Nouveau Journal des Dames, 1821, Pl. 14 : Robe en tulle brodée en soi (...) 1821

This fashion plate, titled *Nouveau Journal des Dames*, was created in 1821 by August Delvaux. Its delicate lines and soft colors present an idealized vision of feminine elegance, typical of early 19th-century fashion. The composition is structured around two figures, each meticulously detailed with specific attention paid to the texture of their garments. Delvaux employs a limited palette, primarily using pink and white to accentuate the embroidery and fabric folds. The artist’s focus on line and form creates a visual language that speaks to the era’s aspirations of refinement and status. The semiotic system at play here reveals the cultural codes of the time, where dress was a symbol of social identity. Consider how Delvaux utilizes the interplay between the flatness of the page and the illusion of depth achieved through careful shading. The artwork thus functions not merely as a fashion document but as a study in the cultural aesthetics of representation, capturing the essence of an epoch through the formal qualities of line, color, and composition.