print, watercolor
figuration
watercolor
romanticism
watercolour illustration
genre-painting
dress
Dimensions: height 236 mm, width 146 mm
Copyright: Rijks Museum: Open Domain
Jean-Denis Nargeot created this print, called "La Mode", using etching and engraving techniques. The composition is dominated by two figures, each showcasing distinct fashion styles. The color palette is soft, with pastel pinks and greens creating a visually harmonious yet subtly contrasting effect. The structural arrangement of the figures directs our gaze upwards, emphasizing the elaborate hats and puffed sleeves, hallmarks of the fashion of the time. The use of line in the striped dress on the right creates a sense of verticality, while the billowing skirt on the left introduces a more fluid, curvilinear form. The combination of geometric and organic shapes suggests an interplay between structure and fluidity, reflecting the tensions between artifice and nature. The light touch of color further emphasizes the artificiality of fashion, inviting us to consider its role in constructing identity. The print engages with semiotic systems, offering a window into the cultural codes and social values that shape our understanding of appearance.
Comments
On launching his society magazine La Mode (1829- 1955), the publisher Girardin criticized other fashion magazines for their ‘stiff, mechanical mannequins’. He wanted pictures that were more modern and animated. In illustrator Paul Gavarni, who had a reputation as the best-dressed man in Paris, he found just the right man to put a fresh spin on the fashion plate and to make the stiff ‘mannequins’ come to life.
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