Journal des Demoiselles, Décembre 1868, 36e année, No. 12 1868

Editor: Here we have "Journal des Demoiselles, Décembre 1868," a print by Paul Lacourière combining etching and lithography. Looking at the detailed dresses and the figures gazing into the shop window, I get a strong sense of everyday life and fashion of the time. What particularly catches your eye in this work? Curator: It tickles my fancy that we are allowed a stolen glance into what was then the height of Parisian fashion. It makes me consider the aspirations of women, then and now, and how they find ways to express their identities through clothing, despite society's expectations. There is almost a playfulness about the piece, with the contrast between the sober gaze of the two ladies and the obvious delight of the younger girl staring at the display, don't you think? Editor: Definitely! The child's fascination is infectious. I didn’t initially think of it in terms of social expectations. Curator: These magazines were not just about pretty dresses; they were subtly shaping desires and social norms, offering glimpses into a lifestyle that many could only dream of. Each careful line in this image whispers of those silent aspirations. Even today, don't we feel that subtle pull when flipping through fashion magazines? Editor: That’s a really interesting point about unspoken desires. And I like the way you put that – ‘each careful line whispers’. So, it’s not just a snapshot of fashion, but a carefully constructed narrative about women and their place in society. Curator: Precisely! It is an era of controlled fantasy, laid down in ink and paper. And these two ladies invite us to ask how far we have traveled from those fantasies, and what are the modern prints telling stories about us. Editor: I will not look at magazines the same again! Curator: Nor should you! It is about how the images of those magazines imprint on us and, whether we choose to accept it or not, shape a piece of our existence.