Court Ettiquette and the TdM

[euripides]

When studying the TdM Court cards, it occurred to me that the movement and posture of the figures seemed somewhat mannered, and I know that courtly manners covered things like gesture. So I came across some interesting things that I feel are relevant.

This page refers to courtly ettiquette in the late 17th century.

There are three important stances for the courtier: The first, a simple and rather heroic posture not acceptable in the presence of one's superior, was the second ballet position, with feet about a foot apart and slightly spread while the hands rested gracefully on the hips.
The second was the third enclosed ballet position; that is, feet perpendicular to one another with the weight on the rear foot and with the heel of the front foot at the hollow of the rear foot. Since the front foot bore no weight, the knee was slightly bent. Hands were placed between the folds of the coat or the waistcoat if it were partially unbuttoned, or one hand rested lightly on the sword and the other on the head of the high walking stick.
The third was to have the enclosed foot open sideways, bearing no weight and with the toes pointed out. The hat was placed under the arm that was on the same side as the foot that took the weight; the head turned toward the free foot; and the other arm rested easily but low on the hip.

One always walked with "toes handsomely turned out"......

...... The hat could be worn or carried under the arm at all times except in the presence of the King.

In sitting, one foot was usually placed well ahead of the other with the toes turned out, and a little tap was given to the sword hilt on its baldric under the coat in order to flip the skirts of the coat out of the way. Seldom did the man push fully back in the chair; he sat squarely in it or a bit to one side and kept an alert yet relaxed pose with one arm usually overlapping the chair's arm as if to dominate the chair and the scene that he surveyed.

I'm looking at the Grimaud at the moment, since its the deck I have to hand. The stances of the Knaves - two front-on, two side-on - are as described in the first two points above. Is it significant that the Knaves of Money and Swords are adopting the 'heroic stance not acceptable in the presence of one's superior'? The 'alert yet relaxed' pose, one arm on the chair, well describes the posture of the kings.

 

[euripides]

This page: http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/f76/royal-french-court-etiquette-9172.html

makes mention of some Courtly ettiquette regarding who-is-allowed-to-do-what that might be of interest regarding the Chariot:

MORE ON THE HONNOURS OF THE LOVRE:
-the right to have a throne room with a velvet dais in your own palace, displaying your own arms in the back courtain
-the right to gold-leaf your carriage all over
-the right to have a red velvet "imperiale" or covering as the roof to your carriage
-the right to crown the carriage lanterns with "golden ducal crowns (of 8 strawberry leaves)"

This is of course a carriage, not a chariot, however, I wonder if the presence of details (that in another post elsewhere I suggested might have been the domain of artistic freedom) do have a significance that would then have made the artist less likely to change them without good reason.

 

[Fulgour]

some thoughts

Knight service and military duties in the feudal system
was loyally performed as a return for tenures of land.

Cavalier de Deniers - Scutage in lieu of service
Cavalier de Bâton - Military Service, Warfare
Cavalier de Coupe - Diplomatic Expeditions
Cavalier d'Épées - Guard and Escort Duties

And with the Valets... they were proper, and noble youths,
sent at an early age to serve in the court of a noble family.