Civil Garb of the French Citizen 1794

Jacques Louis David made this print, “Civil Garb of the French Citizen,” using etching, a printmaking technique that democratized image production during the French Revolution. An etcher covers a metal plate with a waxy ground, then scratches into it with a needle to expose the metal. Immersed in acid, the exposed lines are eaten away, creating grooves to hold ink. The dense network of lines that define the figure demonstrate the etcher’s skill. But more important is the image itself: a proposed design for French citizens’ clothing. Eschewing aristocratic lace and frills, it is relatively simple. The costume is made of textiles – woven cloth, requiring labor to produce and assemble. Yet this is no homespun garment; the hat’s plume suggests aspiration to status. David was deeply engaged in the politics of his day, and understood that even clothing could be a powerful emblem of social change. The print bridges the world of fashion, artistic skill, and political ambition – a potent combination in revolutionary France.