Journal des Demoiselles, 1847 : Modes Françaises (...) 1847

This fashion plate, illustrating the "Journal des Demoiselles" in 1847, was created by Eugène Mondain using engraving and hand-coloring techniques. It is printed on paper, using processes that allowed for the wide dissemination of fashion trends. Consider the material of the depicted dresses: likely silk or fine cotton, fabrics that would have been produced through extensive labor, from cultivation to weaving. The detail in the image – the ribbons, the elaborate sleeves, the parasol – speaks to the highly specialized skills involved in creating fashionable garments at this time. The print itself is a product of industrialization, relying on division of labor. The engraver translating a design into a reproducible image; the printer producing numerous copies; and the colorist adding the finishing touches. As a result, the print creates an interesting tension between the mechanization of production and the handcrafted quality of luxury goods. Examining these aspects reminds us that fashion is always a complex interplay of art, labor, and social aspiration, and that even a seemingly simple image can reveal much about the world in which it was made.