Gallerie des Modes et Costumes Français, 1785, nr.10, nr. 20, Kopie naar gg 182 : Nouvelle Levite de taffetas un (...) c. 1785

Pierre Gleich created this print, "Gallerie des Modes et Costumes Français, 1785," as part of a series documenting French fashion. It captures a woman of the French upper class in her elaborate taffeta gown. Consider the historical context: France in 1785 was on the cusp of revolution. While figures like the woman in this print indulged in extreme fashion, poverty and social inequality were rampant. The print offers a window into the visual culture of the elite, but what does it conceal about broader social conditions? The woman pictured is consuming something, but what? Is she reading a letter, a novel, or perhaps something more subversive? This image prompts us to reflect on the relationship between fashion, identity, and societal power structures, and is a reminder that fashion can be both a personal expression and a reflection of broader political and economic realities.