Two fully flared sleeves 

Victor Müller sketched these flared sleeves, date unknown, with graphite on paper, now held at the Städel Museum. In 19th-century Europe, academic art institutions emphasized rigorous training in anatomy and drapery as foundational skills for aspiring painters. This sketch reflects that emphasis, showcasing Müller's attention to the fall and volume of fabric. But it also exists within the social context of fashion. Sleeves like these, indicative of bourgeois status, were subject to trends and social meanings. Drawings like this one offer insights into the broader material culture of the time. By consulting fashion plates, journals, and social histories, we can begin to understand the aspirations and values attached to clothing, and how such sketches played a role in the creation and dissemination of those ideals. Ultimately, the interpretation of art requires that we look beyond the surface to the social conditions of its making.