5. Marie Antoinette’s Portrait Controversy
In 1783, Queen Marie Antoinette commissioned artist Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun to paint her in a simple white muslin dress, known as a “chemise à la reine.” This attire, reminiscent of an undergarment, was intended to project a more relatable image of the queen. However, the portrait, titled “Marie Antoinette in a Chemise Dress,” sparked public outrage. Critics deemed the depiction inappropriate for a monarch, and the use of imported cotton instead of French silk was seen as unpatriotic. The backlash led to the painting’s removal from the Salon exhibition, and Vigée Le Brun quickly created a new portrait featuring the queen in formal attire. (fashionhistory.fitnyc.edu).
