Figures de modes c. 1710

Jean-Antoine Watteau created this print, Figures de modes, using etching and engraving techniques. Watteau, working in the early 18th century, was deeply embedded in the societal shifts of his time, moving away from the formal grandeur of Louis XIV's court towards more intimate, naturalistic depictions of aristocratic life. In this piece, Watteau presents a man of fashion, poised with an air of nonchalant elegance against a pastoral backdrop. The figure's elaborate attire—detailed coat, stockings, and feathered hat—speaks volumes about the performance of masculinity and class in the French court. Yet, there's a subtle critique woven into the image. Watteau captures not just the splendor but also perhaps the artifice and the constructed nature of identity through clothing. His gaze towards the horizon invites us to reflect on the complexities of visibility and representation, suggesting that what we choose to show—through fashion or art—always conceals as much as it reveals. This work captures a moment in time and prompts us to consider the stories behind the fashionable figures that occupied the landscape of 18th-century France.