Magasin des Demoiselles, 25 mars 1857 1857

J. Desjardins created this print called "Magasin des Demoiselles, 25 mars 1857." Its linear focus and soft watercolour hues emphasize an elegance inherent in the fashion of the time. The arrangement of figures, with the mature woman centrally positioned, flanked by a girl and another woman, creates a structured hierarchy, reflecting societal norms. The artist's use of color is strategic. The purple dress of the central figure contrasts with the white lace gown, signifying status and refinement through saturation and embellishment. Note how Desjardins employs line to define the elaborate dresses, emphasizing the bouffant skirts that dominate the composition. The detailed rendering of fabric textures invites a tactile engagement, a visual invitation to feel the opulence. The print serves as a signifier of bourgeois ideals, where fashion and presentation were tools for constructing identity and class. It challenges viewers to consider fashion not merely as attire but as a complex language of status.