Journal des Luxus und der Moden 1786, Band I, T. 5 1786

Curator: Looking at this image, I immediately think, “opulence." What a fantastic display of excessive ornamentation! Editor: Absolutely. What we’re looking at here is an engraving titled “Journal des Luxus und der Moden 1786, Band I, T. 5" created in 1786 by Friedrich Justin Bertuch. Curator: Tell me more about the context for these elaborate hairstyles! It seems impossible and almost mocking in its excessiveness. Editor: The late 18th century witnessed a fascinating interplay of societal shifts. Bertuch's work provides a window into the fashion publications gaining popularity among the rising middle classes and elites. Simultaneously, we see rising social tensions. These extravagant styles became markers of status, but also targets for those decrying aristocratic privilege. Curator: Interesting point. It seems to echo throughout history, this obsession with surface presentation as a display of socio-economic status. And rococo style is nothing, if not excessive, ostentatious... decorative, if you will. The details in the feathering and the lace, not to mention the incredible height, feel utterly detached from practical concerns. Editor: Precisely. I see these kinds of images as visual battlegrounds—contests over power and visibility. By analyzing the distribution and reception of prints like this one, we can start unpacking what fashion and identity meant during the revolutionary period. I notice an underlying tension, between the decorative flourishes meant to enhance beauty, and the structural constraints placed upon women within the power structures. Curator: And to create art that is political and challenging by showing something fashionable... That also goes to show the politics that were hidden in plain sight at that moment. Editor: Yes! And it goes beyond the clothing and appearance into politics, questioning existing standards. So, while Bertuch’s engraving captures the elegance of the period, it simultaneously illuminates the complexities and contradictions inherent within these very standards of luxury and societal standing. Curator: Indeed, something to keep in mind as we view artworks of this period... What message they're trying to deliver by showing the high standards of beauty. Editor: Thanks for helping me explore these contradictions further; it gives us all much to contemplate as we delve into the context behind them.