JeanRevel(1684-1751),the‘Raphaelofsilkdesign’hadhisportraitpaintedin1747inLyon.Thisarticlefocusesonthedressandfurnitureinthisportrait,investigatingthemessagetheartistandthesitterconveyedconsciouslyorinadvertently.
Figure1-Mise-en-carte(ordraft),JeanRevel,France,1733,gouacheonpaper.MuséedesTissus,LyonInv.no.40932
In2014,theV&Awillopennewlyrefurbishedgalleriesdevotedtodesignandartmadeandusedinseventeenthandeighteenth-centuryEurope.TheexhibitsareamongthemostglamorousandluxuriousintheMuseum’scollections,farremovedfromtheexperienceofmosttwenty-firstcenturymuseumvisitors’everydaylives.Thegalleryteam’sambitionistomakethemphysicallyandintellectuallyaccessibletomanyaudiences.Onemethodofdoingsoistoofferinsightsintothelivesofthosewhoknewtheseobjectsintimately,whetherasmakersorconsumers.AmongtheexhibitswillbesomeofthefinestfashionablesilksmanufacturedinthehighlyregardedandmuchcopiedFrenchsilkmanufacturingcentreofLyoninsouth-eastFrance.Designersandmakersfromthatcitywereacknowledgedtrendsettersfromthelateseventeenthcenturyonwardsandarecreditedwithestablishingtheseasonalfashioncycleindresswhichcontinuedintothelatetwentiethcentury.
Figure3-Panelofsilk,France,about1735,brocadedsilk,119.38x54.61cm.Museumno.T.187-1922
Figure2-Sketchforsilk,France,about1734,watercolouronpaper,52.4x31.4cm.Museumno.5974.7
Figure4-Portraitofanunknownman,CarleVanLoo,France,about1730-40,oiloncanvas,145x109cm.ChateaudeVersailles.Inv.no.MV4484,Réuniondesmuséesnationaux,Paris
Figure5-Banyan,France,1735-40,cutabout1780,silk.RoyalOntarioMuseum,Toronto,inv.no.909.33.1
Figure6-PortraitofJeanRevel,DonatNonnotte,France,1748,oiloncanvas,79x64cm.Lyon,MuséedesTissusetdesArtsDecoratifs.Inv.no.1398
Intriguingly,intheonlyknownportraitofRevel(fig.6),thedesignerwearsafabricthat,althoughitispatterned,isafarcryfromhisownelaboratedesigns.Thisportraitwaspaintedsomeyearsaftertheseparticularsilkpatternsweretheheightoffashion.Nonetheless,brocadedhighlypatternedsilkswerestillinvogue.Revel’sdecisiontowearsomethingsimpler,therefore,begsthequestion,whyDoeshischoicetellviewerssomethingaboutthetasteandattitudesofmenofhismeans,stationandage,andthusmorebroadlyaboutthepatternsofconsumptionofthemercantilebourgeoisieandthemeaningstheyattachedtothehighlydecoratedsilkstheycreatedThrougharigorousanalysisofthedressandfurnitureinthisportrait,thisarticlebeginstoaddressthewidercontextfortheconsumptionofbrocadedsilks,andthedifferencebetweenaristocraticopulenceandbourgeoisrespectability.Thisanalysisaimstohelptwenty-firstcenturyviewerstounderstandthemanbehindthedesigns–andthecirclesinwhichhemoved.Itisdependentnotonlyonmethodicalanalysis,butalsoonnewdocumentaryevidence,foundandpublishedinthe1980sand1990s.(6)
Thus,in1748whenNonnottecompletedRevel’sportrait,hewasatthestartofhiscareerasaportraitist,alreadyhadexcellentcredentials,andmayhavebeencontemplatingmovingtoLyon.Hewasdevelopinghisideasonhischosengenre.By1754hehadbecomeamemberoftheAcadémiedeLyon,by1756thefirstdirectoroftheEcoleGratuitedeDessin,aschoolintendedtotraindesigners,andby1762thecity’sofficialpainter.Later,in1772,hewastoexpresshisviewsonportraitureinhissixthdiscoursetotheAcadémiedeLyonthus,‘Portraits…servetopreserveandexpresssentimentsofrespect,esteem,friendshipandlove.Itwouldbeamistaketobelievethatthelikenessofthefeatureswastheonlymeritofaportrait’.(25)IfsuchsentimentssuitedRevel’sintent,thensurelyhisdressandposewerelikelytohavebeenconsistentwiththerespectandesteemappropriatetohisageandstatus,justastheframingoftheportraitwasinkeepingwithhisinteriordecoration.Whetherhewishedtoannouncehisartisticleaningsisanothermatter.
