I stumbled onto this illustration while I was doing some research on telescopes for my book. A woman is having her wig shaped by a French hairdresser on a step ladder. And the husband looks on, through a telescope.
The image is dated 1771, so I’m venturing into the 18th century–which is less familiar territory for me. But I have a sneaking suspicion that this is not an especially accurate representation of Enlightenment style. Anyone care to weigh in? Or want to offer some web links for the real scoop on hair just before the French Revolution?
For those content to remain safely in the Old Regime, I can’t recommend Joan De Jean’s The Essence of Style: How the French Invented High Fashion, Fine Food, Chic Cafes, Style, Sophistication, and Glamour highly enough. The title is a mouthful, but the book is a rousing (and well-researched) romp with the greatest Parisian trend-setters of all: the court of Louis XIV.