Le Journal des Dames et des Demoiselles, 1861, No. 640 : Edition Belge. Toilettes (...) 1861

Jean-Baptiste Réville created this print for the Belgian edition of “The Ladies' and Young Ladies' Journal” in 1861. It depicts two women modeling the latest fashions. The image speaks to the rise of consumer culture and the commercialization of fashion in the 19th century. In Belgium, as in other parts of Europe, the Industrial Revolution led to new modes of mass production, changing the way people consumed fashion. Publications like “The Ladies' and Young Ladies' Journal” played a key role in shaping consumer tastes and desires by presenting idealized images of fashionable women. This print, with its emphasis on luxury fabrics and elaborate designs, reflects the values and aspirations of the upper-middle class. To understand this artwork better, we might research the history of fashion magazines, the textile industry, and the social structures of 19th-century Belgium. The history of art always relies on understanding its wider social and institutional context.