(Source:ADRBP2187:Inventory,14December1751)Whereitemshadmatchingcounterparts,thesearenotedinthethirdcolumn(hencethedisparityinnumbers)
Garment
TranslationsintocontemporaryEnglish:Chambaud,Louis.Nouveaudictionnairefranois-anglois&anglois-franois:contenantlasignificationdesmots,avecleurdifférensusages,lesconstructions,idioms,faonsdeparlerparticulières,&lesproverbesusitésdansl’uneetl’autrelangue,lestermesdessciences,desarts,&desmétiers,letoutreceuillidesmeilleursauteursanglois&franois.London:JohnPerrin,1778.
AllofthisdresscouldhavebelongedtoRevelandrelatestoitemsinhisinventory.Histwowigsweredeemed‘old’,anadjectivethatmayrefertostyleasmuchastowearandtear.(39)Allofhisbestshirtsweremadeofhollandandtrimmedinmuslin,andheownedfournightgowns,threewarmwoollenonesandoneofsatin(presumablysilk).Thecallimanco(calemande)nightgownhekeptintown,withitsmatchingwaistcoatlinedinswanskin(molleton)andbreechesmadeofswanskin,seemstobealikelycontenderasamatchfortheonedepictedintheportrait–althoughthecolourisnotspecifiedintheinventoryandthehairinessofthesurfacemaybetoogreat.(40)Thisensemblewastheonlyonevaluedseparatelyfromothergarmentsandattherelativelyhighsumof20livres(onetenthofthetotalvalueofhiswardrobe),anditwastheonlyonenotdescribedasoldorworn.(41)Whilethisidentificationisnotdefinitive,whatisimportantisthefactthatportraitandwardrobeechoeachotherconvincingly.
Figure7-PortraitofDenisDiderot,Louis-MichelVanloo,France,1767,oiloncanvas,81x65cm.Paris:MuséeduLouvre.Inv.no.RF1958.Réuniondesmuséesnationaux,Paris
Figure8-Self-portrait,Louis-MichelVanloo,France,1763,oiloncanvas,129.5x98cm.Versailles,ChateaudeVersaillesetTrianon,Inv.no.MV5827.Réuniondesmuséesnationaux,Paris
Figure9-Self-portrait,DonatNonnotte,France,1758,oiloncanvas.93x73cm.Besanon,Muséedesbeaux-artsetd’archéologie.Inv.no.843.6.1.Muséedesbeaux-artsetd’archéologie,Besanon,(Photo:CharlesCHOFFET)
Revel’sportraitwasnotforpublicconsumption,inthesensethatitwasnottobeexhibitedattheSaloninParis,andLyondidnotyethaveanysuchpublicforumfordisplaysofart.(53)Instead,itwasdestinedforRevel’shomewhereitwastohangamongmanyothergildedframedpaintings.Itwasoneofsevenfamilyportraitsheownedatthetimeofhisdeath:fivewerekeptinthesamebedroomonthefirstfloorofthemainhouseonhiscountryestate,whiletwohunginthelivingroom(salle)intown.Bothwerespacesinwhichheprobablyentertainedonlyprivilegedfriends.Thebailiffswholistedthefurnishingsdidnotextractthesefamilyitemsforspecialvaluationattheendoftheinventoryastheydidpaintingsinothergenres.Theywerepartandparcelofthefurnishingsratherthanhavinganyintrinsicartisticorfinancialvalue.(54)Inthesespaces,theywerefortheconsumptionoffamily,friendsandservants–thosewhowereinvitedintothehomewhereRevelmightquitedecorouslyhavegreetedtheminoneofhisnightgowns.
