On the terrace of the Tuileries, 1798
This plate depicts a couple in the garden of the Tuileries. She is wearing a typical flowing white, empire waist dress and a bonnet. Over her neo-classical style dress, she is wearing a 'spencer jacket', though... More
Stock-jobbing in the Palais-Royal, Year VII - 1799
A woman is depicted waiting outside of a group of men, guarded by a one-legged soldier. As the description says, they are stock-jobbing, or buying and selling speculative stocks, with little regard for the valu... More
Walk in the Tuileries Gardens. A dandy of the Year VIII
According to Baudelaire, a dandy was, "no profession other than elegance...no other status but that of cultivating the idea of beauty in their own persons....The dandy must aspire to be sublime without interrup... More
A Gambling Hell in the Palais-Royal, Year VIII - 1800
This picture depicts a woman gambling with three men. The text describing Year VIII says, "Pleasure-seekers still specially affected the neighborhood of the Palais-Royal...This was the hour for which every vice... More
An Opéra ball, Year VIII - 1800
This plate is a scene at an opera ball. In 1715, the regent of France instituted dancing at the Opera de Paris, especially around the time of Carnival. These balls were public and promoted a democratic atmosphere.
In the gallery of the Palais-Royal, Year VIII - 1800
This plate depicts a scene in the galleries of the Palais-Royal on the Rue de Rivoli in Paris. The Palais-Royal was built in 1624 by Cardinal Richelieu and bequeathed to the royal family. Later, the gardens and... More
The Perron of the Palais-Royal, 1802
A 'perron' is a staircase on the outside of a building with a platform or balcony-type structure leading to the entrance of the building. The man in the foreground, although dressed in colors, is reminiscent of... More
Waiting for the Saint-Cloud Coach, Place de la Concorde, 1806
This couple is depicted waiting for the coach, which was a passenger vehicle drawn by four horses. The woman is wearing a fashionable hat or "capote" that covers her face. Her dress maintains the empire waist a... More
The Saint-Cloud coach meeting, 1817
The woman depicted in this plate is wearing a white walking dress, identifiable by the rows of ruffles at the hem. White became very fashionable after the Restoration. Her lace collar, reminiscent of the more l... More
The Great Longchamps day, 1820, France, 19th century
This plate depicts two men wearing top-hats and long coats. The coats are cut square across the waist and the waist is fairly high. Their collars are worn very high, with the top of the collar sticking up over ... More
A Corner on the Boulevard des Italiens, 1833
The man in this plate is wearing a militaire or demi-solde redingote, a long, low-waisted coat. He is also wearing a 'chapeau claque' or what contemporary Americans might call a 'top hat.' The woman is wearing ... More
Boulevard des Italiens, Paris, 1833
The man in this plate is wearing a militaire or demi-solde redingote, a long, low-waisted coat. He is also wearing a 'chapeau claque' or what contemporary Americans might call a 'top hat.' The woman is wearing ... More
Dandyism in the Romantic period - a ballroom in 1834
The gentleman is wearing tight fitting pants, that are lighter than his coat. His pants have boot straps as well, reminiscent of an English riding costume. He wears a short-waisted coat with basques (or tails) ... More
At the Opera Ball, 1835, France, 19th century
The men depicted in this plate wear relatively tight, dark-colored trousers, as was fashionable in the Romantic Period. Their coats are high waisted. According to evening fashion, they both wear white stockings... More
A Sentimental walk in the Abbey of Longchamps, 1836
The woman depicted in this plate is wearing a dress with a wide bell skirt, accented by a corset. Her dress is relatively unadorned with narrower sleeves. She also wears a flat beret. The man is wearing a top h... More
Fashions in the Palais-Royal gardens, 1837
The woman depicted in this plate is wearing a dress with a very wide skirt and a fur trimmed 'paletot' or 'pardessus,' a coat-like garment worn over dresses. She is also wearing a large bonnet that almost cover... More
High-life in the Bois de Boulogne, L'allée des Cavaliers, 1842
The women depicted on horse-back is wearing a dark, broadcloth riding costume with a spencer jacket and sleeves à la jardinière. The man depicted is wearing a dark, high waisted coat with long tails, a top hat,... More
Opposite the first Café de Paris, Boulevard des Italiens, 1845
This plate depicts a street scene on the Boulevard Des Italiens. There is a woman depicted on horseback in a traditional dark riding habit, with a white collared shirt. The two men in the foreground are wearing... More
A stand at the Champ de Mars races, 1848
The woman depicted in this plate is wearing a dress with a blue redingote and a pink bonnet. She has a corseted waist and her skirt is supported by a fairly narrow crinoline, . The men in the middle ground are ... More
A box at the Italian Opera, 1852
The seated women wear dresses that are fairly sumptuous and expose the shoulders. They both wear shawl berthas wrapped around their shoulders and their hair is decorated with ribbons, feathers and lace. The sta... More
The Last of the Boulevard 'Lions', 1853
The men depicted in this plate are wearing fashionable haut-de-formes (top-hats), fairly loose-fitting striped pants, and 'jacquettes' with wider wand lower waists. The woman in this plate is wearing a very wid... More
A smart corner on the Rue Richelieu. The East India Company's warehous...
