A History of Western Society: Printed Page 593
PRIMARY SOURCE 18.4
The Fashion Merchant
Well-to-do women spent their mornings preparing their toilettes and receiving visits from close friends and purveyors of various goods and services. In this 1746 painting by François Boucher, a leisured lady has just been coiffed by her hairdresser. Wearing the cape she donned to protect her clothing from the hair powder, she receives a fashion merchant, who displays an array of ribbons and other finery.
EVALUATE THE EVIDENCE
Question
In this painting, which woman is the fashion merchant and which is her client? What are they doing at the moment the picture is painted? How would you characterize the relationship between the two women in this painting?
Question
In what ways does the fashion merchant’s attire provide evidence of the consumer revolution of the eighteenth century? Compare this image to the painting of the serving girl. What contrasting images of the working woman do these two images present?