Cape c. 1940

Rosalia Lane created this design for a cape, using watercolor and graphite, sometime between 1870 and 1920. Looking closely, we see a fashion plate of a cape, with a detailed rendering of its pattern and trim. The fashion plate emerged in France and England, becoming widespread in the 19th century, particularly with the rise of illustrated magazines. Here in the United States, the fashion plate served not only as a source of style inspiration, but also a democratizing force, bringing Parisian trends to a wider audience. Notably, women played a significant role in this field, working as illustrators and editors. Lane's work speaks to this important history of women's contributions to the commercial art world, a history we can further enrich by exploring archives of fashion magazines, advertisements, and design collections. It is in this way we can better understand not only the artistry, but also the cultural impact, of works like this.