In this painting, produced by an anonymous artist (only the initials H. Y. appear on the painting), which dates to 1837, Madame Bru, canteen worker for the 7th regiment of hussars, is dressed in a woven dolman and wears a black sailor-style hat, as well as garance pants. The pants were deemed to be indecent, as they were tight-fitting, and were completed with a skirt. The one seen here is dark green in color, which was traditional of the 7th hussars. The outfit is paired with boots with spurs and a long lash. A wooden keg with iron hoops, used to distribute liquor, completes this elegant attire.
This portrait, with romantic inspiration, depicts the canteen worker as an idealized woman: young, beautiful, and refined—a far cry from the reality of the labor and danger faced by the vivandierès at the time. In general, these women wore disparate clothing and had a far less gracious appearance. They needed to be physically strong to carry their wares on the frontlines or to drive the horses and carriages. They also had to shout, as they needed to make themselves heard by the soldiers in all circumstances.
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