Charles Antoine Claude Berny d'Ouvillé

Lady in White Gown with Fur Cape

For this portrait of a lady in a fur cape Berny d'Ouvillé chose a cloudy sky in English manner as background and painted it with broad and dotted glazes. The lightness of the picture corresponds to the taste of Empire miniature painting. The Empire fashion rediscovered light textiles like silk and tulle which had been fashionable after the French Revolution: towards the end of the 18th century the Parisian society developed the Directoire style and people had dressed "à la grecque" which meant that the ladies' light high-waisted robes made of muslin or crepe resembled a tunic. At that time chemises of flowing transparent crepe or tulle with wide necklines corresponded to the idea of the classic ideal of naturalness. The Empire adopted the basic features of this fashion and added a touch of strictness. The waistline was still under the breast but velvet, satin or taffeta were preferred to delicately flowing textiles.