DIVINE GRACE
How Stefano Pilati turned to Jansenist nuns, clergy and their less religious contemporaries to inspire his brilliant second collection for Yves Saint Laurent in 2005...
Portrait of Cornelius Jansen • 1659 • Louis Dutielt • Château de Versailles
”Intellectually, Pilati is spot on in reading the current mood of restraint. “I think now we want to be chic, considered, and rigorous,” he said. “We want self-respect; and not to show our wealth so much.” To find imagery to anchor the collection, he looked at seventeenth century Flemish paintings of Jansenist nuns and clergy (a Catholic breakaway sect). “The key was that they were so obsessed with clean, perfect, pressed fabric; but there is rich detail in there, too.” • Courtesy of Sarah Mower for Vogue Runway
Jansenism was a theological movement within Catholicism, primarily active in France, that emphasized original sin, human depravity, the necessity of divine grace and predestination. The movement originated from the posthumously published work of the Dutch theologian Cornelius Jansen, who died in 1638. It was first popularized by Jansen's friend Abbot Jean du Vergier de Hauranne, of Saint-Cyran-en-Brenne Abbey, and, after du Vergier's death in 1643, was led by Antoine Arnauld. Through the 17th and into the 18th centuries, Jansenism was a distinct movement away from the Catholic Church. The theological center of the movement was the convent of Port-Royal-des-Champs Abbey, which was a haven for writers including du Vergier, Arnauld, Pierre Nicole, Blaise Pascal and Jean Racine.
Portrait of Cornelius Jansen • Circa 1695 - 1704 • Museum Catharijneconvent, Utrecht
Portrait of a Gentleman • 17th Century • Circle of Philippe de Champaigne • Image courtesy of Nick Cox of Period Portraits
Portrait of Jean Antoine de Mesmes • 17th Century • Circle of Philippe de Champaigne • Image courtesy of Christie’s
Daria Werbowy modeling Stefano Pilati’s Jansenist inspired calfskin and velvet coat for Yves Saint Laurent • Autumn / Winter 2005 Collection • September 1, 2005 • Vogue • Steven Klein
Portrait of Échevin of Paris • 17th Century • Circle of Philippe de Champaigne • Image courtesy of Christie’s
Messire Antoine Arnauld Pre Docteur de Sorbonne decede le Aoust 1694 • 1694 • Antoine Trouvain • Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Portrait of Jean-Baptiste Colbert • 1655 • Philippe de Champaigne • The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City
Portrait of a Man • 17th Century • Philippe de Champaigne
Portrait of a Man, possibly Philippe de la Trémoïlle, Count of Olonne • Circa 1641 - 1681 • Jean-Baptiste de Champaigne • Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
Portrait of a gentleman, traditionally identified as Noël de Bullion • 1656 • Philippe de Champaigne • Image courtesy of Christie’s
Portrait of Jean-Baptiste Antoine Colbert, Marquis de Seignelay • 17th Century • Follower of Pierre Mignard • Image courtesy of Christie’s
Natalia Vodianova modeling Stefano Pilati’s Jansenist inspired lace dress for Yves Saint Laurent • Autumn / Winter 2005 Collection • July 1, 2005 • Vogue • Mario Testino
Portrait of a Gentleman • 17th Century • French School • Image courtesy of Bonhams
Portrait of Hugues Felicité Robert de Lamennais • 1827 • Jean-Baptiste Paulin Guérin • Musée du Louvre, Paris
Portrait of Jacques Lemercier • 1644 • Philippe de Champaigne • Château de Versailles
Portrait of Antoine Singlin • Circa 1646 • Philippe de Champaigne • The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles
Lisa Cant modeling Stefano Pilati’s Jansenist inspired ivory blouse for Yves Saint Laurent • Autumn / Winter 2005 Collection • December 1, 2005 • Vogue • Irving Penn
Portrait of Martin de Barcos, the Abbé of Saint-Cyran • 17th Century • Workshop of Philippe de Champaigne • Musée National de Port-Royal des Champs, Yvelines
Karen Elson modeling Stefano Pilati’s Jansenist inspired ensemble for Yves Saint Laurent • Autumn / Winter 2005 Collection • September 1, 2005 • Vogue • Steven Meisel
Portrait of Jean du Vergier de Hauranne, the Abbé of Saint-Cyran • 1645 • After Philippe de Champaigne • Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest
Portrait of Nicolas Fouquet • 17th Century • Studio of Philippe de Champaigne • Image courtesy of 1st Dibs
Stefano Pilati’s papal inspired lace and leather Bruges bag for Yves Saint Laurent • Autumn / Winter 2005 Collection • August 1, 2005 • Vogue • Raymond Meier
Portrait of Two Men • Former Title : Portrait of François Mansard and Claude Perrault • 1656 • School of Philippe de Champaigne • Musée du Louvre, Paris
Portrait of Victor le Bouthillier • 1650 • Philippe de Champaigne • Musée des Beaux-Arts, Tours
Portrait of Mother Angélique Arnauld, Abbess of Port-Royal • 1654 • School of Philippe de Champaigne • Musée du Louvre, Paris
Self-portrait of Louise Hollandine van de Pfaltz as a Benedictine nun • Circa 1622-1709 • Louise Hollandine van de Pfaltz • The Royal House of Hanover Auction at Sotheby’s
