Zes mannen en vrouwen in kleding uit 1800, 1810 en 1825 1857

Editor: Here we have "Zes mannen en vrouwen in kleding uit 1800, 1810 en 1825", an engraving made in 1857, currently at the Rijksmuseum. It's attributed to Anonymous. The print shows groups of figures showcasing different fashions from those decades. It strikes me how rigidly the social hierarchy must have been enforced, given how deliberately constructed these garments are. What stands out to you in this piece? Curator: What I find fascinating is how this image, created in 1857, uses fashion as a lens to examine social change—or perhaps, resistance to it. The stark visual contrast between the silhouettes across those 25 years speaks volumes. The earlier, more restrictive styles—the high-waisted Empire silhouette for women, the military-inspired tailoring for men—are juxtaposed with later, arguably slightly looser forms. But do you think 'looser' necessarily implies greater freedom, or a shift in societal power? Editor: I'm not sure, but the later styles do seem less…formal, perhaps signaling a relaxing of strict social codes. Curator: Precisely! Or, perhaps a different set of codes emerging. Consider how the Industrial Revolution impacted class structures. Could these subtle shifts in fashion be a visual manifestation of those societal upheavals? Were new bourgeois values reflected in silhouettes that favoured comfort and perhaps even a nascent form of individualism over rigid adherence to aristocratic norms? Who has access to those styles? Who is left out? Editor: That's a really interesting perspective. I was just thinking about aesthetics, but the clothing represents power dynamics so clearly when you put it that way. It also speaks volumes about social groups and hierarchies. Curator: Exactly! And that's the power of looking at art through a socially conscious lens. These aren't just pretty dresses and suits; they're coded messages about who gets to participate, and on whose terms. Thank you for sharing this view! Editor: I learned a lot. Now I am thinking about social class. Thank you for sharing your perspective!