Detail of Madame
Paul-Sigisbert Moitessier, née
Marie-Clotilde-Inès
de Foucauld, Standing |  | Ingres
often made suggestions to his sitters about their clothing and jewelry. He counseled
Madame Moitessier: "Since you are certainly beautiful all by yourself, I am abandoning,
after mature consideration, the projected grand headdress for a gala. The portrait
will be in even better taste and I fear that it would have distracted the eye
too much at the expense of the head. Same thing for the brooch at your breast;
the style is too old-fashioned, and I beg you to replace it with a gold cameo.
However, I am not against a long and simple chatelaine, which I could terminate
with the pendant of the first one. Please . . . bring on Monday your jewel chest,
bracelets, and the long pearl necklace." | |