Inthisportraittheclothessuggesthowaparticularprovincialbourgeoiswishedhisnearestanddearesttoseeandrememberhim.Themessageandconventionsarenottransparentnow,butmethodicalanalysisofsuchimagespaysdividendsandofferssomeinsightsintohowtheFrencheighteenth-centurybourgeoisiethoughtabouttheirappearance,itsappropriatenessandimpact.RapidcomparisonofVanLoo’sportraitofanunknownmanwithNonnotte’sofRevelunderlinesthechasmbetweenaristocratsandbourgeois(figs.5&6).ThegorgeousbrocadedsilksRevelhadmanufacturedwereindeedsuitablefornightgownsandacquiredbythearistocracy.Themerchantswhoconceivedthemdidnotattempttoemulatethataristocraticbrillianceorexpenditureintheirdress–nor,onesuspects,thedeliberatelydramaticattitudesandgestureswithwhichtheyshowedofftheiropulenceinthethree-quarterorfull-lengthcanvassestheycommissioned.
Unfortunately,thereisnorecordofanyapprenticeshipnorofJean’sactionsuntil1712whenheandhiselderbrotherGabrielarefirstrecordedinLyon,oneofthemregisteredasamasterinthepainters’guild(corporationdespeintresetdessculpteurs).WhetherthiswasJeanorhiselderbrotherisnotclear.(62)Theymaybothhavetrainedintheirfather’sworkshop,whichwouldexplainwhyneitherisrecordedinanyotherguildrecords.TheywerebythenalreadymarriedtoMarguerite(d.1746)andMarieChaillotDelessinet(d.before1714),daughtersofGaspardChaillotDelessinet,abarristeratthehighcourtofappealofGrenoble(avocatauParlementdeGrenoble).MargueriteboreJeanfourdaughtersandtwosonsbetween1712and1717.ThegirlssurvivedbeyondtheirmajorityandmarriedintotheupperechelonsofLyon’smanufacturingfamilies.Theyinturnparentedgrandchildrenwhoachievedmaterialandsocialsuccess.(63)
Revel’sconsolidationofhislinkswithsilkmanufacturingledhimtopresentsubstantialdowriesof33,000livrestoeachdaughter,includingmerchandisetoagreaterorlesserextent,andestablishingbusinesspartnershipswithhissons-in-law.Thisconsolidationharkedbacktohischoiceofcareerforhisonlyson,Louis,whohadbeenregisteredasanapprenticeinthesilk-weavingguildin1734.WhenLouisdiedprematurelyin1740,hewasalreadyajourneyman.(78)
(1)ThisarticleisanextendedversionofashortpiecepublishedinafestschriftinhonourofDrAnnSaundersin2010,Miller,LesleyE.‘AnEnigmaticBourgeois:JeanRevelDonsaNightgownforhisPortrait’.Costume44(2010):46-55.IamgratefultoVerityWilsonandPennyByrde,theeditorsofCostume,forencouragingmetopublishthemoredetailedversion.IthankmycolleaguesClareBrowne,SarahMedlam,SusanNorthandMoiraThunderfortheirhelpfulcommentsasIpreparedthistext;SylvieMartin-deVesvrotteforprovidinginformationfromherunpublisheddissertation;AudreyMathieuattheMuséedesTissus,GérardBruyèreandhiscolleaguesattheMuséedesBeaux-Arts,bothinLyon,fortheirwillingassistance;andtheRoyalOntarioMuseumwhereIspentamonthasVeronikaGerversFellowinTextileHistory,inparticulartoAlexPalmer,AnuLivandiandNicolaWoodsforfacilitatingmyongoingrequests.AngelaMcShane,editoroftheOnlineJournalhasbeenathoroughlyencouragingandrigorouseditor.
(2)Theirmonographsare:Thornton,PeterK.BaroqueandRococoSilks.London:FaberandFaber,1965;Rothstein,Natalie.Eighteenth-centurySilkDesignsinthecollectionsoftheVictoriaandAlbertMuseum.London:V&A/ThamesandHudson,1991.
(3)Thornton.BaroqueandRococoSilks.15.
(4)Thornton,PeterK.‘JeanRevel,DessinateurdelaGrandeFabrique’.GazettedesBeaux-Arts(1960):71-86.Thornton.BaroqueandRococoSilks.15.TherichdocumentationonRevelavailablenowintheArchivesDépartementalesduRhnewasnotreadilyaccessibleinthe1950s.
(5)ThemostthoroughandimpressiveinvestigationderivesfromresearchintothecollectionsoftheAbegg-StiftunginSwitzerland.Jolly,Anna.Seidengewebedes18.JahrhundertsII,Naturalismus.Riggisberg:Abegg-Stiftung,2002.Thebanyaninfig.4andthesackbackgownMuseumno.T.193-1958revealtheuseofthisstyleofsilktwoormoredecadesafteritwasoriginallymade,eitherinFranceorelsewhere.
