Powder and Patches

Richly furnished and infused with exotic scents, the lady’s boudoir held one of the rituals that most eloquently typified eighteenth-century refinement: the toilette. The toilette involved the dressing and accessorizing of hair and wigs, the application of make-up and patches, and the final stages of dressing, all in the company of friends, family members, and servants. Punctuated with light meals, conversation and other activities, the toilette unfolded over several hours every morning. The lady of fashion rarely appeared in public before noon. The toilette became a social event in the late seventeenth century at the court of Louis XIV, when the King invited members of the royal household and privileged guests into his chambers during his dressing. This was soon imitated by the aristocracy and haute bourgeoisie, becoming an expression of distinction, status, and taste. Madame de Pompadour, King Louis XV’s mistress, held the most famous toilette of the eighteenth century, one renowned for its political intrigues. This display visualizes the refined atmosphere of the boudoir along with the beauty and social rituals of the toilette. Objects are both functional and decorative, and highlight the importance of porcelain in the consumption of some of the most fashionable and luxurious products of the time, including cosmetics, perfume and snuff.

Typically made of porcelain or faience, portable chamber pots known as bourdaloues, were kept in bedrooms and were brought on long journeys. The name derives from Père Louis Bourdaloue (1632-1704), preacher at the court of Louis XIV, whose sermons were allegedly so long that women brought their chamber pots for use under their large skirts during mass.

Like water, fresh air was deemed suspicious, hence rooms tended to be closed off and infused with scents using potpourri. Perforated vases were especially designed for potpourri, an aromatic blend composed of dozens of different flowers, herbs, and spices. Rose petals, lavender, orange blossoms, jasmine, rosemary, clove, and cinnamon were some of the most common ingredients.

The wearing of cosmetics first emerged as a status symbol. The heavy application of makeup was associated with court circles, particularly in France. By the mid-eighteenth century, its use had spread across social classes and often raised criticism, especially when rouge was worn by older women. The fashion for makeup declined in the late eighteenth century in favour of a more natural appearance.

A pale white skin was achieved with whitening creams and face paint, or blanc, which concealed blemishes and pockmarks. Recipes for blanc could include ground pearls and fine white clay, and even toxic ingredients such as lead, the prolonged use of which caused teeth and hair to fall out, and, in the worst cases, led to death. Rouge –made with cochineal, carmine or red wood from Brazil– was then applied on a perfectly white skin, giving back colour to the face. Rouge imitated the glow of a blush which could signify modesty or sexual enticement. Thomas Rowlandson's caricature Six Stages of Mending a Face mocks these beauty rituals and highlights the dangers associated with the use of cosmetics.

Patches, or beauty spots, came into fashion in the late eighteenth century. They were placed on the face, neck and chest to hide imperfections and highlight the whiteness of the skin. Called mouches (French for flies), being the size of a fly’s wing, they were made of black taffeta or velvet, and could adopt fanciful shapes such as hearts or crescents.

Patch boxes are found in multiple forms. Boxes with two compartments allowed one to keep patches alongside the gum used to adhere them to the face. Smaller boxes could easily be kept in the pocket, and a mirror inside the lid would have been useful to reposition or replace a fallen beauty spot. Perfume bottles also served dual purposes; in the examples shown here, the lower part container would have served as a patch box.

Elegantly decorated boxes were practical luxury items that were often offered as gifts. They came in fanciful shapes such as whimsical animals and their decoration reflected the most fashionable styles of the time including Japanese-inspired Kakiemon and chinoiseries. Depending on their size, these boxes were suitable for a variety of purposes; they could have been used as containers for rouge, confectionery, pills, breath pastilles or patches. They are also frequently associated with the consumption of snuff.

Originating in the New World, tobacco was introduced to Europe around 1600. It was believed to have medicinal properties. Men and women of the elite favoured its powdered form known as snuff. Its use in public, together with the display of an exquisitely crafted container, testified to one’s social standing. How one held the box in the left hand and took a pinch of snuff between the index finger and the thumb to inhale it was part of a coded ritual. Like a fan, a snuffbox could be used coquettishly as an accessory in the game of seduction.

The public toilette was a moment of sociability when women received friends and transacted business. A range of activities also took place, including sewing, reading, letter writing and the study of music and languages. A bouillon was often served in an écuelle, a small tureen especially made for use in the bedroom and the boudoir. Fashionable beverages such as chocolate and coffee were also consumed in the morning hours.