L’Iris, 1855

Description

This elegant fashion engraving was published in 1855 in the Paris-based women's magazine L'Iris – Journal de Modes et de Littérature. Published in the mid-19th century, L'Iris, along with publications such as Le Follet, La Mode Illustrée, and Journal des Demoiselles, played a significant role in shaping French fashion during the Napoleonic era. It served as a fashion and lifestyle magazine that conveyed not only clothing trends but also literary, cultural, and moral refinements to women. The engraving features three figures. The seated woman, with her wide crinoline skirt embroidered with mauve satin and black lace, embodies the elegance of the period, while the standing woman, in her dress with a black cape and patterned skirt in shades of blue and green, exudes an elegance appropriate for outdoor occasions. The young girl on the right, in her pink and white striped children's dress, symbolizes familial elegance and harmony.