Bottle in the shape of a woman in folk costume c. 1800 - 1810

This eighteenth-century bottle, shaped as a woman in folk costume, likely from Fontainebleau, immediately strikes you with its vibrant colors and rigid form. The figure's verticality is emphasized by the carefully detailed folk dress, which draws the eye from the ornate headpiece, down the embroidered blouse, to the lush green skirt. Note how each section is distinctly separated by horizontal bands of color and pattern, which create a stratified composition, almost like a study in contrasts: soft floral patterns against rigid geometric borders. This structure may reflect the social structures of the time, categorizing and compartmentalizing identities through costume. The bottle's function adds another layer of meaning. Is it meant to hold a precious liquid, subtly suggesting the woman herself is an object of desire or utility? It prompts us to question the values and structures inherent in both art and society.