(6)Miller,LesleyE.‘DesignersintheLyonsSilkIndustry,1712-87’.UnpublishedPhDthesis,BrightonPolytechnic,1988;Ibid.‘JeanRevel:SilkDesigner,FineArtist,orEntrepreneur’.JournalofDesignHistory8:2(1995):79-96;Ibid.‘DressingdownineighteenthcenturyLyon:dressintheinventoriesoftwenty-sevensilkdesigners’.Costume29(1995):25-39.
(8)Miller.‘JeanRevel:SilkDesigner,FineArtist,orEntrepreneur’.
(9)Pernetti.Leslyonnaisdignesdemémoires:350.
(10)AMLStPierreetStSaturnin:Sépulture8avril1785,no.921;StNizier:11janvier1789SépultureNobleJean-FranoisClavière.
(11)Onthebackiswritten:‘Nonnottepinx.1748’.IamgratefultoAudreyMathieuoftheMuséedesTissusinLyonforconfirmingthatthepaintingenteredthemuseumsometimebefore1914.Openedin1864,theMuséed’Artetd’IndustrietookthenameMuséeHistoriquedesTissusin1891,itspartnerinstitutionbecomingtheMuséedesArtsDécoratifs.FranoisBreghotdeLutindicatedthatitwashanginginthedirector’sofficeatthetimehewaseditingthetextofLelivrederaisondeJacques-CharlesDutillieu.Lyon:1886,soitmusthavearrivedinthemuseumbeforethatdate.BreghotdeLut,24.
(12)Miller,‘JeanRevel:SilkDesigner,FineArtist,orEntrepreneur’:79-98.Thisisthemostup-to-dateaccount,andachapterinmyforthcomingbook,PortraitsinSilk,willpresenttheevidencediscoveredsince1995.Thereisnoevidenceofhimjoiningtheguild,buttherelevantguildregistershavenotallsurvived.
(13)Miller.‘AnEnigmaticBourgeois’:86.BasedonMauriceGarden’ssamplingofthreedecadesofinventories:Garden,Maurice.LyonetlesLyonnais.Lille:PressesUniversitairesdeLille,1970.
(14)Perez,Marie-Félicie.‘Lamaisondecampagned’unéchevinlyonnaisauXVIIIesiècle’.InLyonetl’Europe.HommesetSociétés.Mélangesd’histoireoffertsàRichardGascon.Lyon:PressesUniversitairesdeLyon,1980:113.
(15)ArchivesDépartementalesduRhne(hereafterADR)3E2999Bourdin(Lyon):8.08.1742Vented’undomaineetfondsMrRanvier/MrRevel.Hehadpaidoffthefullamountof20,000livres;3E3904Debrye(Lyon):31.03.1746Vented’unemaisonàLyonAppeléel’hteldesquatrenationsetdépendancesSindicsdescréanciersduSrDuport/SrsReveletClavière.Hepaid58,218livresincashforhisshare.ADRBP2187,f.56.ForthestatusoftherueSainteCatherine,seeBayard,Franoise.VivreàLyonsousl’AncienRégime.Lyon:Perrin,1997:242.ADRBP2187:14.12.1751Inventaireaprès-décèsRevel,f.56.
(16)ADR3E6913BPatrin(Lyon):25.11.1751TestamentRevel;ArchivesMunicipalesdeLyon(hereafterAML)StPierreetStSaturnin,1751,no.954:EnterrementdeJeanRevelmarchand
(17)Viaux-Locquin,Jacqueline.Lesboisd’ébénisteriedanslemobilierfranais.Paris:LéonceLaget,1997:141-3.Itspopularitydecreasedinthelatereighteenthcentury.
(18)ADRBP2187,ff.39-44.Seealso,Pardailhé-Galabrun,Annik.LaNaissancedel’Intime.3000foyersparisiensXVIIe–XVIIIesiècles.Paris:PressesUniversitairesdeFrance,1988:Chapter10oninteriordecorationofParisianhouses.Revel’sinteriorsfitstheprofileforthelateseventeenthandfirsthalfoftheeighteenthcentury.
(19)Garden,LyonandLyonnais,405ff.
(20)ADRBP2187,ff.51-3.