This plate depicts a woman passing in front of the 'Compagnie des Indes.' The woman in this plate wears a pink dress supported by a wide crinoline as well as a 'manteau impératrice' or an imperial coat in fur. ... More
The Boulevard des Italiens 1855 - Left side
The woman seated in the carriage wears a light bonnet and carries a parasos. She rides in a horse-drawn carriage attended by several servants. The man leaning over the carriage wears a fairly short and low wais... More
Bal Mabille, Paris, 1858
The women depicted in this plate wear dresses supported by very wide crinolines. Their skirts are flounced and the woman on the left is wearing a fur burnous (or hooded cloak). The women are dressed in very bri... More
In front of the Ambigu Theatre, 1861
The man on the left wears wide-legged, loose-fitting pants and a coat with no waist and buttoned high to the neck. The woman is wearing a blue dress with a fairly flat front that has a train and a crinoline tha... More
On a balcony in the Rue de Rivoli, 1864
In the background of this plate, one can see the gardens of the Tuileries and the Louvre behind it. The man wears a black coat with a starched collar. His pants are wide-legged and loose-fitting. She is wearing... More
The picture exhibition at the Salon. Looking at Manet's 'Olympia'
This plate depicts a scene at the Salon of 1865. Manet's painting 'Olympia'is represented in the background on the right of the plate. The man in the foreground is wearing a black suit with a starched collar an... More
Fête given at the Tuileries, 1867
The woman depicted in this plate wears a ball gown with a leaf motif around the hem, supported by a large crinoline. The dress has a very deep, oval-shaped neckline, revealing the shoulders. She also wears a fu... More
The Palmy Days of the Café de la Rotonde. In the Palais-Royal, 1868
This plate depicts a man with a mustache smoking at the Café de la Rotonde situated in the Tuileries. He is wearing checked pants over two-tone boots as well as a blue jacket. Abstract sources: Boucher, Françoi... More
A Gathering in the Luxembourg Gardens, Year VII - 1800
The woman depicted in the center of this plate wears a classical-style, empire waist dress, popular in the early 19th century. The text that precedes this image reads, "During their morning walk, the Parisian l... More
A Review on the Square of the Invalides, 1835
The woman seated in this plate wears a pink dress, with a narrow, corseted waist, a wide bell skirt, and wide sleeves. She is covered with a canezou, or shawl worn around the shoulders, popular in this era. She... More
An Official ball in the Strasbourg Theater, 1805
The two women depicted here at a ball are wearing more formal attire, closer to the 'costume de cour.' The attire of Napoleon's court, and consequently the mode for his entourage, was codified in 1804. The woma... More
At the Frères Provençaux Restaurant, 1848
The restaurant "Les Frères Provençaux" was opened in 1786 by two brothers and former chefs of the Prince of Conti. This plate depicts one of the large reception rooms on the third floor, used by society members... More
Bicycling; The Ladies of the Wheel, 1896
The woman holding the bicycle is wearing a short dress over dark leggings. Her dress retains the style of the epoque, with a sharply accentuated, corseted waist, a very high collar and billowing, leg of mutton ... More
Children in the Tuileries Gardens, 1859
The woman in this plate wears a dress with a wide crinoline and a 'manteau impératrice' or Algerian burnous in fur. Her hair is fashioned in plaits close to her head and is revealed by her bonnet. The girl on t... More
Cossack encampment on the Champs-Elysées, 1814
This scene depicts Russian soldiers in Paris after the allied invasion of Paris following Napoleon's defeat in March 1814. The woman in the background is wearing a fashionable cashmere shawl while the woman in ... More
In the Champs-Elysées, 1832 - Victorian era public domain image
This woman depicted in this plate is wearing a dress with leg-of mutton sleeves that billow out along the length of the arms, a very wide bell skirt, acccentuated by a narrow, belted waistline (most likely aide... More
Inside the Boulogne panoramam, 1824
One woman wears a green dress with a flounced hem and short, ballooning sleeves. The other woman, in a white dress, is wearing a cashmere shawl and carrying a parasol. Both dresses have wider skirts and lower w... More
Skaters on the reservoir at La Villette, 1813
This plate depicts a soldier skating on the reservoir in La Villette, a park near Paris. The soldier is wearing the uniform of a lancer. Lancers were light cavalrymen who used lances, which hadn't been used in ... More
