Saturday, January 31, 2009

Josephine's Jewels

Lucy has an extensive post on the jewelry collection of Napoleon's first wife. Share

4 comments:

M Buvat de Virginy said...

Elena, maybe you can answer this question. I know I've read this somewhere- isn't it true that Marie-Antoinette actually spent less than Josephine on clothing and jewellery ?

Thank you !
Charles-Antoine

elena maria vidal said...

Yes, I have read that, too, and not only on clothes and jewels but on houses, gardens, and pets, Josephine spent more than the Queen. However, people were willing to forgive and overlook Josephine's faults and she was always beloved and popular in France. But then, Josephine was not as much a threat to the forces of change and revolution as Marie-Antoinette had been, and so there was not the same effort to discredit her. In Marie-Antoinette's case, she was an Austrian and the mother of the heir and so the propaganda against her was fierce.

Lucy said...

Hello Elena. Yes that is so true about the difference in perception of both Josephine and MA. Anything MA did was always scrutinized and criticized. Poor Queen. Thanks so much for linking me! I'm really honored.

elena maria vidal said...

You are welcome, Lucy. Josephine is one of my favorite historical people. I dressed up like her one year for Halloween.