(22)Martin,Sylvie.‘VieetuvredeDonatNonnotte,peintreduXVIIIesiècle’.Unpublishedmémoiredematrise,UniversitédeLyonII,1984.tome2,60.
(24)Martin,Sylvie.‘LesportraitsdefemmesdanslacarrièredeDonatNonnotte’.Bulletindesmuséesetmonumentslyonnais3-4(1992):35.ItwasnotuncommonforParisianartiststovisitLyonforseveralmonthsatatime,sometimesenroutetoorfromRome,thoughNonnottehimselfdidnotmakethatpilgrimage.FewstayedpermanentlyinLyon,althoughthemosteminentartistsactivetherebetweenthesixteenthandeighteenthcenturiescamefromoutsidethecity.Chomer,GillesandMarie-FéliciePerez.‘Unfoyerartistique’.InHistoiredeLyondesoriginesànosjours,editedbyAndréPelletieretal:550-580.Lyon:éditionsLyonnaisesd’Artetd’Histoire,2007.
(25)‘Leportrait…sertàconserveretàexprimerlessentimentsdurespect,del’estime,del’amitiéetdel’amour.Onsetromperaitsil’oncroioitquelaressemblancedestraitsfittoutlemérited’unportrait’,citedinLespeintresduroi1648-1793.ExhibitionCatalogue.MuséedesBeaux-ArtsdeTours.Paris:RéuniondesMuséesNationaux,2000:162.
(26)Desvernay,Félix.LevieuxLyonàl’ExpositionInternationaleUrbaine,1914.Descriptiondesuvres,objetsd’artetcuriosités;Noticesbiographiquesetdocumentshistoriquesinédits.Lyon,1915:57,cat.179:‘enperruque,vêtud’unerobedechambrefourrée,ensoiegrise,àlargesdessins.Ilregardesouriantlespectateurettientsesbrascroiséssurledosd’unfauteuilrouge’.
(27)Martin.‘VieetuvredeDonatNonnotte’.tome2,cat.no.31,58-60:‘vêtud’unerobedechambrefourréeetbrochéedecouleurgrise,entouréed’uncordonbleu.Ilregardesouriantlespectateurettientsesbrascroiséssurledosd’unfauteuilrouge…Toutdanscetableaurappellelesactivitésdupeintre:d’abord,larobedechambrebrochéeavecsesmotifsflorauxqu’ilaffectionnaitparticulièrement,puislatapisserieapparentedufauteuilquiprésenteunesimilitudededécorationaveclarobedechambred’intérieurdupeintre.’
(28)AnumberareshowninMartin.‘LesportraitsdefemmesdanslacarrièredeDonatNonnotte’:26-49.
(30)BrushKidwell,Claudia.‘AreThoseClothesRealTransformingtheWayEighteenth-CenturyPortraitsareStudied’.Dress24(1997):3-15.Onmethod,see,too,Taylor,Lou.TheStudyofDressHistory.Manchester:MUP,2002;Ribeiro,Aileen.TheArtofDressFashioninEnglandandFrance1750-1820.NewHavenandLondon:YaleUniversityPress,1995.
(31)Turningclotheswasamethodofprolongingtheirlife.Itinvolvedtheunpickingofallseamsandtheturninginsideoutofthegarmentsothatthelesswornsidebecametheouterside.Thislaboriousformofeconomywascommonpracticeatalllevelsofsocietyinthisperiod,asthefabricscostmorethansewinglabour.Accordingly,fabricswererecycledtillnolongerusable.
(32)Justaucorps(ratherthanthemoreup-to-dateandlessspecifichabit).ThelatestreferenceIhavetotheuseofthiswordinaninventoryforthesemenis1770.SeeMiller.‘AnEnigmaticBourgeois’.
(33)ItcontainednofabricsfromtheverytoplevelofthetextilehierarchyasdefinedinapetitiondrawnupforDeGournayin1751.CitedinGodart,Justin.L’ouvrierensoie.1899,reprintGeneva:Slatkine,1976:390.
(34)ADRBP2187.Sometenyearslater,on19November1760,atailoradvertisedsuitsforautumnandwinterintheAffichesdeLyon,no.47:192.Thecostofafullsuitofclothlinedincottonwas74livres,whileasuitlinedwithsilkcost125livres.Asurtoutandbreechesofvelvetcost180livres.
