Petit Courrier des Dames, 5 mai 1828, No. 552 : Robe de gros de Naples brodée... 1828

This fashion plate, "Petit Courrier des Dames, 5 mai 1828," was created anonymously in France, showcasing a design for an embroidered dress. Published during the Bourbon Restoration, this image reflects the fashion trends of the Parisian elite. The emphasis on elaborate dresses and accessories speaks to the social importance of appearance, particularly for women of the upper class. Fashion was a language, a declaration of one's status and allegiance in a society still grappling with the aftermath of revolution. Consider the layers of identity at play here – the artist's, the subject's, and our own as we view this image through the lens of history. The delicate details and the idealized form of the woman evoke a sense of longing for a bygone era, a world of elegance and refinement that was both alluring and exclusionary.