Elegant woman with a flowered and feathered pouf headdress' pastel painting on paper, 18th century

18th century painting, pastel on paper depicting the portrait of a pretty young bourgeois woman wearing a pendant, with a graceful face and a gentle expression. The composition highlights powdered hair, a delicate pale complexion, and a subtle palette of parma hues, reminiscent of the style of queen marie antoinette. Extravagant style emblematic of an era marked by a constant quest for refinement and pomp. The work is presented in a louis XVI style stuccoed and gilded wooden frame, with some defects from use (small losses, cracks and chips in the gilding). Please note that the reflections visible in the photos are due to the shooting under glass. The work is in good general condition and sold as is, as illustrated in the photos. Dimensions with frame: 80 X 60 cm. Style and influence felt: marie-antoinette became an icon of fashion and refinement in the 18th century, embodying the elegance and extravagance of the ancien régime. She popularized several styles: 1. Extravagant hairstyles: • the “pouf”: a very voluminous hairstyle, obtained with hairpieces and white powder, often decorated with feathers, ribbons, flowers, and sometimes even small decorative or symbolic objects. • these hairstyles symbolized the luxury and exuberance of the royal court. 2. French dresses: • she often wore sumptuous dresses in silk or satin, decorated with lace, embroidery and pearls. • she later adopted a simpler and more rustic style, influenced by the hamlet she had built at versailles. This gave birth to the style “à la reine”, marked by light dresses in white muslin. 3. Neoclassical taste: • towards the end of her life, marie-antoinette adopted clothing and jewelry inspired by antiquity, reflecting the emergence of the neoclassical style in opposition to rococo. Marie-antoinette symbolizes both the splendor and the excesses of (...).