(35)Petitionof1786citedinGodart.L’ouvrierensoie:410.Itshouldbenoted,however,thattheconsumptionofclothingandrapidityofchangehadincreasedconsiderablybytheendofthecentury,andthatRevelbelongedtothefirsthalfofthecentury.Roche,Daniel.ThePeopleofParis.Oxford:Berg,1981:Chapter6;Ibid.TheCultureofAppearances.London:Berg,1996:Chapters6&7;Bayard.VivreàLyon:258-9.
(36)Forasimilardesignforsilkdamask,byAnnaMariaGarthwaite,dated1748,seeRothstein.SilkDesignsoftheEighteenthCentury:238.Anumberofotherdesignsfrom1743-51areinasimilaridiom.
(37)Oneighteenth-centurywhitework,see,TheArtoftheEmbroidererbyCharlesGermaindeSaint-AubinDesignertotheKing.Translationandannotationoftextof1770byNikkiScheuer.LosAngeles:LosAngelesCountyMuseum,1983:57&126.See,too,Bleckwenn,Ruth.DresdnerSpitzen-PointdeSaxe.Dresden:StaatlicheKunstsammlungenDresdenKunstgewerbenmuseum,2000:cat.40,datedto1730-50.Here,thewholeflounceiscoveredwithstitching,whereasRevel’sisonlydecoratedroundtheedge.Thenatureofthedesignissimilar.
(38)Ribeiro,Aileen.DressinEighteenth-CenturyEurope.London:B.T.Batsford,1984:89.MarciaPointondevotesawholechaptertothesignificanceofwigsinherseminalworkonEnglisheighteenth-centuryportraiture.Pointon,Marcia.‘DangerousExcrescences:Wigs,hairandmasculinity’,inHangingtheHead:portraitureandsocialformationineighteenth-centuryEngland.MarciaPointon.London:YaleUniversityPress,1993:107-136.Lyonhaditsownguildofbarbiers,perruquiers,baigneursetétuvistes,establishedformallybyroyaldecreein1673.Between1711and1774,thenumberofofficesavailablerosefrom60to101.Caillat,Gilles.‘LesPerruquiersdeLyonauXVIIemeetXVIIIemesiècle’.Unpublishedmémoiredematrise,UniversitéLumièreLyonII,1992:20.Thisincreasewasprobablyinlinewiththeincreaseinpopulationandthereforedemandforwigs.ThislevelwasaboutninetimeslowerthanforthemuchbiggercityofParis.
(39)Revelalsoownedmanynightcapswhichwouldhavebeenperfectlycongruoustowearwithanightgown.ADRBP2187.
(41)ADRBP2187,ff.41and14.ALyonnaistailoradvertisingintheAffichesdeLyontenyearslater,promotedgarmentsofmuchmoreexpensivefabricinthreepieces,thecheapestbeingaredingoteàl’Ecuyère,vesteetculottedeCamelotmi-soie,galonéed’argentaveclesjarretièresdemêmeat70livres(brandnew,thisthreepiecesuit,whosecoatwouldhaverequiredsubstantialinterliningandshaping,wasmadeofawoolandsilkmixcamblet,andhadafancymetaltrimming).Affiches.1761:72.
(42)Pardailhé-Galabrun.LaNaissancedel’Intime:398-401.
(43)ADRBP2187,f.40.IamgratefultoSarahMedlamforherhelpinidentifyingthestyleanditsimplicationsatthisdate.Ferrier,André.‘NogaretetsamanièredegalberunsiègeLouisXV’.ConnaissancedesArts1(1959):114-7;Kjellberg,Pierre.LemobilierfranaisduXVIIIesiècle.Dictionnairedesébenistesetmenuisiers.Paris:Leséditionsdel’Amateur,1989:603-7.Thechairintheportraitconformsinstyletothesurvivingpieceshownin,Pallot,BillG.B.L’artdusiègeauXVIIIesiècleenFrance.Paris:A.C.R.-Gismondiéditeurs,1987:251.Thischairwasmadeinwalnutaround1760bythetopfurnituremakers,NicolasHeurtautandJean-BaptisteTilliard.
(44)JohnHardy’sappraisalofthefurnitureoftheEnglishportraitpaintersJoshuaReynoldsandRichardCoswaymakesausefulcontributiontothesubject.Hardy,John.‘TheDiscoveryofCosway’sChair’.CountryLife(March15,1973):705-6.Cosway’schair,madeabout1765-8,isintheV&Acollectionandwasusedinportraitsintothe1770s.Armchair,M.Lock,ca.1755.Museumno.W.1-1973.
