Standing Woman c. 1870 - 1875

Constantin Guys made this watercolor, Standing Woman, using simple materials: paper, ink, and washes of color. But look at how he wields them. The layered applications create a sense of volume and texture, particularly in the woman’s elaborate dress. You can almost feel the weight and rustle of the fabric. This wasn’t just an aesthetic choice. Guys was a keen observer of modern life, and his art often captured the spirit of 19th-century Paris. Fashion was a huge part of that, and the clothing industry was a complex engine of labor and consumption. The dress in this image is a product of many hands, from textile workers to seamstresses, who toiled to create the luxurious goods that defined social status. So, while this artwork may seem like a simple sketch, it's also a window into the social and economic realities of its time. It reminds us that even the most fleeting impressions are shaped by material conditions and the labor that produces them.