Journal des Dames et des Modes, Costume Parisien, 1805, An 13 (667) Costume Paré. 1805

Editor: We’re looking at “Journal des Dames et des Modes, Costume Parisien, 1805, An 13 (667) Costume Paré,” an engraving by Horace Vernet from 1805. It features a woman in a very high-waisted dress, typical of the time. It’s a rather formal and somewhat constrained image. What are your thoughts on it? Curator: I see this print as more than just a fashion plate. It's a snapshot of the shifting social and political landscape post-French Revolution. Consider the emphasis on elegance and refinement. How might that relate to anxieties about social hierarchies in flux? What does this particular representation of femininity convey about the role of women in that era? Editor: That’s interesting! I hadn't really considered the post-Revolution context. So, you’re suggesting it’s less about fashion and more about… societal pressures? Curator: Exactly! The romanticism, on one level, might appear as simple sentimentality. But if we dig deeper, we find this image speaks volumes about the aspirations and anxieties of its time. Who had access to these images, and what message did it convey? Consider how even seemingly innocuous depictions of dress could be understood as statements of political alignment or social aspiration. Editor: I see your point. The "romanticism" aspect may downplay more subtle messages that are present within the picture. What implications might there be in a new mode of dress for gender or class identity at the time? Curator: Precisely. That’s the kind of critical inquiry we need to bring to even seemingly simple artworks like this. Looking beyond face value and connecting art to broader socio-political conversations lets us consider the deeper history. Editor: That gives me a completely new perspective! I will definitely look at fashion prints differently now, keeping in mind their cultural background.