Gallerie des Modes et Costumes Français, 1787, ppp 363 : L'Imposante du Jardin (...) c. 1787

Editor: So, this print is titled "Gallerie des Modes et Costumes Français, 1787, ppp 363 : L'Imposante du Jardin…", it’s by Pierre Charles Baquoy, and it’s watercolor on paper. I find it intriguing how the figure is gesturing outward, but her face is hidden. What do you see in this piece? Curator: It's fascinating how the print presents an elite woman of the late 18th century. While ostensibly about fashion, pieces like this are rich with the complexities of social hierarchy, gender roles, and the emerging power of consumer culture in pre-revolutionary France. This wasn’t simply about displaying clothing, it was about signalling privilege. Who had the means to parade around with this exaggerated wardrobe? It demands that we consider whose stories are *not* being told here. Editor: I hadn't thought about it in terms of exclusion. Curator: And her gesture – seemingly an innocent point – could be interpreted as a demonstration of control, literally directing attention to something that presumably pleases her, reasserting power dynamics, in a society where visibility itself was a contested terrain. We must consider who dictates the "mode" and for whose benefit? Even the title – "The Impressive One from the Garden of the King" – hints at this close association with the ruling class. Editor: So, you're saying it's more than just a pretty picture of a fancy dress? Curator: Exactly. This image is a cultural artifact reflecting and reinforcing the era’s unequal power relations. We are positioned as observers and perhaps even admirers, of this world. But from whose point of view are we encouraged to admire? Editor: That's powerful. It makes me look at fashion prints in a completely different light. Curator: Excellent. Context transforms observation.