Jonge vrouw wordt aangekleed en verlaat het huwelijksbed after 1751

Jean Dambrun created this print entitled ‘Young woman being dressed and leaving the wedding bed’ at an unknown date. This image encapsulates aspects of the social norms that shaped 18th-century France. It shows the bride being dressed and attended to following the consummation of her marriage. This intimate scene played out as a public ritual, observed by members of the upper classes. The print highlights the economic and social structures of the time, with marriage serving as a means of consolidating wealth and power. Notably, the print format itself was becoming increasingly important during this period. Prints allowed for the wide circulation of images and ideas, influencing popular taste and shaping cultural values. To fully understand it we might consult marriage contracts, etiquette manuals, and visual culture studies. This artwork reveals the significance of social rituals, class distinctions, and the ways in which they were represented and disseminated through visual media.