The Flower Garden

Artist Mary Darly , and (British, active 1756–1779)

Artist Matthew Darly (British, about 1720–1778)

Date1777

Mediumetching and engraving on cream wove paper

Dimensions35.1 × 24.4 cm (plate), 37.8 × 26.8 cm (sheet)

ClassificationsPrints

Credit LineAlexander and Caroline Murdock DeWitt Fund

Object number2014.1182

DescriptionExcessively top-heavy coiffures emerged when Marie Antoinette came into the French monarchy in 1770. By the time she was queen in 1775 the towering hairdos were fully indoctrinated in court, nicknamed “poufs”. The Flower Garden, with its temple to Mercury and a laboring gardener, may seem exaggerated, but the Parisian Duchesse de Lauzun wore a wig with a whole landscape in relief, complete with ducks, a windmill, and a miller leading his donkey.

Label TextUsing hyperbole, satire enters the realm of the absurd but finds its source material in reality. Excessively top-heavy coiffures emerged when Marie Antoinette came into the French monarchy in 1770. By the time she was queen in 1775 the towering hairdos were fully indoctrinated in court, nicknamed “poufs”. The Flower Garden, with its temple to Mercury and a laboring gardener, may seem exaggerated, but the Parisian Duchesse de Lauzun wore a wig with a whole landscape in relief, complete with ducks, a windmill, and a miller leading his donkey.

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