(45)Onsignificanceofnightgowns,seeSwain.‘NightgownintoDressingGown’:10-21;Cunningham,PatriciaA.‘EighteenthCenturyNightgowns:TheGentleman’sRobeinArtandFashion’.Dress10(1984):2-11;Maeder,Edward.‘AMan’sBanyan:HighFashioninRuralMassachusetts’.HistoricDeerfieldmagazine(Winter2001);Fennetaux,Ariane.‘Meningowns:Nightgownsandtheconstructionofmasculinityineigtheenth-centuryEngland’.Immediations.TheResearchJournaloftheCourtauldInstituteofArt1(Spring,2004):77-89;Ibid.‘Duboudoirausalon:l’inimitéetlamodeenEuropeauXVIIIesiècle’.InModesenmiroir.LaFranceetlaHollandeautempsdesLumières.Paris:ParisMusées,2005:72-3;Thunder,Moira.‘AnInvestigationintoMasculinitiesandNightgownsinBritain,1659-1763’.UnpublishedMAdissertation,UniversityofSouthampton,2005.
(46)See,forexample,theNetherlandishtextilemerchantinsimilargarb,WillemVanMierisleJeune,GamaldegalerieAlteMeister,Dresden.Inv.1752.
(47)Lespeintresduroi1648-1793;CitizensandKings.PortraitureintheAgeofRevolution1760-1830.ExhibitionCatalogue.London:RoyalAcademyofArt,2007;especially‘TheCulturalPortrait’and‘ThePlaceforExperimentation:Artists’PortraitsandSelf-portraits’:128-80.Nonnotte’sworkcanbecomparedwiththatofhisParisiancontemporariesFranois-HubertDrouais,MauriceQuentindeLatour,Jean-BaptistePerronneau,Louis-MichelVanLooandLouisToqué,allofwhomenjoyeddepictingthespecificityoffashionabledress–usuallyinanindoorsetting.
(48)Ithadbeenusedintheartist’sself-portraitfouryearsearlier.OnLouis-MichelVanLoo’sstudioprops,seeRolland,Christine.‘LouisMichelVanLoo(1707-1771):MemberofaDynastyofPainters’.UnpublishedPhDthesis,UniversityofCalifornia,SantaBarbara,1994:Chapter3;Ribeiro.TheArtofDress:15-18.
(49)Ribeiro.TheArtofDress:18,citingDiderot.
(51)Theadditionofacollarwasinlinewiththeadditionofacollartotheformalcoattowards1760;thefabricisaplainsilk–perhapsmorelikethesatinnightgownmentionedinRevel’sinventory.
(52)Forexample,McNeill,Peter.‘“ThatDoubtfulGender”:MacaroniDressandMaleSexualities’.FashionTheory3:4(1999):411–47;Ibid.‘MacaroniMasculinities’.FashionTheory4:4(2000):373-404;Munns,JessicaandPennyRichards(eds).TheClothesThatWearUs.Newark:UniversityofDelawarePress,1999.
(54)ADRBP2187,f.45intown;f.13incountry.ItseemslikelythatRevelhadapendantofhiswifepaintedorthatitalreadyexisted.Theywerevaluedasapairat8livres(f.45).At4livresapiece,theyweremorehighlyvaluedthanmanyofthelandscapes,historyandreligiouspaintingsvaluedseparatelybyanexpert(ff.51-3).
(56)RibeiromakesthepointthatdeshabilléinFrenchportraitswas‘ofthemostlavishkindwithemphasisonthebeautifulfabricsofthecostume’,citingFranois-HubertDrouais,GroupPortrait,1756intheNationalGalleryofArt,Washingtonasanexample(Ribeiro.TheArtofDress:35).Reveloffersaninterestingcontrastfromadifferentsocialclass.
(57)Garden.LyonandLyonnais:405.
(60)Brême.‘GabrielRevel’:99.Coural,Jean.LesGobelins.Paris,1989:10-19.
(61)Brême.‘GabrielRevel’:100.
(62)ItisunlikelythatitwasanotherRevelasthenamewasfairlyuncommonineighteenthcenturyLyonunlikeRevol,RivalandRivet.AMLHH174Corporationdespeintresetdessculpteurs.Revelwasoneoftheguildmemberswhocontributedtotherepairsmadetotheguildchapelon1December1712.RecordsofthedeliberationsofthesilkweavingcorporationdonotmentionRevelasamemberandnoneofthesurvivingregistersofapprenticeshipsormastersintheArchivesMunicipalesdeLyonindicatehispresence.
