Plate I from Cabinet Des Modes 1 - 1786

Curator: I’m struck immediately by the delicate colouring; there’s almost a watercolour quality despite it being an etching with coloured pencil. It's elegant, wouldn’t you agree? Editor: Oh, undeniably. I imagine her floating off a cloud… like a green sherbet dream in hat form. What is this precisely? A fashion plate, yes? Curator: Precisely. This is "Plate I from Cabinet Des Modes," dating from January 1786, created by A.B. Duhamel. It’s part of the collection here at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. "Cabinet Des Modes" was a significant journal documenting Parisian fashion, offering insights into the clothing, accessories, and social rituals of the French aristocracy just before the Revolution. Editor: The dress feels like it could swallow her whole—a playful, deliberate distortion, like a kid in mom’s clothes. I bet the journal ignited frenzies. Everyone breathlessly waiting to know what silhouette would be the envy of Versailles that week. Curator: Absolutely. The journal reflected and influenced the elaborate dance of status and presentation. This specific plate showcases a silhouette very much en vogue. Note the details; the large hat adorned with feathers, the fitted bodice, and the fullness of the skirt achieved through panniers beneath. Each detail signals not just fashion but social positioning. Editor: Panniers—like the original hip boosters! Makes me think of the restrictive, performative aspects of aristocratic life. I mean, how practical was all this, really? Though, maybe that's the point… to flaunt an impractical lifestyle. The artist must have delighted in capturing this scene? Curator: Practicality wasn’t the concern! The very impracticality signified wealth and status. Duhamel was documenting the real world. It's all about maintaining a public persona. "Cabinet Des Modes" catered to this world. Think of it as an 18th-century "Vogue." Editor: Right! This image certainly transmits more than style... there’s tension lurking beneath. An old world on the brink? Looking at it, I can imagine her walking straight into history... ready or not! It's an honor and unsettling all at once, this slice of life, frozen on the cusp of momentous change. Curator: I couldn't agree more; this is a glimpse into a world soon to vanish. And a testament to art's enduring power to preserve a sense of place and time.