A Winter stroll in the Luxembourg gardens, 1830
The woman in this skirt falls slightly above the ankle. Her shoes are 'cothurnes' or very thin shoes with leather ribbons laced around the ankles. She has very wide sleeves, cut from circular patterns, en 'bére... More
Court dresses - In the early Restoration
The women depicted in this plate both wear white feathers, symbolic of Henri IV. They wear very high waisted dresses in light colors. The hems of their dresses are decorated with flowers. Abstract source: Bouch... More
Crossing the Pont des Arts, 1816
This plate depicts two women crossing the Pont des Arts, which is also known as the Passerelle des Arts. It was built from 1802 to 1804 and was the first Parisian bridge to be made of iron. It was also the firs... More
Entering the Comédie Française, 1828
In this plate, two women are depicted going to the theater. Both women wear dresses with a lower, belted waistline, closer to the natural waist. Their sleeves have quite a bit of volume and are called 'en béret... More
François Courboin - La terrasse de Tortoni
Tortoni's was a café on the Boulevard des Italiens founded by two Italians, Veloni and Tortoni, to provide "good ice" to the French. The women depicted in this plate both carry brightly colored and very large c... More
Gardens of the Tuileries, near the Rue de Rivoli, 1819
The woman depicted in this plate is wearing a red redingote, modelled after British riding dresses. The skirt remains fairly narrow and the waist is fairly low. She is also wearing a bonnet with a plume, which ... More
In front of the Palais de l'Industrie - coming back from the races, 18...
The Palais de l'industrie was constructed in the mid-1850's to house the Exposition of 1855 and for public, civil and military events. It was destroyed in the late 19th century. The woman wears a gray and black... More
In the Cabinet des Estampes (Bibliothèque Nationale), 1897
This plate depicts a scene in the Cabinet des Estampes or the section of the national library which houses the iconographic collections. The women wear feathers in their round and elaborate hats. Their dresses ... More
In the Gardens of the Tuileries, Year VII - 1799
This plate depicts two well-dressed women fanning themselves in a large public garden. The woman in yellow wears a typically aristocratic hat (more popular before the French Revolution.) It is high and adorned ... More
In the Luxembourg gardens, 1838
The woman depicted in this plate is wearing a fur trimmed cape and fur muff over a very wide, fur-trimmed skirt. She wears a very large bonnet that covers her face. Abstract source: Boucher, François. 20,000 Ye... More
Little patriots, Year VIII - 1800
This colored plate depicts a woman surrounded by 3 little boys. She is wearing a typical, white empire-waist dress, probably made from muslin. She is wearing a 'Spencer jacket,' which is an overcoat without tai... More
Passengers by the Corbeil steamboat, 1846
The woman in this plate is wearing a very large cashmere shawl. Her dress has a very wide skirt, probably supported by a crinoline. A crinoline was a stiff underskirt that supported the wide skirts of the era. ... More
Prinking before the ball, 1858
The woman depicted on the left side of the plate is wearing a white flounced dress with a very wide crinoline, a corseted waist and a deep decolletage, reminiscent of the court costume of Napoleon II. She is de... More
Racing at the Bois de Boulogne, 1862
The woman in this plate is waearing a violet costume with very fluid, soft lines and a narrower skirt. She also wears a hat with some structure adorned with flowers. Despite the increasing fluidity of her outfi... More
Sunday at the Tuileries, 1831 - Public domain print
The woman in the center of this plate is wearing a shorter dress that falls just above the ankles, revealing boots laced on the inside of the ankle. The sleeves are wide and bouffantes all the way to the wrist.... More
The booths on the Pont-Neuf, 1844
This scene depicts a mother and son on the Pont Neuf, Paris's oldest bridge, where street vendors set up on the sidewalks. The child depicted in this plate is wearing long pants and a beret. The woman is waerin... More
The Carrefour Gaillon and the fountain, 1848
The woman depicted in this plate is wearing 'une visite', or a large cashmere shawl with slits for the arms. Also, the base of her skirt is round and full, supported by a crinoline, Abstract sources: Boucher, F... More
The Court at Compiègne - Madame de M. watching the hunting party start...