(64)Parishregistersarenotalwaystotallyreliable,althoughwhyanewcomertoLyon,suchasRevel,shouldclaimatotallydifferenttradefromtheonehepractisedisdifficulttoexplain.Atthisjuncture,evenifhewerenotabarrister(avocat),heobviouslymovedinthosecirclesandwouldthereforehavebeenawareofthelawworkedwithregardtopolicingguilddisputes.See,MichaelSonenscherforfurtherdetailsofthewayinwhichthedifferentlayersofthelegalsystemworkedineighteenth-centuryFrance.Sonenscher,Michael.WorkandWages.Cambridge:CambridgeUniversityPress,1989:53-6.
(65)AML,StNizier:15juillet1712BaptêmedeClaudineRevel24juin1713BaptêmedeBarbeJeanne,21mars1715BaptêmedeBenot;StPierreetStSaturnin:26aot1716,f.132BaptêmedeMargueriteGabrielleRevel;9septembre1717,f.147BaptêmedeLouisRevel.Benotwasapparentlytheonlychildtodiewithinthefirstcoupleofyearsofhislife.(StNizier:29aot1717EnterrementdeBenotRevel)
(66)Laterinthecentury,theLyonnaisbegantousetheParisianword.SeeGarden,Maurice,Lyonetleslyonnaisaudix-huitièmesiècle.Lyon:Flammarion,1976:367.
(68)FromthepublicationofthefirstAlmanachdeLyoninthelate1740s,themarchandsdesoiewerecitedasanindependentgroupwhodidnotbelongtoanycorporation.
(70)ADR3E4686Durand(Lyon):9avril1736AprentissageMargueriteEtiennetteLaurent/Revel.
(72)ADR3E6913BPatrin(Lyon):30.09.1751CertificatRevelClavièreRambaud/GérardMasson.
(73)SeveralotherdrawingsbythesamehandorafterthishandaretobefoundintheBN,MT,MuséedesArtsDécoratifsinParis,andVictoriaandAlbertMuseum.See,Thornton.‘JeanRevel,DessinateurdelaGrandeFabrique’.
(74)Thornton.BaroqueandRococoSilks:175,Plates68&69;Rothstein.Eighteenth-centurySilkDesigns:126-8&relevantplates;MADCollectionGalais,Vol.1.TheEnglishsilkdesigner,AnnaMariaGarthwaite,evidentlyownedandcopiedkeyelementsofthetechniquewithinacoupleofyears.
(75)BNLh44–microfilmM253787.NotethatPeterThorntontranscribedBuissonasRuisson,atranscriptionIfollowedinmyarticleof1995.Onrevisitingthedesign,ithasbecomeclearthatBuissonisthecorrecttranscription.ItisalsoasurnamethatappearsagreatdealintheregistersoftheGrandeFabrique.
(76)AMLStNizier:21mars1715BaptêmeBenotRevel;29aot1717Enterrement.LikethegodfatherofRevel’sotherson,BuissonwassubstantiallyolderthanRevel(twentyyearsolderinhiscase).
(77)Oramemberofhisfamily.ADR3E2977:lastfolio.Hediedin1744attheageof80,twoyearsbeforethemarriageofthelastofRevel’sdaughters.AMLStPierreetStSaturnin:2mai744EnterrementBenotBuisson,diedinruedelaCage.WitnessesatfuneralwereLescallier,Federyfils,FederypèreandJacquesBuisson.
(78)LouisRevelregisteredasapprenticewithJeanMonmarchéon26November1732attheageof15.Hecompletedhisapprenticeshipinfiveyearsandregisteredasajourneymanin1737.AML,HH598Registredesapprentis(1725-37),f.227andHH588Livredescompagnons1735-45,f.66:4.12.1737.
(79)Garden.LyonandLyonnais:355-87.
(80)Hisuniversalheirhonouredallminorandmajorlegaciesimmediately.Thismay,ofcourse,bemoreofanindicationofJeanne-Barbe’shusband’ssolvencythanofthestateofRevel’sthefinances.
(81)Charléty,S.Documentsrelatifsàlaventedesbiensnationaux.Lyon,1906:141.