Kabinet van mode en smaak 1791, pl. IX 1791

This fashion plate was made in 1791 as part of the Dutch periodical, "Kabinet van mode en smaak," or Cabinet of Fashion and Taste. During this time, fashion plates served as a crucial link between the elite fashion houses of Paris and a wider European audience. Note how the woman's dress closely follows the Neoclassical style, which, in its simplicity, aimed to mimic ancient Greek and Roman garments. Yet, the towering hat adorned with ribbons and a plume speaks to the excesses of the Ancien Régime that were soon to be swept away by revolution. The inclusion of the dog is also telling. Canines were favored companions of the aristocracy, often serving as status symbols. These plates, with their visual codes, reflect not just fashion trends but the social structures and values of the time. Historians consult periodicals such as this to gain insight into the everyday lives and material culture of past societies. The meaning of this plate is thus contingent on its social and institutional context.