When the young Marie Antoinette entered France for the first time, the country pulled out all the stops to welcome her.
Upon her arrival at the Strasbourg Catherdral, she was met with a grand ceremony that included thirty-six young shepherds and shepherdesses picked for their good looks and quintessential rustic costumes.
Twenty-four maidens from the most important families of Strasbourgh scattered flower petals at her feet. In gratitude Marie-Antoinette bestowed each with a posy as a memento and one lucky girl received the intricately carved, gem-encrusted ivory fan with a Rocaille scene painted on it that the Archduchess carried with her that afternoon.
Amazingly the fan survived the French Revolution and is now housed at the Musse Carnavalet. Here is the *best* picture I could find of the fan online.
Image Courtesy of blog: Too Much Stuff
Information Courtesy of the Book: Queen of Fashion, What Marie Antoinette Wore to the Revolution
- Grace
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