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The Wicked Queen: The Origins of the Myth of Marie Antoinette by Chantal Thomas:

In the pamphlets [written against the queen] the paternity of the queen’s children was more often than not attributed to the comte d’Artois. “Now I am stuck for nine months, thanks to your gaff,” she says to him in one pamphlet, with her usual flippancy! another text has the queen inform the reader of Artois’s reaction to paternity: “I soon realized what an unnatural character he was, when I told the adorable prince, ‘Ah! Dear Artois, your little dauphin … is kicking me in the stomach.’

‘And me in the ass, my darling,’ he replied. ‘But fuck it! Have patience, we’ll manage to get rid of it like all the rest.’”

(image source: my screencaps of Versailles: Countdown to Revolution)

Filed under marie antoinette caricatures propaganda gossip reputation 18th century

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Brief Book Recommendations: Caricatures in the French Revolution The Wicked Queen: The Origins of the Myth of Marie Antoinette by Chantal Thomas An exploration of how Marie Antoinette’s public image transformed from a compassionate angelic dauphine to a bloodthirsty, evil, Austrian monster. Illustrated throughout and includes some translations of printed libels. Taking Liberties: Satirical Prints of the French Revolution by Jean Paul Pitton The album for a 1989 French exhibition showcases a wide variety of Satirical Prints from the revolutionary period, featuring illustrations (some in color) and a brief study of revolutionary caricature.French Caricature and the French Revolution, 1789 - 1799 by James Cuno A study on French Revolution caricatures, published in conjunction with a 1989 California exhibition on the French Revolution. Illustrations are primarily b&w.Symbol and Satire in the French Revolution by Ernest F. Henderson A text heavy work discussing the impact of symbolism and satire, as used in caricatures, during the French Revolution. This book is public domain.Face a face: French and English caricatures of the French Revolution and its aftermath by James A. Leith Another book which coincided with a 1989 exhibition, this book is dedicated both to French and English caricatures depicting the French Revolution. A nice comparison of how the French represented themselves and how the English represented the French.

Brief Book Recommendations: Caricatures in the French Revolution

The Wicked Queen: The Origins of the Myth of Marie Antoinette by Chantal Thomas

An exploration of how Marie Antoinette’s public image transformed from a compassionate angelic dauphine to a bloodthirsty, evil, Austrian monster. Illustrated throughout and includes some translations of printed libels.

Taking Liberties: Satirical Prints of the French Revolution by Jean Paul Pitton

The album for a 1989 French exhibition showcases a wide variety of Satirical Prints from the revolutionary period, featuring illustrations (some in color) and a brief study of revolutionary caricature.

French Caricature and the French Revolution, 1789 - 1799 by James Cuno

A study on French Revolution caricatures, published in conjunction with a 1989 California exhibition on the French Revolution. Illustrations are primarily b&w.

Symbol and Satire in the French Revolution by Ernest F. Henderson

A text heavy work discussing the impact of symbolism and satire, as used in caricatures, during the French Revolution. This book is public domain.

Face a face: French and English caricatures of the French Revolution and its aftermath by James A. Leith

Another book which coincided with a 1989 exhibition, this book is dedicated both to French and English caricatures depicting the French Revolution. A nice comparison of how the French represented themselves and how the English represented the French.

Filed under french revolution marie antoinette books book recommendations 18th century history propaganda

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[The Austrian court was notified of a scandalous book about Marie Antoinette published in France during the summer of 1774, and a copy was presented to Maria Theresa.] Maria Theresa to Mercy, 28 August 1774 … This, then, is what all that lavish praise comes to! This is their love for my daughter! Never has anything so atrocious appeared, and it has placed in my heart the most bitter concempt for that nation, which has no religion, morals nor feelings. I am saying nothing about this to my daughter, and I would like her to be unaware forever of the kind of people with whom she has been entrusted, surrounded as she is by traitors and scoundrels… I will let you decide whether to talk to my daughter or Vermond [her confessor] about this distasteful business, but she will not hear of it from me; I do not want to contribute to poisoning her days even more than they already are, and will be still more.

[The Austrian court was notified of a scandalous book about Marie Antoinette published in France during the summer of 1774, and a copy was presented to Maria Theresa.]

Maria Theresa to Mercy, 28 August 1774

… This, then, is what all that lavish praise comes to! This is their love for my daughter! Never has anything so atrocious appeared, and it has placed in my heart the most bitter concempt for that nation, which has no religion, morals nor feelings.

I am saying nothing about this to my daughter, and I would like her to be unaware forever of the kind of people with whom she has been entrusted, surrounded as she is by traitors and scoundrels…

I will let you decide whether to talk to my daughter or Vermond [her confessor] about this distasteful business, but she will not hear of it from me; I do not want to contribute to poisoning her days even more than they already are, and will be still more.

Filed under marie antoinette quotes 18th century maria theresa scandal letters propaganda