This object has been deaccessioned and is no longer in the GRPM's collection
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Clothing and Accessories
Clothing Accessories
Women's Clothing ➔ Marquise Parasol
Identifier:
196770Description:
This marquise parasol has a black silk canopy with scalloped edges. The shaft is made of wood and the handle is intricately carved with a black ribbon hanging from it. A hinge can be seen at the midpoint of the shaft which allows the parasol to be folded in half. Parasols with this hinge were called carriage parasols and could be easily condensed in small spaces. There is another hinge under the canopy connected to the tip. This hinge is what classifies this parasol as a marquise parasol. It could be used to position the canopy to block the sun but its main purpose was for flirting. It was named after Madame de Pompadour, who invented it for the purpose of coquetry.Women often carried parasols to protect their complexion from the sun. A fair complexion was prized as a symbol of a life of leisure, showing that these women didn't have to work outside and could spend their days inside.
