Artwork
Petit maître en chenille, Habit du matin
Petit maître en chenille, Habit du matin is an unspecified work on paper by the Rococo painting artist Pierre Thomas Le Clerc ou Leclerc. It dates from 1781 and is held in the collection of the Palais Galliera - Musée de la Mode de la Ville de Paris. Created in 1781 by Pierre Thomas Le Clerc, this watercolor portrait depicts a young gentleman dressed in elaborate attire.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1781 by Pierre Thomas Le Clerc, this watercolor portrait depicts a young gentleman dressed in elaborate attire. The work is part of the collection of the Museum of Ethnography and is titled Petit maître en chenille, Habit du matin, referencing the distinctive chenille fabric visible on the subject’s coat.
Subject & Meaning
The figure is presented in a formal stance, his left hand gripping a walking stick while the right rests on his hip. He wears a purple coat trimmed with chenille, a broad-brimmed black hat, and white stockings, suggesting a fashionable morning dress of the late eighteenth‑century aristocracy.
Technique & Style
Executed in watercolor, the painting employs the medium’s capacity for translucent washes, giving the fabrics a soft, blended appearance. The subtle gradations of hue and the delicate rendering of the chenille lapels highlight the artist’s skill in depicting texture within a limited palette.
History & Provenance
The piece has remained in the Museum of Ethnography’s holdings since its acquisition, where it serves as an example of European portraiture collected for its ethnographic interest in clothing and social customs of the period.
Context
In the late 1700s, portraiture often emphasized sartorial details as markers of status. The inclusion of chenille—a plush, velvety material—reflects contemporary tastes for luxurious fabrics and the growing interest in documenting everyday fashion.
Legacy
While not widely reproduced, the work contributes to the museum’s broader narrative on historical dress, offering scholars a visual reference for the textures and styles of elite morning attire in pre‑revolutionary France.
Artist & collection
Artist
Pierre Thomas Le Clerc ou Leclerc
Pierre Thomas Le Clerc made delicate 18th-century watercolors of men’s and women’s fashions, recording the exact cut and trim of coats, waistcoats and robes in minute detail.
Museum
Palais Galliera - Musée de la Mode de la Ville de Paris
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