was the effect made by my splendid Fath.”

Not bad.

 

History’s Runway: La Ligne Libre; “Belgique,” 1957

Gown
Dior, 1957
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This opulent, but, delicate, dress was designed by Christian Dior (1905-57) in 1957, the year of his death. The gown was commissioned by the Baroness Alain de Rothschild to wear for the state visit of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip to Paris in April of 1957.

The 1957 state visit was the most important event of the 1957 Parisian social calendar. Couturiers were flooded with commissions for evening gowns and gala dresses. Lady Gladwyn, the wife of the British Ambassador, noted that even the Queen’s dresses could not compete with the grandeur of the gowns of the French society ladies.

We should note that Dior’s dress was originally white. Now, it appears to be an off shade of gray. That’s simply because it’s dirty with age. So, why not clean it? It is treated with a stiffening agent that would be destroyed by cleaning of any kind. So, in order to preserve the gown, it must remain as it is.

The gown features a strapless bodice and a full, gathered skirt. Net is draped around the bodice and a tulle fichu adds fullness around the shoulders, attaching at the front. The boned bodice has a cream silk lining.

Originally, the gown had a long satin ribbon tied in a bow, attached to the bodice at the point the fichu collar meets. The original ribbon is lost. However, at a photo shoot for the V&A in 2006, a light green ribbon was added to approximate what was originally there.