La Mode, 13 juillet 1839 : Chapeaux de Maurice Beauvais (...) 1839

This print from July 1839, titled "La Mode," presents three women adorned in the latest fashions. Note the parasol, a recurring motif throughout art history. In this era, the parasol was not merely a functional object but a potent symbol of status and protection, sheltering delicate skin from the sun's harsh rays. The women here, shielded from the sun, evoke a sense of delicate refinement, connecting back to images of classical goddesses. Think of ancient Greece, where pale skin was a hallmark of the elite. This ideal resurfaces through the parasol. This is similar to images of the Madonna swathed in robes of blue, a color initially derived from the precious stone lapis lazuli, the parasol wraps its bearer in an aura of privilege and elegance. These subtle visual cues engage our collective memory, stirring emotions connected to status, beauty, and aspiration.