Accessories of the XVIIIth century▓s dress

Date: 02.08.2005 Source: Magazin "/" Author: Dr. Lilia Kuznetsova

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The State Hermitage Museum▓s collection is rich in pictures and sculptures of Western-European and Russian masters, and the works of applied and decorative art. There are mysterious dress acsessories, so much needed by the fashionable ones of the XVIIIth century, among them.

Folding fan with Chinese life scenes. Great Britain (frame), China (screen). The 1750s√ not later than the 1762s. The State Hermitage Museum [zoom (56k)]

Man of today is always greatly impressed by a peculiar passion of people of the XVIIIth century not so much devoted to smoking as to snuff taking what▓s evidenced through numerous snuff-cases from museum collections. This fashion, however, appeared at the French court already in 1559 as envoy Jan Nicot sent from Portugal an oversea plant to Empress Catherine Medici. The plant was believed to relieve asthmatic attacks and make the brain clear through prolonged sneezing caused by it. At first, they used fresh snuff ground with the special graters, later, yet, started to prepare the powder in advance. To keep the acrid herb, they made special boxes which were to close tightly and open, in the contrary, freely, without any effort. But never were the snuff-cases so much used as in the times of the Gallant Century. Under Catherine II who loved taking the strongest rolled snuff, or the one grown with the special purpose in Tsarskoye Selo, the boxes to keep it in, which were divers and precious, used to be on each table in Empress▓ study-rooms. To take a portion of snuff, the Empress had to use her left hand▓s fingers for her right one was reverently kissed by her loyal courtiers.

The snuff-boxes were subdivided into both the table and pocket ones, and gentlemen▓s and ladies▓, the latter ones more refined. Well, since the masters of snuff-boxes were to respond to fashion tendencies very keenly, these items started being a taste and richness measure of the possessors. Not a single beauty could afford to appear in high society without a snuff-box to take, moreover, it, this ╚small stage-coach of love╩, could get a gentle epistle placed somehow secretly in. The same way, the diplomats exchanged their confidential messages. With the aid of a poisonous potion mixed into the snuff-powder, a victim to get rid of was led hence.

Folding fan with the depiction of Eleazar and Rebecca at a spring. Great Britain. The 1760s. The State Hermitage Museum [zoom (60k)]

The snuff-box became an indispensable accessory of the clothing, as a component, it was put in jewelry sets. A grandee dandy A. Kurakin, nicknamed ╚Diamond Prince╩ for his passion to the diamonds, simply possessed over 150 snuff-cases, and those of a noble Moscow lady E. Streshneva who died in 1837 reached up to 300 of them where one third of the amount was of gold. By the way, up to the beginning of the XXth century, the snuff-box had remained a favourite ╚diplomatic╩ gift, and, at the same time, decorated with the portrait of a reigning monarch, it was appreciated more than on order, for ╚a desert╩ was rated higher than ╚a distinction╩. Less were the snuff-boxes with the ex-libris of a monarch on them regarded, and, to continue, the gifted snuff-boxes differed in their values.

The snuff-boxes were produced of all the possible materials: of wood, horn, bone, metal; they were artfully carved and decorated with sparkling precious stones and enamels valued not a bit less. In the XVIIIth century, tortoise-shell and nacre became fashioned, especially those of them enchased with a complicated pattern of gold and silver wire. Thanks to discoveries of the Martin brothers (France), there came successful imitations of exotic Chinese and Japanese lacquers under the name of ╚vernis Martin╩. In connection with aristocrats▓ interest mineralogy, the snuff-boxes began to be produced of rare stone types. The minerals of the just discovered deposits were particularly popular. That was the way it happened to Ural and Altaian jaspers and porphyries, and labrador-stones discovered in glacial boulders near St. Petersburg. Labrador seems to look, at the first sight, not much of the impressing one, but turned under a certain angle, it begins to play bright sparkles what it was called for ╚peacock▓s stone of Ingermanland╩.

Looking-glass with a handle. A master of London. The mid-XVIIIth. Gold, rubies, diamonds. 20,7 х 40,0. The State Hermitage Museum [zoom (31k)]

Gradually, the portraits of crowned persons were replaced with the faces of relatives depicted with the brush of an artist. On the miniatures, famous pictures are reproduced, outdoors pieces of Nature casting pleasant memories, or allegories to be perceived merely by connoisseurs of symbols and emblems, or a fashionable tune▓s scales are shown. ╚Sensitive hearts╩ would admire sentimental bucolic scenes with swains and shepherdesses. Numerous garlands of roses, the favourite flowers of Venus, goddess of Love and Beauty, prevailed in dйcor.

