La robe de soie 1860s

This small photographic print shows a reclining woman wearing an elaborate white dress, and was made by Pierre-Louis Pierson sometime in the mid-19th century. Pierson was a society photographer in Paris, known for his portraits of fashionable women. The sitter’s dress is the focal point, its swirling silk fabric filling the frame. These were the early days of photography, and its development as an art form was very closely tied to the social structures of the time. The image, in its composition and subject matter, speaks to the status of women in the 19th century, as well as the social and economic conditions that shaped artistic production. The trappings of wealth and status are everywhere, from the expensive fabrics to the ornate furniture. To better understand an image like this, we can consult fashion history, social histories of 19th-century Paris, and archives of photography studios. Art history is always contingent on its social and institutional context.