Category: 1870-1879
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1876 – James Tissot, Summer
In Tissot’s Summer, a woman stands in front of a room inviting someone in, or perhaps leaving. She wears a sheer muslin dress trimmed with yellow bows, which was considered fashionable for the time. Despite it being contemporary fashion, Tissot received criticism about his works that featured this dress at the 1877 Grosvenor Gallery. Over the years, Tissot repeats this dress in multiple paintings not only for its fashionability, but also for its artistic challenge.
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1870-71 – Paul Cézanne, The Conversation
Paul Cézanne based his painting, The Conversation (1870-71), on a fashion plate from La Mode Illustrée, which confirms that his figures are presented in fashionable dress. He uses this content to comment on the greater social issues of the time period, as well as explore darker notions of the fabric of society.
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1879- Berthe Morisot, Young Woman Seated on a Sofa
Young Woman Seated on a Sofa by Berthe Morisot uses a light color palette and whimsical brushstrokes to create an elegant representation of the modern, bourgeois Parisienne. The painter brings elements of the outdoors into an airy apartment setting to emphasize the beauty of her subject. In demonstrating the upper class woman, Morisot takes care to use fashionable elements that would be admired by those in high society who engross themselves in symbols of femininity.
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1872 – House of Worth, Seafoam Green Silk Gown
This 1872 Worth dress reflects dominant trends of the moment with its use of fringe, bows and horizontal trim, but is also somewhat more unique in its use of Islamic enamel-inspired ribbons.
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1875-1878 – Raimundo de Madrazo y Garreta, Masqueraders
Raimundo Madrazo often played with historical dress and aesthetics in his paintings. Masqueraders offers a luxurious look at late 1870s fancy dress, and later paintings of the woman’s costume give insight into the change in fashion.
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1870 – Berthe Morisot, The Pink Dress
Berthe Morisot’s portrait of teenager Marguerite Carré features a light pink ruffled day dress paired with black velvet and lace accessories, embodying the fashionable trends of 1870s Paris.
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1872 – Emile Pingat, Visiting Dress
Emile Pingat’s lavish visiting dresses were the height of fashion for decades; this one is eye-catching for its color-blocking, careful details, and complicated finishings.
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1878 – James Tissot, Evening
Tissot paid close attention to dress details, but his habit of adding a personal flair into the design sometimes rendered his paintings somewhat out-of-step with contemporary fashion trends.
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1870
The year 1870 was characterized by an extensive use of vibrant, contrasting colors and ostentatious trims, tassels, and flounces. Emphasis was now placed on individual style over the following of trends. By juxtaposing the desire to be fashionable for the moment with the desire to find what looks good on one’s self, society at large saw wide variety in interpretations of fashionable dress.
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1874 – Amédée François, Blue silk afternoon dress
This afternoon dress, though not extravagant compared to some of the elaborately decorated gowns of 1874, proves to still be en vogue due to its bustled silhouette, tight-fitting bodice with an elongated waist, and decorated high neckline.
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cuirass bodice
A form-fitting, long-waisted, boned bodice worn in the 1870s and 1880s–almost gives the appearance of armor as the name suggests.
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1876-77 – Brass-colored silk day dress
“Fashion is so liberal now, that provided a dress is sufficiently clinging, and tied back, anything else may be worn.” Peterson’s Magazine aptly sums up the fashions of 1876-77 and this brass-colored silk day dress.
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