The woman depicted in this plate is wearing a violet dress with a 'crinoline empire' or a reduced, narrower version of the crinoline. The waist is adorned with a wide ribbon. Abstract sources: Boucher, François... More
The Courtyard of the 'Messageries Nationales' diligences, 1839
The woman depicted on the right is wearing a dress with sleeves à la jardinière, fashionable from 1837, which were tightly fitted through the elbow and were wide from the elbow to the wrist. The waist of her dr... More
The Delights of the Malmaison - A saunter through the park in 1804
This plate depicts two women in the gardens of Malmaison, the château that was refurbished by Napoleon's first wife, Josephine. The château is located several miles outside of Paris. The woman dressed in green ... More
The Fountain in the rue du Regard, Year VII - 1799
This plate shows a woman in an Empire style dress, typically made of white muslin. These dresses were called 'chemises' and had an empire waist (right below the bosom). Women wore only light underwear underneat... More
The new 'foyer' at the Théâtre Français; Portrait of Mme de R. in 1863
This plate depicts a woman in a cream-colored dress with a fairly wide crinoline. She wears a deep purple mantle made of velvet and a bonnet that reveals her plaited hair, tied around the chin with a broad, yel... More
The Picture exhibition at the Salon, Year VIII - 1800
This scene is an exhibition at the "Salon," a yearly state-run exhibition associated with the Academy, who dictated artistic taste until the rise of impressionism. The woman in the foreground is wearing a typic... More
The Sculpture Gallery in the Louvre Museum, 1806
The Louvre was opened as a museum in 1793 and admission was free to the public on weekends. The antique sculpture collection was added in 1800 into the former apartments of Anne of Austria or the petite galerie... More
The Shelter on the Longchamps Race Course, 1868
The woman depicted in the center of the plate is wearing a deep turquoise tunic. The woman on the left wears a pink dress with a crinoline that trains behind her. Both women's dresses have narrower crinolines. ... More
The Square of the Tuileries, 1870
The woman depicted in this plate is wearing a green dress with a train, adorned with ribbons near the bottom. She is also wearing a dark mantelet lined with fur. She is wearing a small black hat, worn on top of... More
The Théatre de Madame, 1827 - Drawing. Public domain image.
The woman depicted in this plate is wearing a red dress with a flounced hem and a fairly low, belted waist. She has a very high lace collar, carries a cashmere shawl and wears a wide-brimmed hat. Abstract sourc... More
Un salon de Frascati, Paris, 1800
This plate depicts a group of people at Frascati's. The man in the foreground is plainly dressed in dark colors while pastels are favored by the women. Frascati's was a cafe in Paris, described by the text as "... More
View of the two panoramas and the passage between them, 1810
This woman, depicted during the First Empire, is wearing an English-style spencer jacket as well as a simple walking dress. The dress falls straight, without fold from the empire-waist to the floor and is adorn... More
Vigier's baths, Year V - 1797 - Drawing. Public domain image.
This plate shows a woman descending a staircase in front of the Bains Vigier or the Pavillon des Flore in the 1st arrondissement of Paris. Her dress is typical of the early 19th century. She wears a high-waiste... More
Watching the Comet, on the Boulevards, 1857
The people depicted in this plate are observing the comet from a balcony typical of the kind of building constructed along Haussman's boulevards. The man is dressed in a black evening costume. The woman in the ... More
Skaters on the reservoir at La Villette (1813) - Fashion in Paris (189...
Skating at La Villete. A man wearing a red and blue uniform of a lancer.
Fontaine Gaillon, Paris, 1848
Français : "Le carrefour Gaillon et sa fontaine", Paris, 1848. Illustration de François Courboin pour Octave Uzanne, Les Modes de Paris. Variations du goût et de l'esthétique de la femme, 1797-1897, Paris, L. ... More
Bal Bullier, Paris, 1876
"The skating-rink in the bal Bullier", Paris, 1876. Illustration by François Courboin from Octave Uzanne's Fashion in Paris : the various phases of feminine taste and aesthetics from 1797 to 1897, William Hein... More