Without being satisfied with the mere pictures on the surfaces of the boxes, they tried to execute the snuff-boxes of any unexpected form. A shell likened a possessor to Aphrodite who appeared from the sea foam. The beloved ones used to exchange with some dog statuettes which symbolized matrimonial trust, and belonging to the Mops order or that of Faithfulness. The birds were, yet, to remind of a cosy family nest. And an egg-shaped snuff-box is surely once to have served as an Easter bounty. Well, the snuff-boxes themselves changed in accordance with fashions. At first, they were absolutely flat, than, in the contrary, suddenly put on in height; the lids were or hinged, and in this case seen behind a jut overfilled with dйcor, either made removable. The snuff-boxes could be rectangular or cut-angled, or round, or oblong.

Table-bag of blood-stone in the gilded frame. A master of London. Second half of the XVIIIth. 6,8 х 4,9 х 12,4. The State Hermitage Museum [zoom (45k)]

Besides snuff-boxes reminding them in shape, there were ╚rouge-boxes╩, to say namely: powder-boxes. These ones had, at any rate, a small looking-glass, and some sections for white, rouge, hair-dye and brushes in. The looking-glasses were added to the fly-boxes, too, that a lady should be able to make conversation determined with the ╚fly-language╩, in accordance with which tiny pieces of black taffeta, velvet or paper were pasted to white-snow skin. In order not to be confused among their dance-partners, the charming ladies used to write down, just at a ball, the names of their gallant partners into a special little pad called ╚carnet de bal╩, or simply ╚carnet╩ which was an ivory or nacre plate put in an etui supplied with a little pencil with signet.

The carne was very much alike a ╚souvenir╩ opened by pushing a hidden button, and, thus, keeping from stranger▓s eyes the memorable word lines rendered with a beloved hand on the exquisite tablet. The ladies tightened in corsets strongly needed frequently fragrant essences contained in ╚aromatic vials╩, or scent-bottles. Very often, these and other items, analogues to the first ones, were put into the ╚necessaires╩ (toilet-bags) whose name is translated from French as ╚necessary things╩. The toilet-bags, and the snuff-boxes as well, were subdivided into table toilet boxes and pocket cases. The latter ones usually carried as a pair part to a pocket watch were hung up to a ╚chatelain╩ chain on the belt. Depending on wishes and needs of an owner, the toilet-boxes used to get a looking-glass, small knives, a thimble, an ear bud, a toothpick, scent bottles, a small rod with a diamond on the top of it to cut glass, a threading needle, and others with the aid of which one had a habit to prepare oneself to leave home. The pocket toilet-boxes for men were supplied with shaving things and an arithmetical ruler what caused the fact that initial meaning of this word in Russian was gradually forgotten, and it began to indicate an etui with arithmetic and graphic instruments.

Snuff-box with double lid. London master. 1740s. Lapis-lazuli; gilt. 3,4 х 6,7 х 8,5. The State Hermitage [zoom (54k)]

The maidens and ladies were safely helped with fans when it used to be hot; it, at the same time, allowed a beauty to hide a face from impudent eye, or, circumstances permitting, to exchange a fleeting kiss with the beloved. The fan, as the fly as well, gave a possibility to the charming maids, constrained with the conventionalities, to make mute gallant conversations. They were especially taught by their ╚madams╩ its complicated language, so, each fashionable woman was to remember that, for example, yawning beyond the fan meant ╚hence!╩, and offering to fan was to say ╚I like you╩, covering the left ear was to be understood as ╚Don▓t give away our secret!╩, touching the right arm with the closed fan gave to understand ╚I have fallen in love with you╩, moving it to the right forearm ≈ ╚I hate you!╩

In nobleman▓s day-to-day existence, personal gloves were wildly spread, their pattern were clearly to be read on sealing wax or wax. There used to be to print down an emblem of an owner, or an ex-libris of the first letters of the first and second names on them. For a person of a royal family, it was enough to write down his/her initials under Imperial crown adding a motto to it. By the way, the words ╚Good, honour and glory╩ are the motto of the St. Prince Vladimir order instituted by Catherine II in 1782 as an award for distinguished state services.

All of these necessary little things didn▓t become a mere evidence of the manners and customs of the XVIIIth century. They were designed and created by the best artists and jewelers who made private life things masterpieces of arts and crafts with the help of artistic fantasy and irreproachable execution. The Hermitage is rightly proud of them.