Gallerie des Modes et Costumes Français, 1778, L. 62: Bourgeoise en Robe de Satin... c. 1776 - 1786

Nicolas Dupin made this print in 1778 as part of the "Gallerie des Modes et Costumes Français," showcasing French fashion. The image presents a bourgeois woman in a striped satin dress with fur-lined accessories, reflecting the period’s emphasis on luxury and status. Fashion plates like this served as visual currency, circulating ideas about style and class. Produced in pre-Revolutionary France, the print offers a glimpse into the opulence of the time, but also hints at the social tensions brewing beneath the surface. The elaborate attire signifies a certain level of economic stability, a status increasingly contested by the emerging middle class. Fashion plates played a crucial role in disseminating style trends, but they also functioned as markers of social difference. To fully understand this image, we need to look at sources like period journals, economic surveys, and even political pamphlets. What we see here is not just an article of clothing, but a statement embedded in a complex web of social and economic relations.