Achterzijde van een jurk voor een uitknippop 1825 - 1875

This is a paper doll dress, created by an anonymous artist. This paper dress gives us a glimpse into the rigid social structures of its time. The elaborate design, with its layers of lace and ribbon, speaks to the importance of appearance and status in 19th-century society. Dress like this was a mark of wealth and respectability. But this object is also interesting as a kind of proto-fashion magazine: affordable and aimed at women. While the design may seem conservative to us today, the very existence of this dress – designed to be cut up and played with – suggests a kind of consumer culture and even a playful attitude toward the strictures of fashion. To understand this image more fully, we might look at fashion plates, conduct books and other materials that would illuminate the codes and meanings of dress in this period. Through this work of interpretation, we can better understand the relationship between art, society, and the individuals who lived in that time.