The Enduring Legacy of Marie-Antoinette
Podcast bonus recommendations from Dr. Susan Taylor-Leduc
I had the great pleasure of welcoming the art historian, author, and fantastic cultural guide Dr. Susan Taylor-Leduc back to my podcast recently to discuss her new book Marie Antoinette’s Legacy: The Politics of French Garden Patronage and Picturesque Design. You can listen to our conversation by clicking below or here.
The long maligned figure of French royalty and one of many unfortunate symbols of the French Revolution, the former queen has rarely been painted in a positive light. But what if that is an incomplete story? What if new scholarship points to a more nuanced picture of Marie Antoinette and the empresses that followed in her footsteps? That’s part of what I spoke to Susan about— the world’s obsession with Marie Antoinette, her role within the royal court, what pop culture has gotten wrong about her, and the parallels with depictions of Parisian women today.
Susan has kindly shared some of her recommendations for anyone interested in going further into the historical rabbit hole to understand this mythologized figure. Below, you’ll find her suggestions for books and cultural institutions to visit on your next trip.
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