Journal des Dames et des Modes, Costume Parisien, 1805, An 13 (627) Touffe de Jacinthes... 1805

Editor: Here we have an 1805 watercolor by Horace Vernet, titled "Journal des Dames et des Modes, Costume Parisien...". It's a delicate fashion plate depicting a woman in a white dress, but the elaborate floral headpiece really catches my eye. What do you see as you look at this image? Curator: Initially, one notes the almost mathematical precision in the rendering of fabric. Observe the artist’s skillful use of line to create the illusion of volume, particularly in the sleeves and the fall of the dress. Notice also the considered deployment of watercolor washes, modulating the intensity of light and shadow to give the figure a palpable presence on the page. Editor: Yes, the way the light falls is quite lovely. Is there anything to read in the way the figure fills the page? Curator: Absolutely. Consider the figure's relationship to the pictorial space. She almost entirely dominates it, emphasizing her artificiality. Moreover, the severe verticality of her pose and attire contributes to a feeling of elongated elegance that speaks to an elevated and refined ideal. Ask yourself, what is being sacrificed in this ideal form? Editor: It feels less about naturalism and more about aspirational aesthetics of the time, emphasizing constructed appearance. I'll need to sit with this one a bit longer. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure, observing line and form can offer invaluable insights.