Fragonard's The Swing

I would be grateful if you answered my questions regarding this short video. http://smarthistory.khanacademy.org/rococo.html

What is the meaning of 'poof' at 0:9
Look up pouf/pouffe in your dictionary.

Hi

- 'Poof' is slightly unususal, but refers to how the lady's skirt rises, like a puff of smoke

- 'Blast and bough' is unusual too. I think it means that the symbol of the tree, part zigzag, part cloudy, symbolises lightening and thunder - to show that there are strong emotions in the scene

Dave

I didn't understand why it was spelled as 'poof'' if it refers to the woman's dress that looks like a 'puff' of smoke.

And to mean a large firm kind of cushion used as a seat, only pouffe, pouf are used and never poof or puff, right?

In an online dictionary both pouf and puff are used as synonyms to refer to a light padded bed covering.

Hi

Strictly speaking 'poof' and 'puff' are onomatopoeic That means that the word sounds like the thing that you are describing. When the lady's dress rises then, in some way, it is like exhaling and saying the word. This is particularly true if you are smoking a cigarette (although I don't recommend that). Therefore, either word is OK

In the UK, a padded bed covering would be

Thank you, Dave for your explanations. I will have to read each definition once again.

Lately, "poofy" has come to mean "fluffed up", and I suspect that her use of "poof" there was a back-formation from that. In writing, I would change her "pouffe" or whatever it was it to "puff".