The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) is set to unveil its next blockbuster exhibition, focusing on one of history’s most maligned figures: Marie Antoinette. This exhibition, titled “Marie Antoinette Style,” will delve into the life and legacy of the French queen, aiming to dispel long-held myths and reveal the real woman behind the infamous caricature.
Curator Sarah Grant, along with cultural historian Dr Madeleine Pelling, seeks to challenge the widespread perception of Marie Antoinette as a frivolous, ignorant, and out-of-touch monarch. This portrayal, they argue, is a result of centuries of reinvention and storytelling, often driven by those seeking to control the narrative.
From the moment Marie Antoinette crossed the border from Austria into France, she was subjected to a carefully crafted image, stripped of her Austrian identity and remade as a French queen. This process, as Dr Pelling explains, extended to her clothing, literally “dressing her as the person they wanted her to be.”
The French Revolution further amplified this manipulation, using Marie Antoinette as a pawn to undermine the monarchy. Critics of the monarchy, driven by their own agendas, painted her as a figure of dubious morals, accusing her of affairs, paedophilia, espionage, and even bestiality. These accusations, often spread through pamphlets in the streets of Paris, aimed to present the queen as a figure of excess, further tarnishing her reputation.
In the years following the Revolution, the image of Marie Antoinette as an unsympathetic, out-of-touch monarch was further cemented. Those who sought to justify the Revolution needed to explain the execution of a widowed mother, and portraying her as someone who uttered the infamous “let them eat cake” quote made her appear completely uncaring. This narrative was further reinforced in the 20th century, where she became an emblem of consumerism, a symbol of excess and materialism, often used as a punchline, as seen in the recent Paris Olympics opening ceremony.
However, in recent decades, there has been a growing push to reclaim Marie Antoinette’s legacy and challenge these long-held misinterpretations. Feminists, in particular, have challenged the use of pornography and the portrayal of her as unserious and apolitical.
Through this exhibition, the V&A hopes to offer a more nuanced and informed understanding of Marie Antoinette. They seek to highlight her genuine interests in fashion, her passion for the arts, her patronage of artists and makers, and her intellectual pursuits.
Marie Antoinette was an avid reader, delving into philosophy and natural history, not just novels and plays. She was deeply engaged in interior design and furniture, enjoyed playing instruments, and even commissioned a piano for herself. This multifaceted figure, while certainly not without her flaws, was far more than the caricature history has often presented.
“Marie Antoinette Style” opens at the V&A on September 20, 2025, offering a chance to rediscover the true Marie Antoinette and challenge the myths that have obscured her complex and fascinating story.
