de Villeclair
Lady’s Work Bag or Indispensable
1789
Scroll
de Villeclair
Lady’s Work Bag or Indispensable
1789
Physical Qualities
Silk, paint, 12-5/8 x 16-3/4 in.(32.1 x 42.5 cm.)
Credit Line
The Cone Collection, formed by Dr. Claribel Cone and Miss Etta Cone of Baltimore, Maryland
Object Number
1950.1990.5
A rectangular white silk taffeta bag with silk ribbon drawstring. The obverse bears a painted floral wreath of roses, violas, morning glories, tulips and other mixed flowers emerging from a basket and topped by paired lovebirds. The wreath encircles a musical trophy containing guitars, a tambourine, horns, a flute, and some musical scores as well as a quill of arrows and a burning torch. The signature of the artist De Villeclair appears below the basket written in ink. A swag of cornflowers held by a pair of pink bowknots frames the bag's top and sides, and two butterflies, one perched on a sprig of flowers, fill the lower sections. The reverse bears a monogram 'M' or possibly a superimposed 'M' and 'A' rendered in rosebuds and vines, surmounted by a crown of the same flowers and two lovebirds, and surrounded by a garland of cornflowers and swags of mixed flowers held in place with bowknots. The seam at the top, which closes the casing through which the drawstring passes, is decorated with a painted pink and green vine.
The Baltimore Museum of Art by gift, 1950; Etta Cone.
William R. Johnston, 'European Art at the Time of the Revolution,' Maryland Heritage: Five Baltimore Institutions Celebrate the American Bicentennial, Ed. John B. Boles, Baltimore: Maryland Historical Society, 1976, cat. # 75, p. 44, illus.
Foster, Vanda. Bags and Purses. The Costume Accessories Series, Dr. Aileen Ribeiro (Ed.). New York: Drama Book Publishers, 1982, pp. 22-23, fig. 14., color pl. 5.
Weibel, Adele Coulin. Two Thousand Years of Textiles: The Figured Textiles of Europe and the Near East, New York: Hacker Art Books, 1972, pl. 16 (similar musical trophy in woven design).
Maeder, Edward et al.. An Elegant Art: Fashion & Fantasy in the Eighteenth Century. Los Angeles: Los Angeles County Museum of Art; New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 1983.cat.# 195, illus. pl. 46, p. 111; p. 186 (explanation); p. 228.
Weibel, Adele Coulin. Two Thousand Years of Textiles: The Figured Textiles of Europe and the Near East, New York: Hacker Art Books, 1972, pl. 16 (similar musical trophy in woven design).
Maeder, Edward et al.. An Elegant Art: Fashion & Fantasy in the Eighteenth Century. Los Angeles: Los Angeles County Museum of Art; New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 1983.cat.# 195, illus. pl. 46, p. 111; p. 186 (explanation); p. 228.
Inscribed: Signed by hand in ink on obverse below painted basket: "de Villeclair, inv. et Pinxit." [Note: last word difficult to read due to inkstain.] Monogram painted as part of design on obverse: "M" or "M A" Hand written in ink on music score depicted within trophy: "Mineur/ le ber-gere le plus insensible/ de ses yeux voyant la beau-/ té coutre eux sent qu'il est tres/ possible de deffendre sa li/ berté qui pourait charmer cet-/te belle quel berger touchera son coeur./ La si celoit la plus fidele amour/ amour je serois le Vainqueur [Aje?]"
