Rose-Adélaïde Ducreux, French
“I’ve Got a Riddle For You: How Did the Woman With No Musical Training Land a Job As a Harpist? She Pulled a Few Strings! (Thanks, I’ll Be Here All Concerto,”) 1791
Oil on canvas
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Info, or perhaps links that point to more info, about this artist can be found here, here (archived if necessary), here, here, here, and here, perhaps in addition to what’s in her Wikipedia page (Google translated French Wikipedia page has more).
/// This self-portrait’s of Rose-Adélaïde
standing next to the harp which she played.
Harps are played sitting down,
but her lovely silk gown,
to look best, must be this way displayed.
/// She depicts herself strumming some notes
as she stands, but the artist promotes,
not the music she plays,
but her robe à l’anglaise
and the fashion-sense which it connotes.
/// In her self-portrait she has portrayed
herself confident and undismayed.
In the latest high fashion
she shows musical passion.
Self-promotion, indeed— and well played.
/// Women painters were very rare then.
Critics said “They must think they are men.”
So her face and her clothes
and her wasp-waisted pose
proclaim “I’m not just cute, I’m a ten!
/// The silks of her gown softly rustle,
rubbing up against body and bustle.
Don’t assume you can hustle
this girl into a tussle.
She’s surprisingly strong and all muscle.