Dame met fontange, mouche op de wang, open waaier in de hand, naar rechts 1683 - 1733

Bernard Picart made this print of a woman with a fan in Paris sometime between the late 17th and early 18th centuries using an engraving technique. Look closely, and you'll notice that Picart's image is made entirely from tiny lines incised into a copper plate. The varying density and direction of these lines create the illusion of light, shadow, and texture, defining the woman's elaborate dress, delicate fan, and confident pose. This was an artisanal process, demanding meticulous skill and time. The fashionably dressed woman is portrayed with a certain amount of satire, which was enabled by the printmaking process itself: the images could be widely disseminated and shared. Yet the print also speaks to the economic realities of the time. The woman's luxurious clothing and accessories, painstakingly crafted and embellished, represent a significant investment of resources and labor, highlighting the class divisions of French society. The production of such garments relied on the exploitation of skilled artisans and laborers, whose contributions are often overlooked in favor of the wealthy elite who could afford to commission and wear these status symbols.