Journal des Dames et des Modes, Costume Parisien, 1805, An 13 (662) Dessus de Peigne en feuille de Chêne 1805

This fashion plate was made by Horace Vernet in Paris around 1805, using engraving and stipple techniques. It comes from a magazine called "Journal des Dames et des Modes". At that time, printed images were meticulously hand-colored, making each one slightly unique. The lines of the engraving define the forms, but it's the stippling – tiny dots – that create the soft, almost lifelike texture of the dress and shawl. Consider the labor involved: from the engraver's precise work on the metal plate to the colorist's patient application of pigment. These processes reflect the fashion industry itself, where skilled hands transformed raw materials into desirable commodities. These images fueled the cycle of consumption, dictating trends and desires, all circulating within a society increasingly defined by class and consumerism. By looking closely at these materials and methods, we can understand that this seemingly simple image speaks volumes about the world in which it was made.