Gallerie des Modes et Costumes Français, 1785, nr. 26, nr. 51, Kopie naar K 55 : Jolie Femme en Circassienn (...) c. 1785

Curator: My goodness, it's quite the confection, isn't it? Editor: Indeed! What is this visual sugar rush? Curator: We're looking at a mixed-media print by Pierre Gleich, dating to around 1785. It's titled "Gallerie des Modes et Costumes Français, 1785, nr. 26, nr. 51, Kopie naar K 55 : Jolie Femme en Circassienn...". Quite a mouthful, I know! Editor: You know, 'Rococo' immediately springs to mind. All that playful opulence and artifice. But what intrigues me are the layers, those visible elements suggesting a world beyond simple courtly display. Curator: Spot on. While the extravagant dress is immediately captivating – and look at the size of that hairpiece! – the fashion plate served a practical purpose too, in this case a reflection of the styles circulating among the aristocratic elite in France. What does the sartorial symbolism tell you? Editor: Oh, where to start? The "Circassian" element nods to a romanticized idea of the exotic "other" from the Caucasus region. That headdress, laden with feathers and what appears to be fruit, isn’t just about beauty; it signals wealth, status, global reach, colonial exploits... Each carefully chosen ornament becomes a tiny signifier of power and influence. She isn’t just wearing a dress, she’s wearing an empire. Curator: And that pale pink colour. Editor: Yes, pink, once strongly associated with masculinity, becomes increasingly feminized by the late 18th century – and she stands out! Also notice how delicate the lines are, that hand-tinted watercolor. Even with so much 'stuff', there's an incredible lightness and grace, almost like she might float away. Curator: It is light, definitely designed to capture the moment and the movement, a glimpse of an elite in a world about to change. Editor: Exactly. So beneath all the powdered wigs and extravagant flounces, it whispers of privilege and societal change about to arrive. An invitation to delve a little deeper. Curator: Very true. This work is a glimpse of something evanescent but, in this depiction, still hanging on...