La Moda de la Elegancia Parisiense del Correo de Ultramar, Junio 1882, Tomo XIV, No. 23, nr. 1903E 1882

Curator: What strikes me immediately is the carefully constructed scene; it feels like a tableau of Parisian bourgeois life. Editor: That’s a good observation. Let’s delve a bit deeper into that scene. Here we have "La Moda de la Elegancia Parisiense," a print from June 1882 by Edouard Tailland. It was published in "Correo de Ultramar," a magazine dedicated to Parisian elegance. Curator: Visually, it evokes a very specific mood, a mix of aspiration and constraint, if that makes sense. There's a formality even in the relaxed outdoor setting. The woman, her figure elongated by her dress, is juxtaposed against the children with their meticulously rendered outfits and postures. The dog at the lower corner is almost comically active in comparison. What symbols do you recognize? Editor: Well, first and foremost, the clothing itself functions as potent symbolism. Each ruffle, bow, and hat speaks to status, taste, and adherence to prevailing societal norms. There is, I think, also a powerful narrative embedded in the scene as a whole. The group, framed by verdant foliage, signals growth, fertility, but also a cultivated lifestyle away from the bustle of city. Curator: Yes, the outdoor setting is interesting in and of itself. It looks like they might be in a park, an intentionally designed and controlled natural space, very much in line with the constraints we touched on. It almost seems like an artifical world built to display the wealth and power of a certain demographic. I suppose that says a lot about the role of fashion in defining and reinforcing social hierarchy during that era. Editor: I completely agree. Considering this was circulated in a magazine dedicated to fashion, this scene may have aimed at presenting an aspirational vision for readers, even a prescription for conduct and the cultivation of bourgeois values, much beyond mere attire. Curator: Looking at this engraving really highlights how fashion wasn't just about adornment; it was deeply entangled with social and political agendas. Editor: Absolutely. This scene of Parisian elegance offers a rather detailed window into the values and ideals that French society was promoting at that time. It is fascinating to see a set of signs displayed with such deliberate precision.