The Fashion Magazine as Temptress 1902

C. Drivon's colour lithograph, 'The Fashion Magazine as Temptress', dates from around 1900 in England. It served as a cover for 'The Queen', a ladies' newspaper and court chronicle. The image presents the viewer with the ideal of feminine beauty at the turn of the century: pale, slender, and adorned in the latest fashions. However, this image has a wider resonance, hinting at the rising consumer culture and the evolving role of women in society. The illustrated woman is staged like a work of art, framed within a luxurious interior, suggesting that the acquisition of fashion is not merely a practical matter, but an aesthetic and social pursuit. The title itself - 'The Fashion Magazine as Temptress' - acknowledges the persuasive power of such publications and the social pressures that they create. To truly understand this image, one might explore archival material relating to the fashion industry, gender studies, and the history of advertising.