"Many people only met Marie-Antoinette in 1789, that is to say at the time when crushing issues had started to veil the most beautiful face that you can imagine; but it was when she arrived in France that you had to see her. Imagine a complexion with a dazzling whiteness, where colours as fresh as the spring rose mix together; big azure-blue eyes that were noticeable right away*, a forehead that a forest of blond hair crowned, where majesty united itself with candour, and which gave to her physiognomy the most noble expression, to which her nose's shape added even further. The only flaw of this lovable princess' face was that her lower lip was a bit too prominent. Nonetheless this was a distinctive feature of the house of Austria, which reminded people of the fact she was Marie-Therese's daughter. Elevated enough for her age, her height was well-taken**, her neck, her breast perfect; her hand charming, her foot and her leg as beautiful as the Medicis' Venus. She had a grace, a facility in her gestures, and most significantly a harmony in all her person which delighted people; as a result you could not see her without adoring her, because she did not meet anyone who she did not want to please."
Rose Bertin in her Mémoires de Mademoiselle Rose Bertin
sur la Reine Marie-Antoinette.
* In French, she says: "à fleur de tête" when she speaks about the queen's eyes, which means big eyes; that is a very distinctive feature of someone's face.
** I'm not sure, to be honest if she speaks about her height (most people agree that MA was tall enough when she reached her maturity, and even taller than most women at her court) or her size (MA's waist was 59 cm after her pregnancies thanks to corset and a sober diet).
"Marie-Antoinette was tall, admirably well-made, without being exceedingly fat. Her arms were superb, her hands small, perfect in shape and her feet lovely. She was the woman of France who walked the best; carrying her head very high with a majesty which allowed people to recognize the queen. Her features were not regular: she inherited from her family this long and narrow oval face so typical of the Austrian nation . She did not have big eyes; their colour was almost blue; her gaze was spiritual and soft, and her lips not too big though they were a bit strong. But the most remarkable sign of her face was the radiance of her skin. I have never seen such bright skin before, and "bright" is the right word; because her skin was so transparent/clear that it did not take any shadow...I did not have enough colours to paint this freshness, these tones so refined which only belonged to this charming face and that I have not found in any other woman since then."
Mme Vigée-Lebrun (her favourite portraitist).
"Many times I have heard people talk about the beauty of this princess, and I admit I have never really shared this opinion. But she had what is worthier on the throne than perfect beauty: the face of a queen of France, even in the moments when she intended the most to appear only as a pretty woman. Her eyes were not beautiful but they reflected every expression: benevolence or aversion painted themselves in this gaze more singularly than in any other I have encountered. I am not sure her nose belonged to her face. Her lips were decidedly unpleasant; that thick lip, advanced and sometimes drooping, has been mentioned as giving to her physiognomy a noble and distinctive quality; it only expressed anger and indignation, and it is not there the usual expression of beauty. Her skin was admirable, so were her shoulders and her neck. I have not seen such beautiful arms and hands again. She walked in either of these two ways: the first one was firm, a little bit hurried and always noble; the other one softer and more relaxed, I would say nearly caressing, but still reminded people of the respect they owned her. People had never bowed with such grace as she did, greeting ten people with one bow and giving to everyone what they were due, with her head and her gaze...To put everything in a nutshell, if I am not mistaken: when you offer a chair to other women, you would nearly always have wanted to present her a throne."
Comte Alexandre de Tilly
" This unhappy princess still kept some small jealousies of women. She had a very beautiful complexion and a lot of radiance, and was a bit jealous of these young women's skin who brought in the broad daylight their youthful complexion, more dazzling than hers. Mine was among them." (year: 1787, when MA was 32).
Marquise de la Tour de Pin.
"Madame la Dauphine was, at that time, tall and well-made, though a little bit skinny. She has barely changed then; she always has this same long and regular face, that aquiline nose which was nonetheless a bit pointed at the tip, this high forehead, these lively blue eyes. Her mouth, already small, seemed a little bit disdainful. She had the Austrian lip more pronounced than any other people of her illustrious family. Nothing can give you an idea of the radiance of her complexion, literally mixed with lilies and roses. Her ash blond hair had a thin cover of powder only. The way she carries herself, the majesty of her height, the elegance of all her person, were what they are today. At last everything in her transpired the grandeur of her race, the softness and the nobility of her soul: she attracted people's hearts." (or love)
Baronne d'Oberkirsch.
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