She is wearing a corset. The cone shape is the shape that corsets were in the 
1700's.  Unlike Victorian corsets, which nipped in the waist and created a 
curvy shape, the ideal look at this time was a cone shape. Tudor and 
Elizabethan corsets also created the cone shape.
To see a modern version and how it was worn, watch the movie "The Three 
Musketers", the one made in the 1970's. In it, Milady is seducing D'Artagnan. 
She removes her gown and underneath, she is wearing a corset with a "busk" a 
wooden triangular piece to keep the front stiff. That slips out. 
Sharon C. 

-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On 
Behalf Of Betty Cooper
Sent: Sunday, September 07, 2014 7:08 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [h-cost] The shape of Chardin's girl with shuttlecock

Hello



In interested in the painting of “girl with shuttlecock” by the French artist - 
 Jean-Baptiste-Siméon Chardin (1699 – 1779).  There are several examples on the 
web, try this one here



http://www.wikiart.org/en/jean-baptiste-simeon-chardin/girl-with-racket-and-shuttlecock#supersized-artistPaintings-268470




He probably painted the girl in 1740 and he was famous for painting still life 
and “realistic” home scenes.



I don’t know how old the girl is (12? Years)  but she really has a shape that 
we don’t find today.



I have tried, VERY unscientifically, to recreate the image by sitting my 10 
year old granddaughter in the same position holding a fly swat instead of a 
racket.  We tried to add a hat something like the one in the picture.  Even 
after persuading dear gd to sit very straight and to pull her shoulders back we 
did not get anything like the look or shape of the girl in the painting.



Either the Chardin girl’s skeleton has been deformed by tight stays, or the 
painter is employing artistic licence to please the person paying for the 
portrait.



I’m interested in how people with more costume knowledge than me see the girl 
the painting.



B
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