Le Messager des Modistes et des Salons, Modes de Paris, Journal Aglaja, juillet 1863, No. 21 1863

Louis Berlier created this hand-colored fashion plate in July 1863 as part of the Parisian fashion journal, Aglaja. During the mid-19th century, these plates served as a vital communication tool, dictating the visual codes of femininity and class. Here we see a woman in a large, brightly colored dress with two children who are also wearing the latest fashions. These clothes are not just garments; they are signifiers of social standing, carefully constructed to communicate wealth and status. Consider the labor involved in producing such elaborate attire. Who made these clothes? What were their lives like? These fashion plates reflect a society deeply divided by class and gender, yet they also reveal the aspirations and desires of women navigating a rapidly changing world. While seemingly frivolous, these images offer a glimpse into the complex interplay between identity, power, and representation. It's a quiet, yet telling portrait of its time.