Genteel woman at her toilette, folding a letter. (1778)
There are closed toilettes and dressed ones; the latter are the most excellent and agreeable; the others require less of an appareil.*
The Print shows a young Lady in front of her toilette of the latter type: she has profited from a moment of her maid's absence to write a letter which she is folding as a love-note; it is destined to break a rendezvous before she forms a second, which is more agreeable than the first.
She is in a peignoir with large, open sleeves, allowing the sight of the bonshommes that trim the sleeves à pagode of her bedjacket; a band of very fine muslin serves as the peignoir's trim, and extends around its circumference. The hair is not dressed.
* Appareil is here an assembly of items for one's personal preparations. A "closed toilette" is probably enclosed like a desk, with a lid; the dressed one would have all the appareil out on display to impress visitors, which is why it requires more pieces.
