print, watercolor
watercolor
romanticism
watercolour illustration
genre-painting
watercolor
Dimensions: height 177 mm, width 110 mm
Copyright: Rijks Museum: Open Domain
This print by Pierre Charles Baquoy depicts a lady's fashion from 1815, showcasing a woolen dress trimmed with velvet and a fur stole. Consider the fur, a primal symbol of warmth and status. In ancient times, animal skins were worn for protection and to denote power, reflecting the hunter's prowess. Across millennia, this symbolism persists, resurfacing in royal robes trimmed with ermine or the luxurious furs flaunted by elites. The visual language of fur speaks to a deep, often subconscious, desire for dominance and security, hearkening back to our ancestral roots. In the modern context, the emotional weight shifts to notions of luxury and social standing, yet the underlying psychological connection to nature and power remains palpable, a testament to the enduring influence of cultural memory.
Comments
After the turbulent years of the French Revolution, in 1797 a fashion magazine was finally published again: the Journal des Dames et des Modes. Under the direction of Pierre de La Mésangère, it developed a cosmopolitan flair. The very best draughtsmen were recruited to produce the fashion illustrations, called Costumes Parisiens. They visited spots all over Paris to ensure they saw the latest styles. These included high-waisted gowns with low necklines, ‘Greek’ slippers with cross-laces 1, genuine Kashmiri shawls 2, reticules 3 (small stylish handbags), poke bonnets 4 and full-length English coats knowns as redingotes 5.
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