Fashion Plate No. 398 from Journal des Dames et des Modes, July 9, 1802
Pierre de La Mesangereexpand_more
Hand-colored engravingexpand_more
The Minnich Collection The Ethel Morrison Van Derlip Fund, 1966expand_more P.16,081
Not on Viewexpand_more
Musical instruments like the pianoforte, harp, and guitar remained fashionable accessories for women into the 1800s, even as public music-making became an ever more masculinized pursuit. Although the woman in this image boasts a carefully cultivated curvature to her fret hand, she is in fact holding the guitar backwards! Guitars are typically performed with the left hand on the fretboard and the right hand plucking the strings. This was likely a byproduct of the engraving process, which reversed the orientation of the original drawing. The fact that the image was still printed, however, shows that it was not intended to teach music lessons, like the musical scores in the Journal de la mode, but rather to highlight the instrument as fashionable.
Details
- Title
- Fashion Plate No. 398 from Journal des Dames et des Modes
- Artist Life
- 1761–1831
- Role
- Publisher
- Accession Number
- P.16,081
- Catalogue Raisonne
- Colas 736
- Curator Approved
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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