Lady in Fashionable Blue Gown 1970

Eugène Boudin made this watercolor sketch of a woman in fashionable dress probably sometime in the 1860s or 70s. It’s a quick study of a figure, focused on capturing the latest style. Boudin was working in France at a time of rapid industrialization and social change. Fashion became increasingly important as a marker of status and taste, particularly among the new middle class. This sketch gives us insight into the visual culture of the time, and the way that artists like Boudin were capturing and participating in it. The loose brushstrokes and delicate washes of color suggest a sense of movement and spontaneity, reflecting the changing nature of modern life. To understand this work better, we might look at fashion plates and magazines from the period, as well as social histories of dress and consumption. Art is always embedded in its social and institutional context, and by exploring these connections, we can gain a deeper appreciation of its meaning and significance.