Military trousers 1881 - 1882

This pair of 'Military Trousers' by Marc Jacobs in The Metropolitan Museum of Art, uses a combination of blue fabric with black stripes and gold button details. This evokes the structure and formality of a military uniform. Jacobs here masterfully uses visual elements like color and line to question established meanings. The dark blue shade is often associated with authority, while the stark black stripes running down the sides create a rigid, vertical emphasis. Together, these elements signify the order and discipline of military dress. Yet, the trousers are presented without the context of a full uniform, abstracted from their original purpose. The use of gold buttons adds a touch of elegance and luxury, further destabilizing the seriousness typically associated with military attire. This interplay of sobriety and luxury challenges the viewer to reconsider fixed notions of power and representation. Through these formal choices, Jacobs doesn't just create a visually interesting object, but also engages with broader cultural codes.