Figure 1.--This painting by Chardin executed in 1737 provide a masterly case study in of childhood concentration. Despite the three-cornered hat, it also shows us how French boys wore their hair. Note the characteristic quque or pig tail and rather large bow. Less well known is the side lock. |
This is a well known paonting by Charles Chardin. His genre paintngs provide us some wonderful images of French childhood in the 1730s and 40s. Note the quque or pig tail and rather large bow. Most bows I have noted in 18th century drawings are smaller. The quque was not a childish hair style. That was the style being wiorn by men, often as part of their wigs. Perhaps the child's bow could belarger than that of his father or perhaps this is a French style. I'm not sure about that. One strange feature is the side burn or lock of hair hanging down at the side. This is not a style an adult would have worn, although he also painted a teenager with a similar style.
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Return to the Main Chardin page]
[Return to the Main individual A-F artist alphabetical page]
[Return to the Main French page]
[Introduction]
[Activities]
[Biographies]
[Chronology]
[Clothing styles]
[Countries]
[Bibliographies]
[Contributions]
[FAQs]
[Glossaries]
[Satellite sites]
[Tools]
[Boys' Clothing Home]