Journal des Demoiselles, 1 Mai 1896, No. 5092 : Toilettes et Modes (...) 1896

P. Deferneville made this print called 'Journal des Demoiselles' in 1896. The focus is on the elaborate garments and hats, adorned with flowers and ribbons, reflecting the fashion of the time. Throughout art history, flowers have symbolized life, beauty, and often, transience. In antiquity, floral motifs were incorporated into garlands and wreaths, emblems of honor and celebration. Think of Botticelli's 'Primavera,' where Flora scatters blossoms, signaling renewal and vitality. Yet, here, the profusion of flowers atop the hats seems less about nature's rebirth and more about a constructed image of feminine charm. The hats, towering and extravagant, echo the headdresses of earlier eras, such as the Renaissance. Yet, they are transformed into expressions of individual status. This transformation, from symbols of fertility to emblems of social identity, reveals how collective memory shapes our understanding of visual symbols, imbuing them with new emotional resonance.