Meeting in the Woods of Boulogne, from Monument du Costume Physique et Moral de la fin du Dix-huitième siècle n.d.

Heinrich Guttenberg created this print, “Meeting in the Woods of Boulogne,” as part of the Monument du Costume Physique et Moral de la fin du Dix-huitième siècle. It’s a snapshot of late 18th-century French society, where fashion was not merely clothing, but a marker of social status and moral standing. The Bois de Boulogne, a park on the outskirts of Paris, served as a stage for the upper class to display themselves. The print illustrates an encounter, loaded with unspoken rules of engagement and display. The woman’s elaborate dress and the men on horseback speak to the rigid class structures of the time. It raises questions about the roles women were expected to play, and the power dynamics inherent in these social rituals. As we consider this image, we might reflect on how clothing still serves as a form of social commentary and identity today. What stories do our clothes tell?