1856 Empress Euegénie with her court by Olympe Aguado
The Ladies wear several interesting variations of the dome crinoline in this photo from 1858.
From Mes années à la cour on myspace. Reunion des Musés Nationaux has a version of this image that has lower contrast than this version that I have not altered.
The Lady who is lowest on the steps wears a striking crinoline dress with ten flounces, excluding the petticoat at the bottom, while the next lowest Lady, possibly the Empress, wears a crinoline with two rows of hexagonal designs that is canted. The cant proves the skirt is being supported. The penultimate Lady to the right has a trapezoidal design bodice that looks like something from the 1600s. Many of the dresses have triangular bodice panels - stomachers. Some of these are framed with lapel-like revers.
Keywords: 1856, Olympe Aguado, Empress Eugénie, Empress, Bonaparte family, French, straight coiffure, headdress, high neckline, collar, jabot, stomacher, revers, elbow length flared sleeves, three quarter length flared sleeves, crinoline, flounces