Journal des Dames et des Modes, Costume Parisien, 1805, An 13 (648) Costume demi Habillé 1805

Pierre Charles Baquoy created this print, ‘Journal des Dames et des Modes, Costume Parisien, 1805, An 13 (648) Costume demi Habillé’, using etching. The composition is strikingly vertical, dominated by the slender figure. Note how the artist uses a limited palette of pale grays and whites, achieving a sense of elegance and restraint. The stark linearity and the precise detailing of the clothing invite a closer look at the signifiers of social status and identity. This print appears as part of a fashion magazine that sought to define and disseminate the sartorial tastes of Parisian society. It serves as a semiotic system, each element of the attire—from the cut of the coat to the angle of the hat—acting as a signifier of class and cultural values. Consider how Baquoy's meticulous approach to line and form reflects the broader Enlightenment project of cataloging and classifying the world. The print not only captures a moment in fashion history, but also speaks to the era's obsession with order, reason, and the visual representation of social structures.