A Fashionable Young Woman Seen from Behind 1800 - 1803

Carl Wilhelm Kolbe drew this fashionable young woman in pencil on paper, sometime in the late 18th or early 19th century. Pencil is an interesting choice, a relatively new medium at the time, associated more with sketching and preparatory work than finished art. Kolbe coaxes a remarkable range of tones from this humble material. Notice the meticulous rendering of the woman’s dress, with its delicate folds and flowing lines. It speaks to the textile industry and to the labor involved in producing fashionable garments. The emphasis is on elegance and refinement – seen in the elaborate headdress, parasol, and the way she delicately lifts her skirt. The drawing’s attention to detail elevates the status of fashion and the materials associated with it, challenging traditional distinctions between fine art and craft. It asks us to consider the social and cultural significance of everyday objects, and the ways in which they reflect broader trends in society.