#marie-therese

[tearsofrefugees]

French woman, 86, held by ICE after moving to US to marry 1950s sweetheart

The family of Marie-Thérèse, from Brittany, fear for her health after she was cuffed and placed in a detention centre

[vintage-every-day]

Marie-Thérèse in Pierre Balmain Dress and Hat, photographed by Philippe Pottier, 1953

[my18thcenturysource]

We all, as the history nerds we are (yes, I’m talking about me and you all dear readers), have thought about what did a moment in time long gone was like, what it looked like, what it sounded like, what was worn and where it happened. Well, someone went a step forward and asked himself what did a moment in a certain time and place smelt like. That man is Carlos Huber and he’s the founder of Arquiste, a perfume brand that create fragrances meticulously researched with historical sources to transport us to another time and place. Each fragrance has its own little story with historical setting and place; so you can find something inspired by and Aztec festival in the 15th century or a night in the Paris Opera in the late 19th century. Sounds awesome, don’t you think?

And it smells even better.

Here are two of my favourite fragrances by Arquiste, both inspired by the wedding of Louis XIV and the Infanta Maria Teresa, and since we’re in a 17th century mood, I thought this was the time to share this with you all (this sounds like a commercial but it is not, this perfumes are just so so SO good that I wish everyone knew about this brand). Imagine this:

It’s June 1660, you are at the Isle of Pheasants in the Basque region of the French-Spanish border. Spain was France’s political enemy, so this marriage would give a new balance of power in Europe. Both royal courts are in a pavilion built for this occasion of pine and cedar wood.

On the French side is a 22-year-old Louis XIV, dubbed the ‘sweetest smelling monarch’, he had a never ending love for orange blossom (he imported a thousand orange trees from Spain and made the largest orangerie) and even had his own fragrance called Acqua Angeli, there he is all starchy and elegantly dressed and totally missing the protocol he presented himself to catch a glimpse of his new bride. His fragrance, Fleur de Louis, has notes of orange blossom, Florentine iris, Jasmine, Rose and cedarwood.

On the Spanish side is the also 22-year-old Infanta Maria Teresa, the Spanish Princess represents the peace between the two nations, perfumed with orange flower water (a quite clean and innocent scent), the rouge smells of roses, the Spanish perfumed leather gloves and the scented fan are there while Louis lays his eyes on her for the first time. Her fragrance, Infanta en Flor, has notes of Orange flower water, Spanish leather, cistus resin and immortelle.

Images from top:

“Portrait of Louis XIV”, 1661, Charles le Brun.

“The infanta Maria Theresa of Spain”, 1653, Diego Velázquez.

Fragrance Fleur de Louis, Arquiste, developed with Rodrigo Flores-Roux.

Fragrance Infanta en Flor, Arquiste, developed with Yann Vasnier.

Fleur de Louis main notes: orange blossom, Florentine iris and jasmine.

Infanta en Flor main notes: Spanish leather (17th century Spanish leather gloves, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston), cistus resin, immortelle.

George Blagden as Louis XIV in Versailles, 2015.

Elisa Lasowski as Marie-Thérèse in Versailles, 2015.

So, if you go to a store that carries this brand (here in Mexico you can only find it at El Palacio de Hierro Polanco), check it out and try one of their perfumes all are genderless, you’ll not be sorry (actually I wear Fleur de Louis, after a LONG time for deciding which one I liked better). Or you can simply go to their website and read about all their fragrances and scented candles (there’s one about a Japanese ship traveling from the New Spain, imagine what that smells like. Hint: strong and delicious.)

[maggiec70]

What did Marie Antoinette’s daughter do? I noticed you have a very low opinion of her as well, but I don’t know much so I’m curious to know your reasoning.

Marie-Therese grew up to be an exceptionally sour and unpleasant person. I know, I know--people excuse any and everything she said and did because the Revolution. But quite a few people survived and remained decent. Of course, I will never ever like anyone from that family, which is a strictly visceral rather than a historical reaction.

[bobo-pompadour]

[roploplo]

[jcllib]

Retable de l’Eglise Saint-Jean-Baptiste, Saint-Jean-de-Luz, France.

Eglise où Louis XIV épousa Marie-Thérèse, infante d’Espagne en 1660.

www.jcllib.tumblr.com

[newyorkarttours]

Deborah Brown at Mike Weiss Gallery

Brooklyn artist Deborah Brown reframes Picasso’s distorted, phallic-headed sculpture of Picasso’s lover Marie-Therese with wicked humor by imaging her in painted form, an innocent in traditional dress, frolicking in a garden. (At Mike Weiss Gallery in ‘School’s Out!’ through August 6th). Deborah Brown, Bacchante, oil on canvas, 36 x 36 inches, 2016.