Moniteur des Dames et des Demoiselles, 1858, No. 516 : Etoffes pour Ameublements (...) 1858

This fashion plate from 1858 showcases the styles of the time, but look closer, and the telling details reveal a deeper story. Consider the bouquet of lilies held by the central woman. Lilies, often associated with purity and the Virgin Mary, paradoxically, have roots in pagan symbolism, linked to fertility and rebirth. We see this duality echoed in Botticelli's "Annunciation," where lilies accompany the divine message. Yet, their presence in funeral rites reminds us of mortality. Here, in a scene of bourgeois leisure, the lily's presence introduces a subtle tension—a reminder of life's transient nature amidst the display of finery. These women were perhaps unconsciously engaging with symbols passed down through centuries, layered with diverse cultural and psychological meanings.