Louis Xiv Costumes

Throughout history rulers have used dress as a form of legitimisation and propaganda. While palaces, pictures and jewels might reflect the choice of a monarch's predecessors or advisers, clothes reflected the preferences of the monarch himself. Being both personal and visible, the right costume at the right time could transform and define a monarch's reputation. Many royal leaders have used dress as a weapon, from Louis XIV to Catherine the Great, and Napoleon I to Princess Diana. This intriguin... [Read More]

Re-examining seventeenth-century French style   Between 1678 and 1710, Parisian presses printed hundreds of images of elegantly attired men and women dressed in the latest mode, and posed to display every detail of their clothing and accessories. Long used to illustrate dress of the period, these fashion prints have been taken at face value and used uncritically. Drawing on perspectives from art history, costume history, French literature, museum conservation and theatrical costuming, the essay... [Read More]

The man who would rise through revolution and then create an empire. The napoleon/French Emperor costume includes a jacket with velcro secured epaulets, a red sash worn under the jacket, a vest with button decoration, a pair of pants, a hat, a pair of boot covers, and a pair of medal pins. Shoes and sword not included.

King Louis XIV had many loves, but none as compelling as Versailles, the modest country estate he transformed into one of the world's most spectacular palaces. Here is the dramatic - and tragic - story of Versailles and the men and women who made it their home.

One owner book. No fading or discoloration of any kind. Pristine cover. Pages are new and crisp- with no marks. Ships out of CA- art collector/costume collector home.