Almanakprentje uit ca. 1786-1787: Bonnet a grande geule de Loup (...) c. 1786 - 1787

Curator: This delicate print, "Almanakprentje uit ca. 1786-1787: Bonnet a grande geule de Loup (...)", dates from around 1786 to 1787 and resides here at the Rijksmuseum. It’s the work of Gustav Georg Endner, rendered in ink through engraving and drawing. What strikes you first about it? Editor: An effervescence of feathers! It feels utterly excessive, bordering on comical. I’m also captivated by the line work; it creates such intricate textures despite being monochrome. Curator: Excess was certainly a key element of late 18th-century fashion, especially in France. Prints like these, disseminated widely, fuelled trends. It provided fashion inspiration, instruction on recreating popular styles, and material for commentary on consumerism. Editor: Indeed, the individual details form distinct emotional cues; for example, the bonnet labeled "Bonnet a grande geule de Loup" features intricate florals around the rim. "Geule de Loup" references a type of flower which carried certain connotations at the time. It’s all very deliberate and precise. What do we know about Endner and the social impact? Curator: Endner worked producing almanacs for wider audiences than some more fashionable, expensive prints. These publications included practical calendars alongside illustrations that reflected current styles and interests of an emerging bourgeois readership. Fashion wasn’t just for the elite; printed imagery democratized and disseminated styles. Editor: These weren't prescriptive images, but almost prototypes? Curator: Exactly. And what these images carried forth beyond aesthetics relates to social identity, how this class understood luxury and wanted to engage with it in a performative way. Editor: Examining the imagery now helps reveal shared beliefs of status, but also desire to aspire to an identity. Thank you for walking through this piece and its story with me. I see it with much more clarity now. Curator: It’s been fascinating to explore these hats with you. It gives insights into a world obsessed with appearances, and the nascent power of print to shape culture.