Dimensions: height 181 mm, width 112 mm
Copyright: Rijks Museum: Open Domain
This print by Horace Vernet, from 1805, showcases Parisian fashion, focusing on the 'Peigne et Aigrette en Diamans' – the comb and diamond plume. Consider the plume: it's an ancient symbol of power, resurrection, and immortality, seen in ancient Egyptian headdresses, associated with divinity. Here, in early 19th-century Paris, it adorns a fashionable woman, signaling status and elegance. It reminds me of Botticelli’s Venus, her flowing hair echoing the dynamism of the plume. The diamond aigrette, a cluster of gems, transforms the wearer, invoking a sense of ethereal beauty, while the fan adds to the play of concealment and revelation. This is not merely fashion, but a conscious performance, deeply rooted in our collective memories. The plume, then, is an enduring symbol – a constant presence on the stage of human expression.
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