Siddende, elegant klædt kvinde, halvfigur 1802 - 1892

Constantin Guys created this watercolor and pencil drawing of an elegantly dressed woman, sometime in the mid-19th century. Guys was working in a tradition of social observation, recording the fashions and habits of Parisian society, particularly during the Second Empire. The image presents a woman of the demi-monde, a class of women on the fringes of respectable society. The visual codes, like the elaborate hairstyle, jewelry, and low-cut dress, signal her social position. The rapid, sketchy style, common in popular journalism of the time, suggests a fleeting glimpse of modern life. Guys was the quintessential observer, documenting the changing urban landscape and its inhabitants. The drawing is a fascinating document of its time, hinting at the complex social dynamics and class distinctions of 19th-century Paris. To fully understand this work, we can consult periodicals and fashion plates from the era, exploring the ways social identities were constructed and represented in images. The meaning of art, as we can see here, is always contingent on its historical and social context.