Vrouw met grote hoed 1821

Louis Philibert Debucourt made this print, "Vrouw met grote hoed," sometime between the late 18th and early 19th centuries using the technique of aquatint. It presents us with an image of fashionable femininity in France during a period of significant social upheaval. Debucourt was known for his prints depicting Parisian life. His choice of aquatint, a tonal printmaking method, lends the image a soft, almost dreamlike quality, typical of the period's aesthetic preferences. The sitter’s elaborate hat and carefully styled hair speak to the importance of fashion as a marker of social status. It’s interesting to consider this image within the context of the French Revolution. While the aristocracy was under threat, visual culture still reflected the values and aesthetics of the upper classes. To fully understand the print, one would need to delve into fashion history, consult primary sources from the time, and explore Debucourt's wider body of work to see how he positioned himself within the artistic and social landscape of his time.