Visual exploration 2, Character narrative, Week 3 (08/02/2024)

In continuation of my research for the module visual exploration 2: Character narrative, I decided to chose Marie Antoinette as my primary character for my research development. I chose this character as even though both characters have notably interesting stories and themes to develop I found Marie had a more visually captivating appeal which could be enhanced throughout the project. 

During this continuation of my research, I cultivated a variety of different facts that I thought would be relevant or notable to integrate into my project development and conception. These included;

- Marie worked closely with Rose Bertin, a fashion merchant and designer, until her death

- Marie bought over 300 dresses annually, but never wore anything twice

- Rose Bertin's partnership with Marie was both the greatest success in her career and the greatest undoing of her career after the French revolution

- Marie enjoyed both masculine and feminine attire such as her extravagant dresses in contrast to her hunting attire

- Propaganda significantly altered Marie's life story, such as the quote "let them eat cake" 

- The public's view of Marie first began to change for the worse during the unraveling of the diamond necklace affair

- The Versailles glide was a technique used by Marie and other women within the courts of the palace in which they're feet never left the floor as they walk making them appear to glide/float as they walked

- Marie had a close relationship with Swedish soldier Hans Axel Von Fersen (which was debated whether it was platonic or romantic) and he remained a faithful companion until her death

Moreover, I started to explore visual references for the conception of Marie's character design and the environment her world encapsulated. Primarily, these references notably focused on the fashion design as my research into Rose Bertin significantly created inspiration for the development of Marie's visual conception.

Marie in a red hunting habit, Joseph Krantzinger (1772)
Marie's expression of masculinity and power through her hunting attire

Marie Antoinette, Queen of France as painted by Elisabeth Louise Vigée-LeBrun (1778)
An example of Bertin's elaborate and decorative designs for Marie

In relation to this research, I also began to create visual research of the different people within Maire's life to aid my conception of the fashion, environment and life connections in her world. For instance, this included prevalent people such as Rose Bertin and Madame Du Barry (as shown below).

Studies on Rose Bertin and one of the designs she made for Marie

Studies on Madame Du Barry and the infamous diamond necklace