Journal des Dames et des Modes, Costume Parisien, 15 mai 1808, (892): Chapeau de Paill (...) 1808

Curator: This print, “Journal des Dames et des Modes, Costume Parisien, 15 mai 1808” comes to us from the height of the Empire silhouette. Pierre Charles Baquoy created this using ink and watercolor to document the fashions of the day. Editor: It’s fascinating, isn’t it? She looks almost… windswept. Like she's trying to keep her hat from blowing away at the seaside. So poised, yet battling the elements, or maybe just a really good breeze! Curator: Precisely! These fashion plates served a crucial function. They disseminated Parisian trends throughout Europe. This particular plate tells us much about the period's obsession with classical revival and the delicate materials favored in women's clothing. The high waistline, the soft fabrics… all evoking a Greco-Roman aesthetic. But look closer at how class plays a part in her posture. Editor: Yes, I see it! The slight tension in her raised arm suggests a self-awareness, or maybe just plain awkwardness that belies all that refined drapery and coral jewelry. It makes me wonder, how comfortable could it really be, all that… elegance? Is this what liberation looks like? Is she comfortable? I wonder how quickly that white dress gets dirty? Curator: And you’ve just hit upon something really key—comfort and cleanliness for many at this time would not have been the priority! So, what are the critical questions we must ask when seeing images like this? Consider the role of fashion publications in shaping and reinforcing existing social hierarchies and ideals. How do representations of women impact understandings of gender roles? Editor: Good point! It's easy to get lost in the romance of the Romanticism, and sometimes what these types of illustrations don't tell us can be the richest stories. But isn't there also just something so pretty and escapist about fashion in that period? That chapeau must be absolutely huge! Curator: This work, while seemingly a simple depiction of fashion, speaks volumes about gender, class, and power. The watercolor print form itself reflects both an artistic intention, but a capitalist venture looking to distribute cultural standards throughout Europe. Editor: I'll never look at a fashion plate the same way again! And maybe that's the point of art, right? To keep shifting perspectives, even on something as seemingly light as an 1808 hat.