Anton Raphael Mengs, Marie-Louise de Parma as a Bride. 1765, oil on canvas. Museo del Prado.
Here is Marie-Louise de Parma, in her splendid wedding gown, at age 13! Granddaughter of Louis XV, she married her cousin, Charles IV of Spain in 1765. Her wedding gown is light and layered, with soft pinks, floral greens and ivory. Diamonds and pearls mix to showcase her status, and she wears a bracelet with a miniature portrait of her betrothed on it.
She doesn't look 13. I love the miniature on her wrist!
ReplyDeleteOh I wish I knew this was a wedding dress portrait. It took me forever to find one for Yay or Nay this week! (of course I was dilly-dallying and looking for a portrait where the dress still existed- fail, btw)
ReplyDeleteWow, I am just realizing her gown matches this blog very well!
ReplyDeleteIt does!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely gorgeous! They didn't have anything like this at the store when I bought my wedding dress...
ReplyDeleteWas she really expected to provide and heir at such a tender age? I mean, I suppose there were many young widowers. It is just that a girl’s young body is not ready for having children at that age. I know that lately we are having many cases of very young mothers which still are considered of great risk. And I was just wondering if this was the same case back in the 18th century.
ReplyDeleteNot always. Often a marriage that young wasn't necessarily consummated straight away. Catherine of Aragon married Prince Arthur who was only 15 at the time he married her. It is believed after 6 months of marriage it was never consummated. There was another young bride who was married age age 12 and her marriage was not consummated until she was 15. However, Mary Beaufort was married at age 9, was pregnant at age 12 and delivered a baby at age 13. It was a miracle that she and the baby survived at all. She never had other children after that.
DeleteAn absolutely beautiful gown!
ReplyDeletePoor little sacrificial lamb. I thought she looked child like, and there you confirmed it.
ReplyDeleteOh I love everything about this, including the delicate way in which she holds the flower. Simply exquisite. I hope she was happy in her marriage.
ReplyDelete