In The Makeup of the Marquise: Boucher’s Portrait of Pompadour at Her Toilette, Melissa Hyde examines the intricate connections between the use of cosmetics and the stylistic development of Rococo art. Hyde brings forth many compelling arguments which she admits to be “speculative.” She explains that the use of makeup was “a symbolic practice, intimately bound up with court politics and social identity.” Throughout the article, Hyde explains in detail what these political and social components entails: the distinction between gender and class within the French society is symbolized by the use of cosmetics, and therefore, the application of rouge, the presence of mirrors, dressing tables, and the use of powder all alludes to aristocracy within 17th century paintings.
Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson, Marquise de Pompadour, Francois Boucher, 1750
These speculations are supported by evidence and continual reference to Boucher, who painted a series of oil paintings for Madame Pompadour. Madame Pompadour was a significant patron of the arts, whose portraits carried heavy cultural meanings due to her use of makeup. The portraits of Madame Pompadour are “the representation of identity; class, gender and artistic identity. It is a reflection on a passion for the cosmetic arts.”
In other words, Madame Pompadour was a 17th century equivalent of makeup gurus who rise to fame from their Instagram pictures. Her portraits are intentionally-created aesthetic scenes, and much like modern social media influencers, visual languages are used in these images to covey wealth, success, and -above all- beauty.
The Marquise de Pompadour, Francois Boucher, 1750
The emphasis on beauty in these Rocco paintings have been the focal point of numerous debates. Art critics saw a feminine aspect in Rococo art that is rarely seen in art history. After all, most patrons and artists are men for a long time. However, with the emergence of female patrons, art became feminized. Artists used paint as a tool of enhancement to make female patrons look more flattering. Pompadour’s face is rendered impossibly soft with reformed, large eyes. For this reason, they were criticized to be make up artists rather than true painters. The portraits commissioned by Madame Pompadour stood at the forefront of this topic. Interestingly, the value of such practice has not been lost. Today, women continue the tradition with the aid of modern technology to enhance the visual representations of themselves. They dictate what is presented. They dictate their persona.
All in all, Hyde provided a very fresh and compelling subject for scholar studies. The influence of Madame Pompadour and female cosmetics on the development of Rococo is articulated very well. However, throughout Hyde’s argument a few things caught my attention. Had the article provided a explanation to these issues, it would have made for a more thoroughly examined topic.
Hyde mentions that in the 18th century, cosmetics were no longer a luxury of the upper class. In fact, “the lowliest grisettes can make this expenditure as abundantly as a person of the highest birth.” This contradicts Hyde’s argument that make up is associated with the elite. Cosmetics may serve as a symbol of aristocracy, but if it became a common product, why did this tradition continue in the painterly world? The analysis lacks an explanation for this.
Moreover, an allusion to wealth in paintings is not something new which emerged in the mid 17th century. Artists long before the time of Madame Pompadour had been making references to their wealth through art commissions. Extravagant architecture, exotic fruits, reference to colonialism are to simply name a few. Hence, to signal wealth and power is definitely not something which may only be expressed through the use of cosmetics. After reading Hyde’s argument, I agree that makeup is a new component to the display of status, but it is neither essential nor necessary to the display of wealth. Therefore, I remain unconvinced that the emergence of cosmetics is mainly for the purpose of exhibiting wealth – such tools were not lacking to artists. In Boucher’s paintings of Madame Pompadour, it is clear that her flamboyant clothing -as opposed to her make up- remains a key signal of her aristocracy. Thus, we come back to the original question without a sufficient answer: Why did cosmetics appear in Rocco Art?
Cosmetics and the Development of Rococo Art: Review of The Makeup of Marquise by Melissa Hyde In The Makeup of the Marquise: Boucher’s Portrait of Pompadour at Her Toilette, Melissa Hyde examines the intricate connections between the use of cosmetics and the stylistic development of Rococo art.













