Journal des Demoiselles, 1er Mars 1882

Description

Journal des Demoiselles was one of the most renowned women’s magazines published in 19th-century France. Founded in Paris in 1833, it appealed primarily to young girls (demoiselles). While covering topics such as fashion, literature, music, morality, education, and social etiquette, the magazine also served as a cultural guide shaping the era's understanding of female identity and elegance. It was noted for its colorful fashion engravings, sewing patterns, and illustrations of European fashion. Published for nearly a century (1833-1922), the Journal des Demoiselles emphasized themes of female education, elegance, and moral refinement in French bourgeois society and, like other magazines of the period (La Mode Illustrée, Le Follet, Les Modes Parisiennes, etc.), played a pioneering role in the development of the women's press. This elegant color engraving was published in the Journal des Demoiselles on March 1, 1882. It depicts two adult women and a girl. One woman wears a simple yet elegant day dress in olive green. The other woman is depicted in a draped (bustle-style) gown of burgundy velvet and black lace. The girl, holding a pink doll, wears a short, embroidered dress in blue tones, in keeping with children's fashion of the time.